Anybody added a full vinyl setup to system? And?

Paul79 said: “Summing up, the digital sounds like amazing HiFi, while trying not to sound HiFi. The analog is impossible to describe in the HiFi sense. It connects with me instantly, and I cannot use HiFi descriptors at all, as in it turns off my HiFi brain completely.”

Couldn’t agree with paul79 more. The way he has framed the difference encapsulates to perfection how I experience the two formats. I also concur that digital is ruthless when it comes to poor recordings - they are almost unlistenable. I’ve yet to hear any vinyl that is in good condition that is unlistenable.  (Newbie Disclaimer: I just returned to vinyl last month after a 30-year hiatus so haven’t heard that many records). Switching my HiFi brain back in, it’s obvious that vinyl records can’t all be perfect. So not sure if that gentleness on our ears is a big part of its appeal despite the fact it may be a form of colouration.

While I listened to a lot of music as a kid I didn’t start buying music till I started high school in the mid 80’s. Yes, as a tiny tot I listened and played records on my sisters’ record players (notice I didn’t say turntables) but the bulk of my musical experiences were tapes that I could play at home and in my diesel VW rabbit, then I switched to digital after buying my first CD player after graduating high school. Then it was digital all the way.

Around 2010 I got the itch to go vinyl, not sure if this is recent enough based on your question but this was my experience. It seemed like everyone was saying it was a better format despite the rapid advancements in digital technology, so I hopped in and gave it a shot. I had next to nothing in the way of source material and this alone was making for a very expensive introduction. After a couple of years it just boiled down to this for me: For the money ($3,000 to $4,000 or so for source equipment) I preferred the sound of digital in that price range over everything needed for analog. I also grew increasingly frustrated with the quality and price of vinyl pressings but maybe that’s changed.

I don’t know, maybe part of it for me was because I basically grew up with zero vinyl. Or maybe it’s because I listen to music made and recorded from the early 90’s to today. I don’t play much old stuff but occasionally do. Maybe I would have been enamored with a much more sophisticated and expensive table, arm, cartridge, phono preamp, cables, and let’s not forget about source material, but that list gets to my point. Vinyl can be so much more expensive than digital and it ultimately just wasn’t worth it to me in the price range I could afford. Dollar for dollar I got so much more out of digital for the sound I preferred.

Those that prefer vinyl, more power to you and I hope you enjoy every rotation! Some of us prefer digital for one reason or another. I’m in the digital camp.
Happy New Year!

If you have a well set up vinyl rig, there's just no comparison to digital.