"So how come my 29-yr old son loves Skip James, 60's Leonard Cohen, and Bernard Wrigley's earliest recordings? "

Your son has good taste! People with good ears can hear beyond the pops and scratches and realize what constitutes an outstanding performance.   If the majority of people could appreciate music that way, I think our entertainment industry would be in different shape.

Tell the truth - if you had an opportunity to put Woody Guthrie into a modern studio with equipment that could capture more of the nuances, wouldn't you?    I cherish the Asch recordings, as do most folkies, but times change.

I record and edit many of my radio programs in my den. I use a freeware editing program called Audacity, a Shure mic and a Marantz recorder, and a HP PC. On a shoestring, I've been able to put together a "studio"(which seems high falutin to call it that) and I have produced material that has aired on satellite radio as well as other non-com stations like WFDU. I'm proud of the quality I have created, and I am thankful that I have had some good advice and a bit of knowledge from the pros to help me.

I've heard some exceptional recordings made in similar setups, and I've heard some awful recordings made in professional studios.   It comes down to talent, budget and expected use.