You want exercise, get a turntable!
Good idea. But putting together an analog system of comparable performance can be a real rabbit hole. There is more to it aside from exercising.
The “ceremony of playing vinyl” is absolutely a big part of the appeal. There’s something about the physicality: pulling the record from the sleeve, brushing the dust, setting the clamp, lowering the tonearm. It slows you down and puts you in a listening mindset. You don’t just listen to music, you commit to it.
Sonically, digital can be cleaner, quieter, and more convenient. But vinyl gives you that tactile, intentional experience that no streamer or transport can replicate. For a lot of people, that ritual becomes part of the enjoyment, sometimes even more than the sound itself. I grew up playing vinyl, and that ritual is a big part of my memories.
