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Is there a physical and ritual connection with the analog LP?

Us humans are very much creatures of habit/rituals and physical and emotional connections.  There are obvious reasons to discuss analog vs. digital which have been much discussed.  My ritual and process of playing an LP has many aspects...the handling, the cleaning, the turntable setup and isolation....and you could add many to this list.  Playing a CD/SACD/DVD-A  involves less of a ritual and, perhaps, more of a disconnect.  

I have, as you all do, thoughts about the sonic merits of all formats.  But in my lifetime the ritual involved with everything to do with vinyl/LPs is without a doubt more involved and that meaning I actually have to be more involved to get the best sonic results compared to the digital disks.  Does any of this make sense to you?
whatjd
whatjd OP
1,139 posts
 
zkidd, well said.  As an album title once was named, "Twin Sons of Different Mothers"
whatjd OP
1,139 posts
 
And the anology with cars is very real.  When I have gotten another sports car I always say to my mate that it will probably be the last manual transmission I will ever have....and I started saying that about 5 cars ago.  My current vehicle is a sports sedan with a 5 speed manual....and as I told my family "probably my last manual transmission".  And there is something about hand washing a car that is more satisfying than the car wash place.  
mijostyn's avatar
mijostyn
8,164 posts
 
Playing music is playing music by any means. Sometime vinyl sounds better, sometimes digital but there is a tradition with vinyl that is missing with digital and that is flipping through thousands of discs at a big store pulling a disc because it is an artist you read about elsewhere or a cover that speaks to you like Transatlanticism (Death Cab). Spending hours and coming up with perhaps 10 records you are dying to hear. Warm up the tubes! Handling a record is special. A CD not. A file not. I just got all four Kate Bush Remastered in Vinyl box sets. Gorgeous artwork, great pressings, fabulous mastering and of course Kate. I never get this rush buying files on line. Don't get me wrong I like the music it is the experience you have buying it that is missing with digital. 
lps4eloise
11 posts
 
Of course this makes sense!
I have been a digital guy all my life, just by generation, not by choice I suppose. I recently purchased what I call my "mid-life" crisis stereo. All analog, all tubes. I’ve wanted something like this for 20 years.

I fell in love with tubes about 15-20 years ago, I am a guitar player, mostly acoustic, but when I heard a tube amp for the first time my ears were like "Hello Clarice..." Love at first listen. I finally got a stereo and It’s been a rough 5 months adapting to vinyl and I have phono stage issues, but I have met great people along the way and all I can say is this.

Vinyl is a bitch, no question about it. She demands your time and your attention, I really liken it to a beautiful women. You have to bring the best out of it for it to shine, and its not cheap. But when it is on point, WOW there is no substitute...the tangibility can’t be beat!
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