Is it all worth it?


Do you ever get the feeling when you start to question whether playing records is really worth it all?
You know with everything involved with great record playback.
The setup, the cleaning regime, the $1000 plus cartridges that start their finite lifespan as soon as stylus first touches vinyl and spirals into less and less value with every play.
All the tweaks involved, cables, mats, isolation etc.
Then the media itself with it's inevitable disapointments.

Don't you just like to push a couple buttons on your phone app and be listening to great sound with a worldwide catalogue at your fingertips.

Or is it that when all of it lines up and the sounds are just sublime, then yes you sit back with a wry smile and say...

Yep, it's all worth it!
128x128uberwaltz
Vinyl has always been my primary music source.  I still own and play the first album I purchased with my lawn cutting money in the early 70s.  My father loved his music and it was spinning most evenings.  The “ritual” was ingrained and practiced from an early age.  Today I still love to tweak my cartridges setup.  Newly acquired TT has two tonearms and I spent a good 2 hours today making minor SRA adjustments on one tonearm to optimize the Kiseki Pupleheart.  Down to 0.1mm changes until I found the spot it will stay at for the foreseeable future. I love this challenge and the rich reward I experience from the effort in listening to the music at its best.  My digital system is also very solid but to reach the level of my vinyl I would have to probably add another $10,000 investment.  Not happening and no fun to tweak.  It is a hobby...  
I’ve had over the years numerous different systems. What I really enjoy these days is simply listening to the Radio (on the internet) I’m surprised how good some stations sound but I like not listening to or for SQ as much as it forces me to just listen to music for musics sake. Not to say I don’t have a good system 😏
Records do sound good when everythjng is done properly and cleaned - what a pain in the ass.  I have learned a ton on how to make digital from a quality dac sound like good analog for example buy a matrix audio ,or Jcat audio card that have Femto clocks  ,  a plug in mojo audio regulator module for low noise 
and their dacs using R2R dacs are great, and a linear  power supply external like a Sbooster, or wyred 4 sound power module unit $400 + $150 per devise and you are playing analog ,if streaming get a network like a Jcat  these computer add on around a grand 
and nigh5 and day difference in audio ,ps buy a good digital cable 
Wywire Ref, very natural  for example.
I agree with two posts up, I enjoy just listening to my FM tuner at times. No fuss, just tune in to my local classical or jazz station. The quality of the both the signal and the content is superb. 
Yes, it is worth it. Remember to enjoy your jurney when you search for you final HiFi/Music destination.👍