Vinyl to MP3, Skip the CD

I have been a fan of music since as far back as I can remember. My musical tastes went from tapes of Ace of Base on Cassette to Green day on CD in grade school. As I got older I found out you could get free music on the Internet well before Napster became a household name. What a wonderful invention for music lovers and musicians alike (no matter what Metallica says). With all that said, my favorite form of music comes in the form of a disc three times the size of a CD. The sound of that needle hitting piece of round vinyl creating that soft crackle before the first note plays is almost as soothing as the price you paid for it. You can find almost everything you are looking for at a bargain. The hunt is as good as the trophy. Go to rummage sales, thrift stores, eBay, or even record stores like Atomic Records and you can find used treasures for a dollar or less. Turntables are not hard to find either; you can find a good one for under $100 at modern electronics stores. Record collecting is not only fun but also people think you are cooler (which you are) when they see your collection. If you like your music new, good music still comes in the classic form. If the band you want does not offer it on vinyl, it is probably not worth listening to (or at least paying for so just get it online). If you are into music, do yourself a favor and skip the CD. They are overpriced, over-rated, and just plain boring.