Bought my first turntable in 1962, joined Columbia Record Club and my new bride and I enjoyed vinyl for 25 years.We finally tried the CD craze mid/late 80's but we were never as enthusiastic in our listening as the vinyl era. This had less to do with the medium and more to do with the evolution of popular music, children, job growth, etc.
It was not until 2000 or so that we began to have the time and money again to listen to music extensively and we found that we reverted to the music we enjoyed when we were younger.
We began to rebuild our vinyl collection, chose the CD's and LP's that we thought provided higher quality sound (Verve, Chess, Blue Note...), and slowly upgraded our audio gear by selectively buying used equipment.
We both preferred vinyl, equally for the type of music and the sound quality. However each of us remembered a better quality of vinyl sound that we were not experiencing. Tried different cartridges, cleaning systems, etc.
Finally, when I was shopping for my first brand new amp/preamp (2020), I read a review which indicated that the accompanying phono section of this Class D integrated amp was in itself worth the purchase price. So I nervously took the plunge and unbelievably the reviewer was correct.We are overjoyed and listen to vinyl daily.Yes we still purchase used CD's and used vinyl as well according to genre most enjoyed, but the searching and buying and adding to our collection is a joint effort in our ''old" age.We vaguely understand what streaming, internet radio and HD downloading is, but we don't care about it.Our vintage audio gear, plus our newest integrated amp, along with 50 year old records, 35 year old CD's, 40 year old speakers give us an excellent quality of sound.We care little about more expensive speakers cable, interconnects, sand weights speakers, turntable platter weights, room sound enhancements, etc., etc. We just enjoy the music.Admittedly, we are in a demographic slice that missed out on a formal computer education, both during school and vocation and thus are pretty much turned off over most things digital.But isn't it primarily about the music entering the ears and secondarily the source?
It was not until 2000 or so that we began to have the time and money again to listen to music extensively and we found that we reverted to the music we enjoyed when we were younger.
We began to rebuild our vinyl collection, chose the CD's and LP's that we thought provided higher quality sound (Verve, Chess, Blue Note...), and slowly upgraded our audio gear by selectively buying used equipment.
We both preferred vinyl, equally for the type of music and the sound quality. However each of us remembered a better quality of vinyl sound that we were not experiencing. Tried different cartridges, cleaning systems, etc.
Finally, when I was shopping for my first brand new amp/preamp (2020), I read a review which indicated that the accompanying phono section of this Class D integrated amp was in itself worth the purchase price. So I nervously took the plunge and unbelievably the reviewer was correct.We are overjoyed and listen to vinyl daily.Yes we still purchase used CD's and used vinyl as well according to genre most enjoyed, but the searching and buying and adding to our collection is a joint effort in our ''old" age.We vaguely understand what streaming, internet radio and HD downloading is, but we don't care about it.Our vintage audio gear, plus our newest integrated amp, along with 50 year old records, 35 year old CD's, 40 year old speakers give us an excellent quality of sound.We care little about more expensive speakers cable, interconnects, sand weights speakers, turntable platter weights, room sound enhancements, etc., etc. We just enjoy the music.Admittedly, we are in a demographic slice that missed out on a formal computer education, both during school and vocation and thus are pretty much turned off over most things digital.But isn't it primarily about the music entering the ears and secondarily the source?