[sterling1]

Since getting into computer audio, my focus has been on getting computer audio to my home theatre, as well as getting vinyl onto the computer. I've had a lot of relatively inexpensive entertainment with it all,  just learning how to make it work. In this process, I downloaded The Eagles, Hotel California yesterday in 24/96. Comparing it  to an original LP of the same material in my record collection. I was somewhat amazed. First, that my 32 year old turntable fitted with a Shure V15V apparently tracked so well, and second that I could not distinguish between the LP and flac file when listening through my high-end home theatre system. Only the occasional snap, crackle, and pop revealed the LP from digital source. With these revelations in mind, I've wondered why anyone has an interest in vinyl today when it seems the hi-res downloads sound better, are more convenient, and may be less expensive to enjoy. No doubt, the turntable is essential for playback of an existing LP collection; but, what's the point of buying new vinyl?

 

[Piffles]

I've had similar experiences to you.
 
My dad has a whole load of vinyls at home and a few years back, bought a new record player just for nostalgia's sake, to play his collection again. I took an interest and soon found out, that almost without exception, his vinyls sounded better than the new CDs of the same albums. Bear in mind this is only applicable to music recorded before 1984.
 
Being puzzled by all this, not believing that the whole planet could have made such a massive mistake with CDs, I searched the net for info. It turns out the major difference between an original vinyl and it's CD counterpart is the mastering. The early CD rerelease were pretty pathetic as everyone was obsessed with clarity and the bass and warmth disappeared.
 
Recently companies have been making properly remastered CD/SACD/DVD-As etc. of albums orignally on vinyl. I got my hands on a few (notably Analogue Productions SACDs) and they sound just as good, if not better than my dad's LPs.I found this was true whether they were hires or just standard CDs.
 
As a result, buying CDs/DVD-As/SACDs etc. is very hit and miss. You can get a brilliant recording or a crappy one and you will have no idea. Therefore you have 2 options:
- Give up CDs and just buy new vinyl. You have a much higher chance of getting a good master since vinyl is now taylored specifically for fine audiophiles
- Keep on with CDs but always rumage around forums and ask around for ages to make sure you buy the best sounding release of each album
 
Of course, for albums released after 1984 directly on CD, there's no reason to go vinyl.
 
You say you're happy with hires digital stuff rather than LPs. Can you honestly say that hires is really necessary? Can you tell a definite loss of quality with 16/44?