Analog is the new pink

I think it's great that a new group of people are getting into vinyl and actually playing it. I'd be upset if they were buying it as a decoration.

I'm not sure you have to spend a ton of money to get better sound than a CD player though...

I'm 35. I grew up with vinyl but didn't buy my own turntable until about 7 years ago. My father had his old Technics SL-BD2 (which isn't anything remotely close to high end, nor close to Technics' famous tables) and albums hidden in the basement, as he didn't have the heart to throw them out,nor did he want to listen to my mother's nagging. So I scooped them up. Put a $25 Audio Technica P-Mount cart from Circuit City (nothing like AT's famous carts) on the table to see if it still worked. As low end as that setup was,it did things that my NAD CDP couldn't do. The CDP was far better, but somehow, vinyl's soul came through and I could see what it was trying to do.

I've since upgraded to a Pro-Ject 1Xpression with acrylic platter, speed box 2, and Dynavector 10x5. No comparison between the tables. The turntable sounds different than my Rega DAC. Actually, I think the DAC sounds better overall, but not much. However, the turntable does something my DAC (nor any other digital player I've heard, regardless of price) can't do.

There's a difference. From the lowest end to the highest end. I'm not talking about nostalgia nor visualy swagger. Perhaps sonic swagger?

But then again, what are they connecting the turntables to?

There's a vinyl shop around the corner from U Albany. They sell a ton of vinyl to the students as well as audiophiles and non-audiophiles. They also sell some vintage receivers, vintage turntables, cartridges, and phono preamps. Speaking to the owner, he thinks a lot of them are using vintage gear to play the albums on - tables, receivers and speakers. Maybe this is what a lot of them are doing elsewhere? Digging up dad's old gear?

I'd love a reel to reel player. Problem is what's available music-wise?

Also...

A year or so ago I was buying new vinyl regularly at Hot Topic of all places. Their prices were a bit cheaper than Music Direct, Acoustic Sounds, et al., plus no shipping to deal with.

Everytime I'd see someone different at the register I'd ask if they knew how many people buying vinyl their were actually listening to it. Every cashier said about 3/4 of the buyers listened it. I had a great conversation with one or two of them about turntables, gear, etc. The cashiers weren't really people I thought I could have a meaningful conversation with (ever been in that store?), but I was pleasantly surprised. I think they were surprised that a 30-something guy could be cool too.

I got one of them to buy a Pro-Ject Debut, NAD integrated, and Focal 705Vs from a local shop. He loved it. I was talking about how there's great gear out their for not much money, and he should check out the local shop to hear some stuff. A few months later when I went back in, he spotted me and told me what he bought. There's one person I got through to. Not that I preach hifi by any means though.