ghdprentice,
I understand your situation and I’m glad your experiences are as such. I could not come within a fraction of what you’ve invested in your analogue gear. My total investment where it pertains to equipment, including tweaks, cables, etc..is about $55,000.00 retail. If I were to spend $30,000.00 on a table, cartridge, phono stage, etc...then yes, my analogue rig could outshine my digital source in most situations with one clear exception, newer recordings. When I buy a new cd, the likely-hood that it’s available in any other format is about zero.
Currently, my cartridge is a mono MC cartridge and my record collection dates from that golden age mono period of the mid to later 1950’s. I prefer the denser resolution of mono to stereo vinyl and this also allows me to focus on the more arcane, older pressings that most other collectors don’t own nor even know about. With $30,000.00, I’d buy a table with multiple tonearms and both stereo and mono cartridges but I would still be selective to insure that I’m getting the most from budget.
Anyway, my current digital front end is excellent and when I play a quality, recently recorded file, I’m not left wanting for anything else. So at this point, the question is whether or not I’d miss not having my table or phono amp and the answer to that is that I’m still not sure. Of course, I would rather have than not have. Maybe I’m just materialistic but that rule pretty much applies to anything I hold valuable. Would I rather have a German dictionary than not; yes, I’d rather have the dictionary. But I was recently told by my doctor to get an exam regarding surgery to correct a deviated septum and if I can’t afford the surgery without selling my gear, then unfortunately I may have to sell. My exam is this Friday.
I understand your situation and I’m glad your experiences are as such. I could not come within a fraction of what you’ve invested in your analogue gear. My total investment where it pertains to equipment, including tweaks, cables, etc..is about $55,000.00 retail. If I were to spend $30,000.00 on a table, cartridge, phono stage, etc...then yes, my analogue rig could outshine my digital source in most situations with one clear exception, newer recordings. When I buy a new cd, the likely-hood that it’s available in any other format is about zero.
Currently, my cartridge is a mono MC cartridge and my record collection dates from that golden age mono period of the mid to later 1950’s. I prefer the denser resolution of mono to stereo vinyl and this also allows me to focus on the more arcane, older pressings that most other collectors don’t own nor even know about. With $30,000.00, I’d buy a table with multiple tonearms and both stereo and mono cartridges but I would still be selective to insure that I’m getting the most from budget.
Anyway, my current digital front end is excellent and when I play a quality, recently recorded file, I’m not left wanting for anything else. So at this point, the question is whether or not I’d miss not having my table or phono amp and the answer to that is that I’m still not sure. Of course, I would rather have than not have. Maybe I’m just materialistic but that rule pretty much applies to anything I hold valuable. Would I rather have a German dictionary than not; yes, I’d rather have the dictionary. But I was recently told by my doctor to get an exam regarding surgery to correct a deviated septum and if I can’t afford the surgery without selling my gear, then unfortunately I may have to sell. My exam is this Friday.