Exactly! My return was a couple of months ago. At first I felt guilty about "wasting" $25 (or $125!) on an album I already owned on CD. But I'm all good since deciding the real waste was only $10-15 years ago on the CD :music:

I am really into New Age music. Specifically acoustic guitar and solo piano. I have been searching out albums by George Winston, Michael Jones, David Lanz, William Ackerman and several others. I'm also a junkie for Eva Cassidy and have all of her albums.

I have that one classic Eva Cassidy live CD (name escapes me)--beautiful. In a fit of emotion, I just ordered her 7 disc 45rpm set. Also loving Kenny Burrell lately :music:

Reporting back, in part because it's very germane, in part because I just can't believe the beauty.

Eva Cassidy's 7 LP at 45 rpm Nightbird arrived last night, and I admit I almost immediately felt sheepish about dropping $140 on someone whose Live at Blues Alley CD I found very enjoyable, but not more than that. Especially since 1/3 or more of Nightbird is on the Blues Alley CD, and the recording date suggested digital. Really, don't I have something better to spend the money on? But then I dropped the needle...

OMG! This album is magnificent! Incredible music, even more incredible sonics. The you-are-there realism is most comparable to Jazz at the Pawn Shop or Muddy Waters's Blues Singer. Also reminiscent of the Tapestry One Step. I've listened to only two discs so far, but this is now one of my very favorite albums. At $20/disc, it's a steal. If you have any interest in the blues, female vocalists, or audiophile recordings in general, BUY THIS NOW!

A great illustration of why vinyl is outselling CD.

The main reason Vinyl is outselling CD is that most individuals have moved to streaming as their source of choice. Even though there has been a marked increase in vinyl purchases over the years digital in its various forms (CD, streamed, downloads) far exceeds vinyl.

That is definitely a huge part of the equation. But it does not explain the whole thing--we also need to consider the relative merits of each. The sonic differences between vinyl and digital are what make vinyl worthwhile. Within digital, the differences are narrower, so it is easier for convenience and price to drive streaming. CDs, from a marketing/strategic perspective, are "stuck in the middle".

"If" there is a sonic benefit with vinyl, from my perspective that is far outweighed by the inconvenience and clutter of the format.

Interesting viewpoint Jim. Your system is several light years ahead of ours.

My perspective as a new owner of a small vinyl collection is that vinyl can be a very enjoyable experience, but we have a relatively relaxed approach to the format. Our digital library is 20X the size of the vinyl collection.

Can't argue with that. It is. If you think 33.3 is a pain, 45's are miserable. I try to avoid them unless I'm pretty sure it will go to tape. Along that vein, a really well calibrated 4-track tape deck takes much of the inconvenience and clutter out of the equation. At 7.5ips you're looking at 3 hours of vinyl to tape music. And those big reels spinning make an exceedingly nice visual presentation. :yes:

I only bought the cheap Nightbird album set but as you state, they are beautiful. I could care less if there are repeats from other albums. Listening to her puts my mind in a better place.