Some cabinet machines are worth owning just for the elegance of the woodwork. Victor machines with external horns not only add class to the home but can be great investments. Outside horn machines keep going up in value. Phonographs help us visit the past better than most antiques, letting us duplicate the listening pleasures of previous generations. I know a few people who purchased their first phonograph because it reminded them of their childhood.
People can usually buy one phonograph and be satisfied.
Collectors insist performances recorded long ago can sound best in their original format. Even patient sound engineers doing straight transfers can lose a little sound. Some collectors say that owning original recordings helps them understand America's musical past in a special way. I cannot explore here what old recordings are likely to increase in value since that is a rich topic for a future article. But I will say that investing in 78s and cylinders only pays for those who know what they are doing.