Would you still pay $10k or more for a turntable not full analog front end these days ?

From an investment standpoint, you are better off getting a turntable over a streamer. Streamers are not like computers, every 18 months a better one comes out. Not so much with turntables. Once you own a streamer, you just plug in and go, there really isn't much involvement.  With a TT, you can spend unlimited time and money tinkering with it. Needles, cartridges, pre-amps, tone arms, etc...

Yes, records are stupid expensive, 2x the cost of CD's. Most records are at least $30 a piece, usually I feel lucky to find one at $25. 

My streamer and TT get almost equal use. It's hard to play a record and cook dinner. Dirty hands have no place near a TT. My TT aways sounds better over my steamer. The TT is only as good as a source, some records are crap, and a good TT will let you know that. Over the streamer that most stuff sounds the same. 

Once you own a streamer, you just plug in and go, there really isn't much involvement.  With a TT, you can spend unlimited time and money tinkering with it. Needles, cartridges, pre-amps, tone arms, etc...

@mswale You just reminded me why my TT remains in storage. 😉

My TT aways sounds better over my steamer. The TT is only as good as a source, some records are crap, and a good TT will let you know that. Over the streamer that most stuff sounds the same. 

Out of curiosity, how much $$$ do you have invested each in your analog and streaming setups, and what are you using as a streaming service?  BTW, I can very easily tell the differences between various recordings of the same material in Qobuz, and I’m only using a $400 iFi Zen Stream (with their iPowerX power supply).

Fine tuning is important part of audiophile engagement, unlike music lover engagement. That's one problem with digital - nothing to do with it but listen.

That's one problem with digital - nothing to do with it but listen.

That’s not really true — I spend many hours exploring worlds of wonderful new music/artists I’ve never heard before, and then there are all those great playlists I need to go through and choose from.  Oh the horror!  Heh heh.  Funny how one person’s problem can be another person’s gift.

Right, but I didn't mean that. I explore new music on youtube too.