Anyone who says that it doesn't take a lot of time and work (not to mention money) to get a vinyl playback system optimally set up is kidding themselves and others. But so what? The work itself can be technically interesting and enjoyable. There is more to life than listening to music.
I am reminded of the story of two technicians who retired from the National Bureau of Standards where they had maintained the very complex mechanical clocks that were used to keep time before atomic decay clocks were adopted. Of course the atomic clocks were much better than the mechanical ones, but these two guys decided, as a hobby, to see how far they could go with the old obsolete technology. They succeded in making clocks that, without needing massive piers for a stable base, were about ten times better than the best clocks that the government ever had. In some respects the development and implementation of vinyl playback hardware is a challenge similar to the clock project, and can be enjoyable rather than a chore.
I am reminded of the story of two technicians who retired from the National Bureau of Standards where they had maintained the very complex mechanical clocks that were used to keep time before atomic decay clocks were adopted. Of course the atomic clocks were much better than the mechanical ones, but these two guys decided, as a hobby, to see how far they could go with the old obsolete technology. They succeded in making clocks that, without needing massive piers for a stable base, were about ten times better than the best clocks that the government ever had. In some respects the development and implementation of vinyl playback hardware is a challenge similar to the clock project, and can be enjoyable rather than a chore.