Not Enjoying My Turntable

Before giving up on vinyl, I would try an RPM 1 set up by someone with experience (which does mean a local dealer - I've seen the results of shipping turntables). Quantization noise does not exist with live music. I experience an ease with analog missing with even the very best digital.

@brimel1974 ,
Don't get too frustrated by the suggestion if they seem over your head. Try to follow one at a time and ask detailed questions if you are stuck. Good basic advice given to get on the right track:
1. make sure table is truly level, testing with bubble level. 
2. make sure you have a clean stylus and clean dust off each side before playing.
3. check tracking force and anti-skate settings
4. report back on progress or lack thereof, including answering the questions about the gear used. Include cartridge model or better yet, it's output level, as well as model or specs of the phono stage, integrated amp or receiver you are using.
People here have solved similar and trickier problems thousands of times. Cheers,
Spencer

If you don't know your way around this stuff, I would bring the t/t to a dealer for a look through. 

You see this increasingly so lately.
Unfortunately back in the 70,s vinyl replay could near enough be plug and play and even though better setup would obviously help we really had nothing much to compare it to bar the radio so yes it sounded good( at the time).

Now for those trying to return to vinyl with CD and streaming and dacs that perform exceptional for a low price point it can highlight all the deficiency that was always present but we never knew ( or cared?).

So a $500 entry to vinyl is highly unlikely to get even close to a $500 digital setup .
Can it be made to sound decent?
Sure it can, but is not going to be plug and play and still will likely sound somewhat jaded against the digital.

It is just part of the times we live in.

I too tried to enjoy vinyl again. But I experienced the same muffled sound and lack of dynamics and my needle didn’t skip.  And Yes, I was comparing a 5k setup to a 1.5k turntable with a not very expensive external phone pre-amp.  But it became clear the additional cost and return of the hated ticks and pops would be an outright ridiculous use of my savings to return me back to my teenage years.  I have finally achieved better sq than I did with my first system in high school.  It costs 20 times more which seems ridiculous, but finally the realization of great music with thousands of albums at my finger tips and no ticks and pops is realized.   

It’s a wonderful hobby and I would own an expensive analog setup if it could afford it, but for now I am more than content and proud of what I have.