Vinyl - Records / LPs - What do you like about them?

[BLUEVOODU]

Is it the sound? Current collectability / markets / craze?    Or what about them do you like?  I know @SpartanEvolved collects them as well as @targetrasp - Targetrasp mentioned them in this thread:
http://www.chickendinnergaming.com/forum/index.php?topic=156.msg1220#msg1220


With that said... this is the Vinyl topic! 

[Kinikko]

I'm a collect-o-holic, so if I was at all interested in them then I would just collect them to collect them probably.  They sometimes look really cool but I'm not too huge of a music fan.

[CreepinDeth]

I enjoy just listening to the medium. It tends to have a distinct sound plus the artwork and packaging is cooler than CDs. However, I try to limit to what I buy these days. It's either first pressings (if I can afford them) or special, proper remasters done by certain audio engineers.

I love listening to music and spent a lot of money on a good setup for my music collection but I'm also ashamed that I haven't given any love to vinyl. I still have a basic audio technica player that does the job but there are much better players. Maybe by the end of this year.

[targetrasp]

Audio Technica doesn't suck at all. It seems like the best reasonably priced player available. You can definitely get into some better quality stuff, but you're going to pay for it. I've just recently started buying records. I'm trying to collect records that the entire album is good. Stuff like Fleetwood Mac Rumors, Green Day Dookie, Offspring Smash, Led Zepplin IV, ZZ Top Eliminator, Aerosmith Pump, Queens of the Stoneage - Songs for the Deaf, etc. etc.

There's some really good late 60's stuff (art and music wise) but it's way too far out of my budget for originals.

[CreepinDeth]

Yeah, it's a good player and has done well by me. Though, I think it's time to upgrade to keep up with my headphone obsession.

A lot of records these days are unfortunately really mastered horribly, so all of the advantages of vinyl disappear. Which is why I just keep an eye out for certain pressings/masters. My wife inherited a ton of records from her step-dad so we have a good starting point with a lot of classic rock.

I did go buckwild on record store day a couple of weekends ago. I do love going and hunting for records of albums I love. Almost like shopping for retro games.

[targetrasp]

If I'm not mistaken you're in a great area for that kind of thing... Aren't you a left-coaster?

My sister just moved to California with her Marine Corps husband and she's raved about the record stores and used book stores, when she's not gushing about whatever harry potter crap that was just built... Between her in California and her husband's last stint in Japan, they've had an insane amount of access to stuff I barely find in my area.

[CreepinDeth]

I am indeed a left-coaster and it's one of the reasons I love living here. So much is available. People out here love vintage stuff.

[targetrasp]

There's a lot about California I don't care for - Smog, traffic, crowds in general - but the food is amazing and the specialty stores are killer.

[CreepinDeth]

I don't care for those things either but the positives outweigh the negatives for me. I enjoy living outside of the city.