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Should I sell my vinyl rig?

Jas0_0

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This question is less technical and more... philosophical? So apologies if it offends. I'm asking here because I think ASR leans away from vinyl being a good way to listen to music, so I'm hoping I'll get from you good, rational reasons to counter my slightly misty eyed ones.

The facts:
  • I have a low spec 1980s Linn LP12 turntable with a new MC cart, which I run into a mic amp, then into an AD converter, then into a Mac mini where I do digital RIAA and room correction before sending it to a DAC and then on to speakers.
  • I've a small but growing collection of around fifty records.
  • My partner gave birth to our twins ten weeks ago.
  • Our house needs renovations.
  • If I sold the vinyl-enabling portion of my system, I'd probably get around £2000, which is a long way towards a badly-needed new kitchen.
  • I am under no pressure from my partner to sell anything.
My arguments for vinyl:
  • I love the ritual of playing records, and how my records sound.
  • Before the twins were born I loved going to second hand record shops.
  • I have found some great music this way, that I wouldn't have done otherwise.
  • I like having a slowly growing physical representation of my favourite albums, rather than them just existing as little hearts in the Tidal ether.
  • I like the thought that in years to come the twins will leaf through and find music they might never encounter on YouTube, or whatever young people use by then.
  • Records look nice.
  • My LP12 looks nice.
  • I am proud to have created a vinyl playback system that is balanced from cartridge to speaker, that enables me to room correct a turntable, that is I think totally unique (not so humblebrag, sorry).
My arguments against vinyl:
  • Records are expensive
  • Records definitely don't sound as good as the same music streamed.
  • Modern LP pressings are often really disappointing.
  • My system would be far simpler without.

What should I do?

Thanks!

James
 

daftcombo

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Man, this is so personal. How could we answer for you?

I have around 1,500 vinyl records in my little flat, and it takes too much room. I know it's a pain, but I can't part with them, or even think about selling the turntable. I'd rather get another one to DJ on vinyl at home.

(And most of the time, let's say 95%, I listen to FLAC).
 

MCH

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That is a very personal decision, but in my opinion....:
If the 2000 is only for the gear, so that you are keeping the records, go ahead, get the money, buy a cheap turntable with USB out and continue enjoying
If your 2000 calculation includes the records and you don't have experience selling records.... think twice, buying records is expensive, but selling, specially if you need the money in a reasonable time... I am afraid you will probably need to sell much cheaper than you think... (just my opinion, no ofense)
 
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Jas0_0

Jas0_0

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True, it is personal, perhaps too personal!

The £2k is just for hardware, not the records. Would probably keep them just in case.
 

JJB70

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No. £2000 maybe a lot of money just now in your current circumstances, but if you end up regretting selling your gear you may find it costs a lot more to rebuild an analogue system you will be happy with.
 
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Jas0_0

Jas0_0

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Thanks everyone. Huh. Was expecting more like “the dynamic range of records is abysmal!”

Grateful for any more opinions.
 

USER

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50 records does not justify keeping the system to me. Unfortunately, my collection of 1000+ has kept me in the game far longer than I wanted to. I was able to take some pandemic free time to make recordings of the obscure stuff (a process that took more time and money that I wanted, but was justified in the end by sentiment, learning the process, and the rarity of the material), but at this point I am done with the medium. Digital is simply so much better and I'd rather stream my digitized records and not have to get up after 20 minutes and bother my cat who is on my lap and having a good time with me.
 
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JJB70

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Thanks everyone. Huh. Was expecting more like “the dynamic range of records is abysmal!”

Grateful for any more opinions.

To be honest vinyl isn't my thing, but I get why others like it. And ultimately if you like it then that's all that matters. I am a believer in the principle of buy what you like and like what you buy.
 

Robin L

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Thanks everyone. Huh. Was expecting more like “the dynamic range of records is abysmal!”

Grateful for any more opinions.
I'd be that person, but I do understand the attraction.

That said, children will be taking up more time and energy than you can imagine. I would think, in the wake of the vinyl revival, that good sounding turntables that aren't as fussy as a Linn are [or will be] available for a lot less money than the Linn. Keep the records, sell the turntable and get something else to play the records on once the kids are old enough to appreciate such things.

Just so you know, I had 2000 LPs three years ago, had to get rid of most of them due to space issues but decided to get rid of all of them on account of sonic issues. I do not regret making that decision.
 

daftcombo

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The problem of not having a turntable at home is losing the access to the whole medium "vinyl", so the records you can find in 1 dollar bins, in used record stores, grandparents' attic, etc.
I wouldn't part with my cassette deck neither.
 

