Should I buy a VPI SCOUTMASTER. I OWN 25 RECORDS.


Should I pursue analog? Invest maybe 3 or 4 grand in a table and start buying records? Some stuff sounds really good on Vinyl but it's an expensive endeavor and NEW records aren't cheap. Plus thos pops and noise and a lot of setup required. Love the vintage aspect of it. Some records sound truly amazing on a really good table and cartridge. Take the plunge? Or buy a better DAC and dont look back!!! Lol. 
jeffvegas
Most of the advises here is like "buy whatever cartridge and turntable, they are all good" (even if it’s very low quality gear, weak belt drive motor, dirt cheap phonostages, unipivot tonearm or entry level cartridges).

there was a similar thread before

If you don't mind to be disappointed in vinyl (compared to your digital) and ended up selling your analog gear losing money on it then you can go for it. 

If you really want something special to beat your digital and to keep what you're buying for a long time for happy listening then you must be more specific in what you're buying. 




@jeffvegas,  i had only bad experience with VPI unipivots and had to switch to other brand.

Be careful even VPI is promoting the gimbal version. In whats best forum a user seems to have suffered from the 3d tonearm.
If you are truly serious on going the vinyl route then yes avoid the VPI, there are tons of very serious competitors at 2k or less especially if you are prepared to consider used.
Just take a look at the listings right here on Audiogon today and say USAM and you will have quite a choice at 2k or less.

Just a quick look has this at $1200( sure they would go down even)
Well Tempered Labs has a lot of advocates here.
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisa06ic-well-tempered-labs-amadeus-mark-1-turntables

Or this, no experience with the TT but the arm is a killer!
https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9jjj3-ariston-audio-rd40-turntable-micro-seiki-ma-707-tonearm-o...


Hi.

As a teen, I loved listening to records.

Then, CD's arrived and I stopped listening to vinyl.

Late 90's I bought a new TT, phono stage and started collecting vinyl again.

Mid 2000's, sold everything I had collected in the 90's (married with children).

Fall of 2016 (As a result of some life changes) pulled my first TT out of storage along with the dozen or so records I had left.

Was a very frustrating transition getting back into vinyl. Was very discouraged by the sound quality from my TT/cartridge, noise on records etc.

There was a point where I was going to walk away from vinyl before I got too deeply committed. Then I made a choice and moved forward with vinyl. 

Bought a modest TT, and a moderately good cart (Clearaudio Concept/Ortofon Black)

Digital is now a portable medium for me. I have two systems I listen to. One is for radio, which I have on all day, the other is for vinyl.

I love the whole "thing" about vinyl. The "language" of the sound, the process of putting on a record, rooting through used bins and the way I listen to music when I play a record - the whole thing, and not just the hits...

3 years in and I'm not turning back. No real rhyme or reason to how I buy records  (new vs used)  and the collection is now over 600 Lps - never counted but going by linear feet of stacked records I figure its around that number.

Its not just the sound, its change how I listen to music.

Good luck!

With exception of Soundsmith carts, the typical replacement stylus for an MM/MI cart is 80% the cost of the cartridge.

@helomech just check Peter's interview and he said at 17:00 here SoundSmith cartridges will be rebuild ONLY for 20% of the cost (not 80% as you said).