Why Do You Still Have Vinyl if You Don't Play it?

Mitch -- I agree, this shouldn't be a discussion about formats. Which is why I proposed the idea that there are no "old formats". I realize now that 'old' was a poor choice of words; by 'old' I didn't mean a format's chronological age. so much as a format's viability as a storage medium for MUSIC. In other words, I believe ALL formats are viable means for storing music.

So, assuming the MUSIC is the issue, and not the records per se, when you say "I think it's time for me to let go." I take it to mean that you are OK with letting go of the MUSIC on those LP's, and with it, the LP's themselves. And that's a perfectly legitimate position; especially if you've taken the time to transfer ALL that music to another (more convenient) format. Why not? You can have your cake and eat it too ;--)

For me, there are additional reasons why I would hang on to the LP's themselves (rather than transfer their contents to CD's, tape, or a hard drive.) So, assuming I have room for them, here are some of those 'other' reasons I keep my LP's:
1.) I'm lazy: I don't want to lose any of the music, but don't want to take the time to transfer it.
2.) I'm cheap: I don't want to buy the hardware necessary to do the transferring properly.
3.) Even if 1 and 2 were not factors, I'd still worry about losing the transferred content -- both physically, and/or to some as-yet-unrecognized form of 'digital' deterioration'.
4.) And, as others have mentioned, my not wanting to give up (or have to transfer) that (sometimes great) cover art and liner notes -- which I still enjoy reading or re-reading.

And Mitch, despite the wording of your title, even YOU admit to playing your vinyl SOMETIMES ;--) You've bought the gear; you have the room (I assume); so why pitch it? You'll never get the money out. Are you worried about what happens when you croak?!

Don't!
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1.)I’m lazy: I don't want to lose any of the music, but don't want to take the time to transfer it.
2.) I'm cheap: I don't want to buy the hardware necessary to do the transferring properly.
3.) Even if 1 and 2 were not factors, I'd still worry about losing the transferred content -- both physically, and/or to some as-yet-unrecognized form of 'digital' deterioration'.
4.) And, as others have mentioned, my not wanting to give up (or have to transfer) that (sometimes great) cover art and liner notes -- which I still enjoy reading or re-reading.

Nsgarch, your four points are dead-on. I guess I just
didn't want to face it or admit it. I don't know what it's
going to take for me to let go.
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Or maybe another reason, unconscious perhaps, is what happened to me the other day, spending an afternoon listening to some great music on a pair of Quad 2905s on a really fine vinyl rig, a "you are there" joyful experience that never happens with digital as much as I enjoy the convenience of that format. I'm no vinylphile either, believe me, and it isn't this vs that however.....

I would keep your beloved recordings and dump the rest. What is for sure is that if you do have any regrets later, probably unlikely but still possible, you can't go back to where you are now so maybe a compromise is in order, for now. One of those experiences may happen to you at some time in the future and your interest may be rejuvenated, another perspective.

I think the discussions were on track. They drifted because discussions do that. Why people don't play their vinyl? Well, many reasons were listed and I will list some also that I can think of.
1. Lazy
2. Cleaning records to the extent that by the time you are done you have lost all of your time.
3. Getting up every few minutes to change sides.
4. New and better phono stages require upgrading. I guess this could be true for CD transports and DACs also.
5. Totally forgot how much better analog recording/playback is to digital and can no longer remember the difference.

The other night, I was at home with a friend listening to music. I have a McIntosh Labs music server through a Theta DS Pro Gen III DAC. I also have a stand alone CD Transport through a Theta DS Pro Gen VA DAC and also my Sota Star Turn Table through an Audio Research phono stage. We had a blast listening to great music and comparing.

We listened to music via the music server/DAC combo. It was great. Then, I switched to the same CD via my CD transport/DAC combo. Night and day difference. Much more open sound and sound stage via the CD Transport DAC. Oh and by-the-way, the music server digital output through the gen VA day sounds not close to as good as the CD transport DAC combo. but wow! great sound. CD transport made you not want to get up. Then, I swithed to the album and turn table for the same recording and lo and behold, extreme night and day difference. The Turn Table/phono stage combo versus the music server and CD elements was wonderful. It reminded me why I listen to albums. I remind myself all the time why I need to take the time to clean my records and listen. One can get complacent listening to digital and then when you go and compare. You match levels and listen. The turn table analog sound is just wonderful. So add complacency to the list also as to why people don't listen.

But, for fun. turn your system on. Get the cd of your favorite music and the album (recorded analog, not from digital). match levels on your pre-amp and sit back and listen.

enjoy.

Mitch, it occured to me that perhaps this last part of your OP is the 'real' question:

I don't know what it's going to take for me to let go.

My own answer would be that whatever 'it' is (that it would take for me to let go) it would be outside of any 'audio considerations'. It would be something more 'life affecting' like: a fire, or an illness, or a physical move to smaller accomodations; something like that.

In his preceeding post, Minorl again recounts a (purely anecdotal) experience many/most of us have had: comparing the same piece of music in different formats. But for me, and for many people (including Minorl, I bet ;--) the likelyhood of having a given piece of music in multiple formats is nil. Which is why, earlier in this thread, it suggested that when viewed through the lens of "the music", the idea of completely abandoning a particular format sort of goes out the window ;--) And as a matter of fact (coming back to Minorl's experience) one evening a friend and I assembled all the music we could find between both our collections which we had in two or more formats. This included not only LP's and CD's, but reel-to-reel and cassette. We even had a few selections in all four formats! And the startling and unexpected outcome, was that there was no clear winner or loser!

At one point not long ago, I had considered doing some serious culling (of all my 'formats'.) Then I remembered that years and years ago, I had done just that -- and lived to regret it. So once again I say, "if you hang on to the music, you'll never have reason to regret it."
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