Leiker535

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Well, for starters, this is a question that only you can answer. The big imperative here is knowing thyself and your necessities. I guess you already do in a good amount, and therefore should evaluate it in terms of cost of opportunity of the kitchen and other stuff: is maintaining your vinyl stuff a burden to you? Do you feel that it is hampering down the enjoyment you have from other things? In contrast, would ridding yourself of the collection and system make you feel better by itself or by the thing you "exchanged" it for, like the new kitchen? If you answer yes to any of these with confidence, I think you won't have a lot of regrets going forward.

About ASR and its leaning towards digital and streaming, don't make too much of it. Take this forums knowledge and insights in the terms that you know that the best vinyl will sound as good as a digital file* (ergo, take credit from knowing that the magic "vinyl sound" is BS from people that are either deluded with or lie to themselves), but don't let that hamper the enjoyment you get from the media itself. Sure, vinyl is a limited medium by 5451+ reasons, but it is still a very different experience, in my book, from streaming from a smartphone computer. As you said, it is the ritual, the physicality etc. that makes it. Self entitled objectivists that will preach to you that vinyl is not worth it for YOU are not really being objectivists, as they are projecting their personal preference as if they were you: the relevance of their arguments is in the explaining the flawed medium that is vinyl, and in the relatable disadvantages of personally owning it, nothing more.

I myself have questioned the thing you ponder now. Vinyl is absurdly expensive in my region (Brazil), and I have the luck of liking the good stuff, like ML cartridges and goodly pressed, clean records, as opposed to IGD fest and "vinyl charm" that is static and usual clics the hipster trend loves to associate vinyl with. But listening to my collection in the end of the day through my system elevates me to a place I can't easily achieve with digital, not even in my main system where I have vinyl rips of guys like the VinylArchivist, Dr. Robert, etc., who all have a TOTL system at least 20x more expensive than mine (again, it is not about SQ but about the experience); so in the end I can't fathom selling all of it, for "profit", because I know that almost everything I buy from the sale wouldn't fill in the gap.

Ironically, for example, the only time I get near the experience of vinyl through streaming is while l'm traveling with friends and family and decide to listen to music through my iems while watching the car window in a trip. So, again, it is the things around it not the medium.

*granted, First presses and original analog mastered recordings can sound a lot better than their new remastered digital counterparts; take that as a counterpoint to your "Modern LP pressings are often really disappointing.".
 

Blumlein 88

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Any music you enjoy in any format has done what is needed. There are no minimum specs on that and this part of the hobby is wholly unadulterated subjective in nature.

Only you can decide. Only 50 records makes it pretty easy to say sell.

I can only tell you how it was for me, but this was in the last century. I had parallel good gear for LP, RTR, and CD. I had about 800 records. I did enjoy the records, but it was becoming unwieldy. I finally came to the decision to get out of records. I sold the records, I sold the gear, and even sold some of the digital gear because I upgraded it plus speakers, and amps. I've never regretted it.

My only minor regret was there were around 12-15 records not really replaceable on CD. And this is long enough ago affordable ADCs weren't too common so I couldn't digitize them. In the mean time, about half of those recordings are now available on some digital format. About half aren't.

I did tear down the LP and RTR rigs completely and live without any of it for about 6 weeks to make sure I was comfortable with things that way.

So nevertheless, this is something only you can answer.
 

NiagaraPete

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I feel your pain brother. I sold my 1980's LP-12 3 weeks ago with all my albums, Decca brush, the whole kit and caboodle. I felt lonely for a couple days but now free as a bird.

My main reasons were. Lack of use, and too lazy to use.
 
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Jas0_0

Jas0_0

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Turns out 50 was a bit of an underestimate. Just counted (the kids and their mum are at their granny’s) and it’s actually 103. Still small by many people’s standards.
 

Jim Matthews

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Once they're up and running, you'll need to store the Linn and LPs for safekeeping. I would only keep a record that's out of print.

Contributing to the household upkeep will not go unnoticed.
 

Puddingbuks

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Sell all vinyl stuff. 50 100 records is not really a big collection. You pay 40 20 pounds per record just you can play them.

Spending money on your home is much more rewarding in the end, also for your wife and twins.
 

Inner Space

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Firstly, congratulations to you and your partner on the new babies. Secondly, condolences. But don't despair - the first 50 years are the hardest. Then it eases up. But right away, you're in for 10 years of mayhem. Boisterous kids and record decks don't mix. All that said, don't sell. Keep on browsing, keep on adding records, and at some point in the future you'll be glad you saved it all. Who needs a new kitchen? More overpriced snake oil there than anywhere.
 

Ken1951

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I abandoned Vinyl when my kids were little. Too much time, too awkward, too tempting for little hands. This was when CD really took hold and I never looked back. Kept the LPs for ages and finally sold them. Don't regret it. The changes to a kitchen will make a difference every day, all day, for many years. Keep the LPs, sell the high-valued hardware, update the kitchen, and if you miss spinning the vinyl simply buy an inexpensive TT to use for a time. Just my 2 cents.
 
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