Getting into analog is tough....

You just want it easy--are the girls you party with "professionals"? They're real easy...some can be *outstanding*!

I just got a bunch of LPs from Argentina, mostly early 70's recordings not available on CD. Ten albums for $126. A couple of old tango recordings were also in the group, one was a 1927 Carlos Gardel rereleased in LP. Awesome. Simply awesome. I have a really decent digital rig, including a belt driven transport, but it's the analog the one that can bring the magic and the nostalgia.

If you want close to plug and play and have plain fun I suggest what I have: the "Creature on Steroids".

For plug and play it's hard to be simpler than a rega p3 with an elys cartrige. The cartridge has 3 bolt points so that on a rega arm there is no alignment to consider. There's almost nothing to adjust on the rega other than tracking weight and anti-skate, which takes about 10 minutes. If you stick with the 3 point rega cartridges there's no VTA and no alignment

It may not be the absolute best for the money, but it's not bad, and later if you get the urge to upgrade the rega arms have many mods. That said, if you like to listen to music, and not to the hifi I think the rega will fit the bill. People like to bash rega, but they have sold an awful lot of tables.

As for phono stage, I'm not sure, but the creek obh seems to be quite well regarded. I personally use an audiolab 8000C for my phono pre and headphone amp, and I picked it up used for under $200. Great little class A (aka hot) preamp.

I think rega 3 + cartridge (Elys) + Creek pre should be under $1000, leaving plenty of money to buy more CDs and or LPs. Budget cleaning tools (which you will really need if you have old LPs) include allsop's orbitrac ($40) and discdoctor (similar price). Both will get you started without hundreds of dollars in expense.

Add in the shure stylus force guage ($25) and a hunt or similar carbon dry brush ($20) and you're up and running.

Here are some reasons to get into analog:
1. You have a large record collection.
2. You want the best sound possible.
3. Your system has extremely high resolution/ transparency that it make cds unlistenable.
4. Cds make your ears hurt.

Geez Sean, I swear I've read your post somewhere else. Its eerie ;)

If you already have an extensive Cd collection, don't bother. What you might do is buy one of those fancy Cd layers that can mimic analog so well. Yes, I do know that one can be a bit crazy to buy a mimic when the real thing is available, but I point to two of us who went in opposite directions at a mutual benefit.

I own an Audio Aero Mark II CD player which runs on tubes and sounds fantastic. I had already owned a really big collection of CDs and I did not want to change. I bought the audio Aero from a Gentleman who had already owned a huge collection of LPs and he realized the change-over wasn't worth it. This was a match made in heaven. His sale was my gain.