Tbg,
While opinion on the sonic quality of an LP record can be debated with each side having valid points, the LP record is still today a viable medium for music reproduction. Yes at one time it was a revolutionary concept, but over the years it has more than justified it's original hype IMO. My vinyl and analog set-up leaving my system anytime soon.
Now your second point is very valid (don't forget to throw Radio Shack into the mix). What makes this a bit more interesting is if you do same brand name swapping. Then I think you might really be on to something about the Reality Checker.