Should I sell my vinyl rig?

[David Harper]

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

you left out the main drawback; all the screwing around required for cartridge mounting, stylus and record cleaning, tone arm balancing and adjustment, and walk across the floor very softly while it's playing. It's not worth the effort. I'd gladly sell my project carbon black TT, Ortofon cartridge, and phono preamp (which I paid a total of 800 for) for two hundred if anyone wanted them. Ask me why I bought them ten years ago.
I don't have an intelligent answer. Audiophile nostalgia I guess.

 

[DVDdoug]

The ONLY reason I still own a turntable is for occasionally digitizing records that aren't available digitally.

It sounds like you really want to keep it, especially since you have a "growing record collection". Personally £2000 would be too much for me, but I'm sure you don't want to downgrade. Beyond a certain point, the record itself becomes the limiting factor and you can pay LOTs more and you'll never achieve "digital quality" sound.

I've got an old "basic" Techinics direct-drive (not the famous DJ model) with what was Shure's best cartridge (the cartridge was around $100 USD).

If I was buying a new turntable I'd probably buy something like the AT LP120 series that comes with a built-in preamp, USB, and a cartridge. I wouldn't go over $500 USD even if money wasn't a consideration...

 

[Timcognito]

I almost never listen to my records. I cull through them, then play the album on Qobuz, if it's there. But some do get played. Get a MixMaster and put them in the closet. You might Change Your Mind and already own that stuff with an ambivalent partner. Use the OCD behavior on something else... just kidding. Wait until they really get in the way. Seems like there is a sense of enjoyment inside of you about LP playback.

 

[JeffS7444]

Are you the sort to have long-lasting regrets about selling things like a turntable? If so, then think twice before letting it go. Value-wise, in the USA, I figure I'd have been lucky to get the equivalent of £900 for my LP12 / Valhalla / Ittok and maybe another £150 for my Denon DL103, and getting that high a price would have required me to list on eBay and ship to some distant location.

I don't know if it's typical, but when I was small, my parents made no particular concessions for child-proofing the hifi, and the turntable was fully manual. By the time I was in grade school someone taught me how to use it, and I was left to my own devices. Accidents do happen of course, and I broke a stylus once, and on another occasion, yanked the headphone cable out of it's plug, got assigned a bunch of my least-favorite chores as punishment!

 

[Rotiv]

I sold my collection about 4 years ago, no regrets. They were in a corner for another 4 years. I ended up getting tired of looking at them. No longer make sense. And yes, the price for original albums takes a jump...they are cool

 

[solderdude]

What should I do?

When you can afford it and gives you pleasure... use it.
When you can't afford it (at this point) you could free the money and put it to better use at this time.
When you do miss it and can afford it again simply buy equipment again and enjoy the whole 'experience' again.

That seems the most logical path.

 

[drplinker]

Digitize & save all of LPs you already own and sell the gear. Playback won't sound any different since you are doing AD->correction->DA now.

Toddlers (I have a 1yr old) are always tempted to go to restricted places in home and to pull things apart. With one less sensitive gear stack and LP storage, you have one less worry at the back of your mind. And soon, space will become very essential for toys, high chairs, boardbooks, etc.

Congratulations!

 

[Frank Dernie]

What should I do?

it is a personal thing. I started buying records in the 1960s and have quite a lot and don't sell but I haven't bought a new one in decades I just play the ones I have on a top quality record player I have owned for decades.
i don't play LPs often so I should probably sell but don't.
If you like the ritual keep it unless you have something better to do with the money you will realise by selling.

 

[Slayer]

Unless you are strapped for cash, hang on to your collection for now. Revisit your quandary in a year or so.
Although i only had a couple hundred records and got rid of the entire collection and rig about 15 years or so ago. I do somewhat miss it. Maybe it's just the nostalgia or what not, but a small regret still lingers.

 

[LTig]

My arguments for vinyl:

• 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.

It's probably more likely one of the twins may break your cartridge before they are old enough to be able to handle a record player properly.

 

[Soniclife]

Tricky question, in your situation I think I'd sell the gear, 100 records don't take up that much space so you can sit on them for now. In my situation with a collection that started in my late teens, and was my only way of buying music well into my 30s, with a record deck I like, and no financial need to sell I've made the decision to keep it all, even if I rarely use it, it's part of me, and I do enjoy using it when I do.

 

[BlackTalon]

I kept everything over the years, but figured I might never use the TT anymore (pretty modest record collection). But my son took a big interest in it this past year, and now has his own system with a TT, CD player, Bluenode, etc. He loves cueing up records. He has bought a few records of his own, too.

 

[Mart68]

I don't see a 1980s LP12 fetching £2K. Maybe £500 plus what the cartridge is worth s/h.

You might as well store it and have fun with it when the children are old enough to appreciate it,

I don't play vinyl anymore but have kept it all and a record deck (well 2 decks actually). You never know what you'll want/need in the future.

 

[Jas0_0]

I agree that would be optimistic for just the TT, but my estimate is based on selling the turntable, cartridge, mic pre and AD converter.

 

[JSmith]

What should I do?

Buy CD's, then you have better fidelity of your favourite music but still have something physical that you can collect, handle etc. Can stumble onto unusual music buying 2nd hand CD's the same as vinyl. They are also smaller.



JSmith

 

[Jas0_0]

Buy CD's, then you have better fidelity of your favourite music but still have something physical that you can collect, handle etc. Can stumble onto unusual music buying 2nd hand CD's the same as vinyl. They are also smaller.



JSmith

That is logical and it does solve a lot of the problems, but I just don’t get the same enjoyment from plasticky CD cases, small artwork and fiddly little drawer mechanisms as I do from selecting and cueing up a record.

I think this is an all or nothing situation. Or at least all or nothing until a later date when I have more cash again (if ever)

 

[tomtoo]

There is no rational reason to play vinyl.

But who the hell says humans are always rational when it comes to fun?

As long you have fun, do what you enjoy to do.

 

[daftcombo]

I think selling the gear and selling the records are completely different things.

If you could feel nostalgia for your records, you might not feel nostalgia for your gear. And any decent gear that you could buy again one day would let you play your records again just as now.

Moreover, you won't get much money selling your 103 records.

 

[dshreter]

Just sell it. It’s best not to get overly attached to physical objects, that turntable can be replaced. You have years ahead of you that will not have the time and place to use it, and you will be enjoying the convenience of streaming for sure. Should you ever want to come back, it’s just money, and you can buy another table.

 

[Snarfie]

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).

Guess you have a rack to put them in or are they on the ground. . To have them in a rack placed such that it eliminatie first reflections is a good functional option.