Even buying used gear, developing a good analog TT/arm/cartridge/phono preamp setup is very costly vs. just having a very good CD player and maybe a DAC. I have a maxed out Modwright 5400 Signature Truth CD/SACD player with Audio Magic Pulse Gen ZX, Bybee rails, Audio Magic Illusion umbilical, Star Sound trans mod, Mullard GZ34 rectifier tube, Synergistic Research Blue fuses, sitting on Sistrum rack, with RTS couplers clamping them to the rack. I still paid about double for the phono setup that has some music sounding as good as, some better, and some not as good as the CD player. Granted, I don't have a separate DAC, but my setup sounds phenomenal IMO. All the contacts are now painted with Perfect Path Total Contact enhancer, but am only in the first week since application. I got great buys on all used stuff for my analog setup, but double the cost is still the verdict. For comparison, the TT is a heavily modified Lenco with the 10-layered 100 lb. birch plywood/MDF plinth, most all of Jean Nantais' upgrades, including a B stock 7 lb. pure cooper platter mat at 45% off, Mirko SS bearing, Audio Silente idler wheel, JTN's string/weight mod, Furutech IEC, first generation Artisan Fidelity chassis at 40% off, Star Sound Platter Ground, and a hardwood tonearm board. The arm is a Pete Riggle Woody that I got used. The cartridge is a Benz Micro Ruby 3 with myrtle wood body with Soundsmith level 3 rebuild used. The phono preamp is a Whest 3.0 RDT SE that was used. The sound is very good with records. Still working to get the adjustments just right on the arm. Not quite done with the second plinth I'm making to accommodate the AF chassis. Both my CD and analog setup are pretty much maxed out at their costs sound wise after several TT/arm attempts, along with several phono preamps. I'd been through VPI Scout, VPI Classic, Avid Diva II w/ Origin Live Silver II, the Lenco rebuild w/ OL silver II, then Trans-Fi Terminator fully upgraded prior to my current setup. The VPI TT's even had the TTM outer ring, & TT weights. Once had a Maplenoll Ariadne TT/arm straight line tracking air bearing setup that was fabulous sounding. However, it occasionally had a problem with the air supply hoses or pump and would cause the cantilever to snap or severely bend. It has taken until now to be at least its equal. Used to have an Audible Illusion 2D preamp, then 3A with John Curl MC phono. Now I have a very good TRL DUDE with many upgrades to it as the preamp. Sorry for the length of this, but I want to show you the difficulty of getting an analog setup that would be equal of better than the CD setup if it's good.
Now the big truth. You said you DON'T have any records and have many CDs now. I had 1500 records before any of this started and 1/2 as many CDs. Put the cost at about $10-20 per album for normal used records, much higher for new or audiophile records.
