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Record collecting versus hoarding

At what point does "collecting" records become hoarding? Unless you are in the business of selling records either primarily or even secondarily, why do so many people here talk about having 2,3,4,6,10,000 records and CDs? It's not stamps or coins.

Let's say you listen to records 15 hours a week (a good estimate for me) that equates to about 750 hours a year or 1000 records a year. I like to listen to mine at least once every three months - I have 300 records and change. In the rare instance when I replace one for a better sounding one (I've done it maybe 4-5 times), I immediately sell the old one - with only one exception. The Sgt Pepper UHQR. I already had it on the Beatles Collection and do occasionally listen to it when I want a treat. It does sound better than the regular Mofi one, which sounds great to me.

Why would you have multiple copies of the same record and not just listen to the best sounding one and sell the rest?

Why would you want records you listen to less than once a year?

Maybe some people listen a lot more than me (and replace cartridges/styli pretty ofter or have a bunch of them)?

The reason I bring this up is because Acoustic Sounds is releasing Steely Dan's studio albums from the 1970s on their UHQR brand (not sure how they now own the name and not Mofi, but that is not the point), I am a huge fan and will be getting a few of these overpriced (IMHO) records, which will replace a few of my non-audiophile (except the Aja Mofi) records. I plan to sell the Aja Mofi immediately after getting the UHQR, which I am sure will sound much better. That is worth a few bucks, but the others I sell should be worth $10-15 in trade at a record store.

Anyone with records they play less than once a year or keep multiple pressings of a single album, please let me know your rationale.

Are you a hoarder? Too lazy to get rid of them? Like the way they decorate your room?

sokogear

Showing 1 response by tomcy6

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tomcy6
2,532 posts
 

Before streaming became an option you had to buy an album to hear it. I have bought many albums without hearing them first. Some lived up to my expectations others didn’t. Sometimes I thought maybe I just need to live with an album and eventually I’ll get it.

Also, I always wanted to have a great collection. I’ve always enjoyed music and I have diverse tastes, so I’ve got quite a few albums in various formats.  I don't even consider myself a collector let alone a hoarder.  I'd say that when your record collecting starts causing problems in other areas of your life, you become a hoarder.

If I were starting my music collection now, I’d stream music and only buy a select few really special albums.

Another reason people amass huge collections is that people just like to buy stuff. Women call it retail therapy. If you’re familiar with Stuart Varney from cable news, he is originally from the UK and he said his observation as someone raised elsewhere is that Americans are happiest when spending money.

 

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