Vinyl Reason

There is much on CD that is difficult to find on LP, or was never released on analog. For that reason, I own both formats (as well as open reel tape).

However, the reverse is also true for LP. Old pressings that were never released as CD, or CD remastering is poor (as mentioned above).

By now, everyone at Audiogon knows I prefer the sound of LP and buy that format whenever possible. Unfortunately some new (important) music is CD only ("Book of Secrets" Loreena McKinnitt and "Missouri Skies" Charlie Haden and Pat Metheny) making CD a "must have" format.

That being said, it is not a problem for a Jazz lover to build a huge library of LP's, some of which never made it to CD or the sound of the LP is vastly superior. Checking at EBAY, (just now) I find there are 14661 Jazz offerings as vinyl.

Anyone who loves music could build a library from that, even if only a small percentage suited their musical taste.

I suspect I qualify for that distinction. About 6000 LP's, assuming an average of $10.00 each ( I have one worth over a thousand dollars) makes $60K software collection (not counting CD or tape).

That is certainly more than my LP playback rig, but I fail to see how that makes either of us correct in deciding which format is superior, at least based on the "mine is more expensive than yours" concept.

Still, I prefer LP.

Fine except your post seems to indicate that you believe that the LP is popular because of the "ceremony" rather than sound and that tweaks are necessary for LP playback to be satisfying.

Thus far, I have spent considerably more time tweaking CD playback than my Walker turntable. I set the Walker up in 1999, adjusted the cartridge, arm and tracking and have not touched it since, except to verify it had not moved.

I think you like the convenience of CD, and that is a valid reason to love the format. I don't think you believe in the power of LP (and analog in general), so your posts reflect that position.

In all fairness, I'm guilty of "not" believing in the power of digital to deliver music in my system, so I have stopped investing tens of thousands of dollars on that format, like I used to do.

The Walker has been a much smarter and safer investment, performance aside. Even my $1000.00 Sony CD player has dropped a few hundred dollars since I bought it (luckily I did not buy a $10K audiophile unit), while the Walker has increased in value.

I could sell my analog rig for thousands of dollars more than I paid, so convenience aside, it has proven to be the right choice for making great music, providing freedom from maintenance and has fared much better than most digital product, at least as far as holding value.

Obviously we are looking for different things from our system and will likely never come to any agreement.

I enjoy sharing music, that's what this is all about. Since this is a hobby I can strive for the best and what suites my taste.

As for Photography, I make my living doing that and conform to whatever the buyer wants. If they specify 8X10 film, that's what they get. If they specify digital, that's what they get.

I own every format from 35MM through 8X10 and work for a variety of customers. Southwest Airlines will ONLY accept film, Raytheon ONLY accepts digital.

Much like the audio community the choices are divided and like a software store, I simply take the customers money and give them what they want.

So, the choice is not mine, unlike my music hobby.

It would all be on film and shot with my Hasselblad or better if I had my way. Digital may surpass film in the near future. Unlike digital audio where Sony and Phillips (and the like) control the quality of the format (and limit it). Photography is a recording of the original even, much like the recording engineer's job in music.

EXCEPT, in photography the buyer is the end user and it behooves Canon, Hasselblad and Nikon to do a BETTER job than the competition, otherwise they loose business. As this competition evolves, better digital pick up devices will be offered to the photographer at lower and lower prices, just as has happened with the computer business.

I wish this could be true of the music business. Unfortunately the big boys have no incentive, competition or reason to make things better for the small segment of audiophiles that want quality as well as great offerings from their artists.