Isn't it really about quality of recording?

@ghdprentice  I have 7,000 CDs.   At least 1,000 are Romophones, Marston and Biddulph.   Unavailable for streaming.   The alternatives are buying LP versions or the 78s themselves (if possible, $1millions in cost and then there is the playback speed/stylus issues).   I also have ethnic CDs, private recordings by me and others which cannot be licensed for public play, etc.   About 40% of my CDs are available for streaming   So, I'm never giving up my CDs (or rare 78s).   Most of my 28,000 LPs are not streamed and most original tapes are just gone with no ownership or out of existence (remember the Universal fire as well).

@fleschler 

Amazing. I used to shop at PDQ Records in Tucson. Unfortunately, the closed a few years ago. Been there? 
 

Are you a record guy… Don’t care much about the system… or both. Love to see what a collection like that looks like.

I have long time friend, guy had first high end audio system I ever had the pleasure to hear, how I became addicted. Anyway, he eventually became audio engineer and now owns a sound reinforcement company. Over time he left audio hobby for the production side of business, great audio equipment morphed into great recording equipment. He's got the best of best of everything, I've been to a number of concerts he provided sound for, by far the best sound quality I've heard at a live show, and I've been to literally thousands of them. The few studio projects he engineered are also best of best. And this work with jazz, reggae, rock, experimental electronica, electronic dance music, many genres. If only all recordings and concerts were done with such care!!! Audiophile production people sure are rare breed, wonder why no audiophile has ever started a school or mentoring program for people wanting to get into audio production, Perhaps too old school a thought when home recording equipment so ubiquitous, and probably who you know rather than particular talents to work in recording studios.

And I've yet to be convinced that ever increasing resolving capabilities are detrimental to recordings of at least low side of mediocre. I play plenty of these quality recordings, some may even label them as poor quality, and they only sound better as the resolution of my system increases. I hear the warts, but the continuing and ever increasing sense of real live performers in listening room far outweighs the warts. And this not some new sensation such that the novelty of newfound resolving capabilities  has blinded me to the warts.

Since I"m solely into streaming these days, vast majority of upgrades in recent years have been in streaming equipment, and believe me, plenty of opportunities with upgradies in streaming. My digital sounds more analog over time so the added resolution has gone hand in hand with a more natural timbre, this makes the lesser recordings sound better on two fronts. I presume this two handed improvement will continue over time which means there would be no downside to increasing resolution. I should add, my system is not coloring or obscuring recordings in the least, my dac uses ESS Sabre 9038 pro chips, many would characterize sabre chip dacs as highly resolving and clinical. I hear the resolution, not the clinical. Point I'm trying to make is my system is not hiding warts.

I believe with the right combination of equipment the vast majority of recordings can be made to sound better with higher resolution. I'd hate to believe a higher resolving system would make more recordings unlistenable, I'd quit trying to evolve my system.

@ghdprentice  I have 27,500 LPs (about 2,000 duplicate operas) mix of classical, jazz, vocal, opera, ethnic, etc.   I also have 7,000 78s.   I am 66, collecting since 3.  I live in Los Angeles area and have had many great stores to purchase from, some collections, some donations and still some good stores although the price of good LPs has inflated whereas CD prices have deflated.  I've never been to Arizona but have purchased 100s of records at record stores in Las Vegas, NYC and throughout CA in the past.

+1 sns

Most recordings are good enough. Don’t blame the recording if it doesn’t sound good to you. It’s probably your system that isn’t set up well (in your room). No matter how much you’ve spent on cables. :)

Genesis - Trespass, is a very good recording. Bowie - Heroes, not so much (but there are good parts). Bowie - Lazarus, great great great!

Thanks for the Purple tip.