would you bother?

yes. it does not have to take a lot of money, but as noted by previous posters, it DOES take quite a bit of patience. i was asking myself this very question about 2-3 weeks ago, and i just set up my first vinyl setup this weekend. total investment (after a minor reconfiguration of my equipment) was very modest, but it has been one heck of a fun and educational experience. and the sound? i have a very modest system, but i think the sound is top notch. and yes, the vinyl is substantially better than cd on my system. plus, your pre-amp has an excellent phono stage, so you don't even have to worry about that.

i think you will also find that the vinyl/analog community is a very helpful, supportive one. if you are the type of person that doesn't mind being meticulous about things, and get your reward from the music itself, i think vinyl would be a great move for you.

as for software... i listen to classical music about 75% of the time, and the availability of old classical records is great. prices do seem to have increased lately, but buying used vinyl is no more expensive than buying new/used cd's.

so, to make a long story short, i think it is absolutely worth it to give vinyl a try. even if you end up thinking it's not worth the hassle and maintenance, at least you can say that you gave it a try. more optimistically, you may find that, like me and hundreds of other people out there, music is simply more engaging and rewarding through a well though out vinyl setup.

good luck,
eric

You know you either want to get into finding old records, finding good supplies, or you just go with the digital trend and be done! Yes, there is some absolutely stunning, superb, and glorious(even better on the whole than the digital offerings out there often) sound to be had from good analog, no doubt. I think however, you are either willing to commit to hunting down analog and making a hobby out of it(records), or your not. I'm not personally. I just like plain CD, maybe better, and HT. And I do like music. But unless you're ready to commit, and/or you already have a good record collection, you should strongly consider your time and effort. It may be worth it, maybe not.
If you go to the shows every year(CES/Hifi show/etc), you may listen, and like. If so, and your gut say's, absolutely, then you might get a small Project table, Rega, etc, and pick up a few records. Then, if you're absolutely, sold, go further. Hope this helps.
Me personally, I grew up in the digital age of gen X'ers. I just happend to dig HT/Digital, and music second. So for me, it's easy. good luck

2 years ago, I didn't have one single record, nor did I have a turntable. I now have over 1000 records and a fine turntable system, and my digital player has been sold.

Well, lets just say, if you will not bother, you will never know. It is not a requirement for vinyl afficionados to be rich. I started 9 months ago without any LP to call my own. Just like TWL, I accumulated more vinyl than expected in such a short time. Mine is now close to 2000. Vinyl will totally change your listening habits and equipment choice. It will make you patient, it will make you choose your gear wisely. It will teach you how to really listen to what a sound of an instrument or voice should be. It takes much more effort to listen to it than CDs. If you have the heart to try, please do. You will not regret it. By the way, TWL, is the one to listen to for the advice on vinyl equipment choice. One last word, "Teres".

There are many used record stores with a lot of product. the problem is that you will have to invest in some record cleaning equipment. You will be surprised how good some of the bad looking vinyl can sound. With time you will be able to tell the difference between a worn out record and a dirty record. The used vinyl I find is very reasonable.

Ken