Vinyl lovers I must be crazy

I think since I started reading equipment reviews in Stereophile, The Absolute Sound, etc., that I tend to think more about how the equipment is performing and how it's affecting the sound, versus just listening and enjoying the music before I started reading these mags. Other times I just listen to music without regard to how the equipment is performing, but it takes more effort to do so. Reading hifi reviews has sensitized me more to focusing on the equipment and performance, rather than just enjoying the music. I have been into hifi since 1969, with KLH speakers, Scott receiver, and Dual turntable and I enjoyed the music without focusing on the equipment, even though by today's standards that equipment was limited in performance. This was prior to my focusing on equipment reviews.

So, I guess if one just wants to focus on enjoying the music, and not the equipment, maybe stop reading hifi mags and equipment reviews. It may help.

My first "high end system" consisted of a Yamaha receiver (forgot the model #, but it was the first year of their "digital" tuners), a Bang & Olufsen Beogram 3404 table, and Mission 717 speakers. I bought it all from Audio Breakthroughs on Long Island back in 1981. The music was sublime, and I loved every minute of listening.

My system now is considerably "better," and I really love the way it sounds. For me, it's always been all about the music. Of course, I can buy better components that I now have, but, for me, the music still sounds incredible, and I love my evening listening sessions. I love listening to music, and I don't think I ever listen to the electronics. And now, I am really, really enjoying vinyl. I still have most of the 500 or so LP's from my 1970's college days, and I've bought about another 300 LP's over the past few years. I also have about 700 CD's, and I have a computer --USB DAC source as well. Whatever the source.....the music is what matters !!!

Ask a witness what occurred during the "crime" and they will recall most accurately within the first 24 hours. Every 24 hours later, accurate recall diminishes dramatically. 40 years later...it's the emotions tied to the music or event we recall. These feelings tied to an event, like in your case music, can make listening to music with your head stuck in a toilet to be the most memorable moments in your life... possibly the most enjoy full.

Disclaimer: do NOT stick your head in the toilet...unless you're planning on flushing.

I imagine you have a good system if your cables are as expensive as you imply. Consequently, "dabble" in vinyl won't be a huge equipment outlay as a good turntable, cartidge, and a moderate priced tube phono stage might give you a taste of vinyl magic for your curiosity. I think a turntable w/cartridge in the $900 range and a good used tube phono stage for $3-500 should get you back in the ball game. If you don't like it, you can sell it without much of a loss. I came back using a used B&O I had forgotten I had and with a $100 phono stage got hooked. Got a better phono stage, than a VPI turntable. Now, I'm 90% vinyl for music listening. Also, replacing my solid state with tube gear (first with a preamp and later amp) finally got me to the full analog heaven. Now, I can't listen to any digital source for long after getting used to the warmth and lush sound of tube analog. I hope it works for you as I'm a music lover of your same generation and taste. Best wishes and happy listening.

The 70's system was a all vinyl system and my current system I strictly listen to Cd's. Is that the problem listening to CD's?

All the nostalgia aside, it seems you answered your own question. I remember one of the Stereophile reviewers stating that a correctly set up analog system will always beat a digital system, or something close to it. I don't have a problem with people enjoying their CDs, but for me personally, a digital system can NEVER be as enjoyable as analog so I don't subscribe to the "enjoy your music irrespective of the medium" camp. To me, my system and my music are one organic whole; one cannot exist without the other to provide ME with an enjoyable experience. My tube amp smells like music to me when it's on; the smell of hot tubes evokes a visceral sensation that I associate with listening to beautiful music. The organic sound of vinyl simply cannot be matched by CD, SACDs, or whatever else they come up with out there because digital's very existence is predicated on a flawed concept - it tries to reproduce what is a purely human creation. Perhaps I'm getting too philosophical here so here's my stance on the reason you don't like your CDs: the only way to truly experience music and fully appreciate its beauty is through analog playback. Digital playback should be left for boring work commutes and cleaning as background filler.