Changing from Vinyl to Digital in Brave New World

Peterayer: I think you nailed it- a turntable with fewer demands of space, time and energy, and killer smaller speakers. The contrarian in me, after so many years of basic amp-preamp (currently add the third box, phono stage) loves the idea of an integrated. On the digital side, I'm way more intererested in non-CD digital audio, and maybe as you suggested, I could experiment. It is obviously the next wave and while i've never been a computer hobbyist, it might be fun if tied to music. As Rtilden pointed out, there is the temptation to get all crazy on that front, and be in the same place, with expensive black boxes.
Part of this is also motivated by ease of use. I hate to admit it, but the notion of warming up the tube amps, warming up the cartridge, etc. is always an obstacle to just playing music. And, if I don't buy or rent a space with a dedicated room, I'll have the system in my living space, which raises additional issues (ahem, two cats, ahem).
As to space saving, the current pile of vinyl takes up a good amount of space. I just computed, very back of the napkin, using 100 discs per linear foot, and actually probably have 10,000 records, maybe more. The frightening thing (maybe this thread should be relabelled -confessions of a vinyl junkie) is that I have never organized them. Oh, yeah, when i find yet another copy of Way Out West, or the umpteenth copy of Rickie Lee Jones' first album, I put it with the others. How many pressings of Tea for the Tillerman should one person own (especially when the UHQR boxed set that cost stupid money, even when i bought it at the time it came out) sounds far less lively than the island pink label that I bought off the street in Greenwich Village for a buck?
Thank you for helping me think this through.
So, should I start another thread on serious, trouble free turntables? (SME sounds terrific; I had the Kuzma Reference before the XL with a Triplanar and it was also set and forget, no isolation issues; any others that are of this ilk?)
And integrated amps (I love the Dartzeel concept, even the fact that it measured lousy per that Stereophile review; Burmeister? Boulder? I don't need one with a phono stage if I keep the Manley Steelhead, but here we go again with boxes).
And, monitors: I want to hear the Magico V3 which seems like a lot of bang for the buck, used; I have never really warmed up to Wilson speakers. Any other relatively small killer monitor style speaker that is a must listen to and would enjoy a relationship with a SS, rather than tube amp?
Man, this feels like a sex change. But fun. :) Thanks everybody.

Some good thoughts here. I am a creature of extremes, so the issue of 'downsizing' but not 'downgrading' meant a total reconsideration of approach. I could probably find a TT which places fewer demands, like the space and isolation of airpump for tonearm, that the Kuzma XL/Airline demands. The AV Duo is not well suited for nearfield listening, and my usual 'go to' speaker type, a planar, is either too big or too limiting in terms of bass (still, I'm gonna restore those old Quads someday). So, once I think about the leap to a smaller monitor (Magico? I haven't listened to the new crop of great smaller speakers), I then get into amp issues- I know the ML2 can be used on dynamic speakers, but it may run out of steam. I like the idea of culling my top 500 records, that wouldn't be too hard - the pleasure of having thousands is the surprise of pulling something out you never heard, or haven't heard in decades. But it takes up alot of space. Right now I have a dedicated room for listening, and extra space nearby for lot's and lot's of records.
I'm considering a smallish house, or possibly a modest loft space, right in Austin. (If I lived far enough outside of town, I could have a free-standing building just for listening, but I don't want to have to drive much to get to town). And though Texas is reasonable by NYC standards, a big house or lux loft in town is anything but cheap. (We have taken a big hit on real estate in the Northeast, Austin much less so).
I don't really have to do anything right now, because if and when we move the hi-fi won't be going at first, my friend, a dealer, will likely help me break it down and store it.
I do like the idea of no fiddling but am worried that computer audio, leaving aside the sonic compromises, involves its own set of PITA processes, compatibility issues, file format issues, etc. I find analog audio enough of a challenge, and i have never been intuitive when it comes to computers.

Jfrech: I agree this is a good thread. In the past I have always gotten help on A-gon, on issues as mind-numbing as component and electrical system grounding. For that I thank all of you. Some chat groups I have been part of (cars in particular) always seem to degenrate into a pissing contest, and here, even if there is disagreement, people seem pretty thoughtful. (I'll also email you separately because I'd love to talk about Austin). Peter, the SME and the Mini II sound like things I'll want to explore. Thanks for reminding of the SME and the Magicos, well, I have not heard them. I remember when the original big speaker came out, followed by the Mini, and at the time there were few small monitors at that price point. JohnnyB- will also check out the NEAT if I can; for what it's worth, the horns I am currently using don't allow a nearfield experience and the need to have a big triangle for speakers and sweet spot is part of the space problem I am concerned about.
I won't dump anything just yet. The equipment, once it gets broken down, will likely go to my dealer/friend to store, and if I say 'sell', he can do so. If I say 'ship' he'll probably just come on down to help me set up.
Rtilden: Yep, to cull, I'll have to go through them all. But, you'd laugh if you saw how quickly I was cutting through the stuff in our basement.
Learsfool, I took you seriously. My suspicion is that once I start culling, I could get rid of alot, and maybe I just separate into a few categories, box them accordingly, and know that if and when I decide to get rid of some, they have already been pre-sorted. Some are just stupid: like the complete set of RCA food themed records : Music for a Backyard BBQ will stay with me given my destination, but Music for a Chinese Dinner at Home, well, I don't think I need it. Flamenco Table Dancing cut Direct to Disc? Not alot of nuance. That Billy Holiday record recorded at an active airport, where you can hear planes taking off in the background? Not her best performance.
What about all those Harry Pearson list records- some of the Mercury's I'd keep. I think I have almost all of the Lyritas, a few I listen to. I bought all the MF half speed masters at the time they were released: Abbey Road, LZII, DarkSide, along with a bunch of other audiophile half speed masters, Direct to Disc, etc. Some of them aren't musically that interesting, although they may have audiophile value. Tons of old RCAs, Deccas, etc. some of which I'd keep. I should probably catalog them at the same time i'm going through them, but that's not likely to happen.

All of you have been more than generous with your thoughts and time. You have also convinced me (surprise?) that I am not ready to give up vinyl, although I will probably cull the collection, at least by roughly separating what I think is worth keeping, and what I am willing to part with, before the LPs get stored. (No way can I show up in Austin with all this stuff, particularly if we start out renting until we find a more permanent home). On equipment changes, I will likely explore a turntable that takes less attention than the Kuzma XL/Airline (isolating this turntable isn't easy but its the arm pump that's really a pain). I'd like to hear the ARS Emitter with batteries at some point (which, though alot of chassis, eliminates the line stage, its power supply and the two mono amps). I also want to listen to some of the better small monitors. The footprint required for the horns means a big room, which I'm not sure I'll have. On the digital front, I will start experimenting on a small scale. I also want to get my Quad ESLs back up and running. I have a pair of vintage Quad II amps that also need to be gone over, but they deserve to see action again too.
Here's my email address, since you can't send private messages through the new audigon. (Couldn't we do that before?) Jfrech, and any others with Austin connections, I'd love to hear from you:
[email protected]
Best,
Bill Hart