Does Anyone Think CD is Better Than Vinyl/Analog?


I am curious to know if anyone thinks the CD format (and I suppose that could include digital altogether) sounds better than vinyl and other analog formats. Who here has gone really far down both paths and can make a valid comparison? So far, I have only gone very far down the CD path and I just keep getting blown away by what the medium is capable of! I haven’t hit a wall yet. It is extremely dependent on proper setup, synergy and source material. Once you start getting those things right, the equipment gets out of the way and it can sound more fantastic than you can imagine! It’s led me to start developing a philosophy that goes something like this: Digital IS “perfect sound forever”; it’s what we do to the signal between the surface of the CD and the speaker cone that compromises it.” 
So I suppose what I’m asking for is stories from people who have explored both mediums in depth and came to the conclusion that CD has the most potential (or vice versa - that’s helpful too). And I don’t simply mean you’ve spent a lot of money on a CD player. I mean you’ve tinkered and tweaked and done actual “research in the lab,” and came back with a deep understanding of the medium and can share those experiences with others.

In my experience, the three most important things to get right are to find a good CD player (and good rarely means most expensive in my experience) and then give it clean power. In my case, I have modified my CD player to run off battery power with DC-DC regulators. The last thing that must be done right is the preamp. It’s the difference between “sounds pretty good” and “sounds dynamic and realistic.”
128x128mkgus
Last night I listened to a Steve Hoffman transfer of "The Best of Ray Charles" on a DCC compact disc. Ray Charles was in the room. I could see down his throat. Then I switched over to vinyl and put on the Impex Records reissue of Duke Ellington's "Indigos." The Duke Ellington Orchestra was in the room and the solo instruments just hung there between the speakers in all of their tonally correct glory. Then, I switched back to CDs and put on  Yusef Lateef's "Live at Pepe's." I swear I was sitting at a table at Pepe's amid the audience. So, which format was better last night? Who cares?? It's the music, the performance, and the emotional impact that really counts. 

Frank
For me it all depends on the quality of the original recording, and the quality of the remasterings into the different formats.  The skill of the dudes/dudettes in the control room conquers all.  I have some superb sounding compact discs.  More often than not, I thoroughly enjoy the remastering sleights-of-hand that Qobuz works on stuff I have on vinyl and CDs.  It's not that I don't love vinyl.  I'm also pretty tolerant when it comes to clicks n' pops, if not crunches.  The only thing that really pushes my buttons the wrong way concerning vinyl are off-center pressings.
Where’s the over/under line where a top analog system will beat out a top digital system at that money? $1k? $2k? $5k? $10k? $20k?

Here’s what I mean. Let’s say those numbers above are just for the front end, digital or analog ( and let’s say the best new front end that can be had for that money), and that you’ve got a sufficient amp and speakers and everything else to nicely complement the front end (nicely balanced at that price point).

So then, if we can agree that a top $300 digital front end beats a top $300 analog front end, how high up the source cost ladder must one climb before analog overtakes?