I've gone for a low end vinyl rig, and with that, I find that I appreciate what it brings to the table, so to speak. It's not convenient, and doesn't fit well in my life, but it does have a certain charm that makes it worthwhile some times. I did decided to not go with a higher end phono stage, because I don't listen for ultimate sound quality, but for the "analog magic", whatever that may be. I don't find myself wishing it sounded 2% better, I just listen and enjoy. Almost exclusively on speakers, too.