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On the Fence with Analog Vs. Digital. Need Help

Out of the blue I've been considering switching to vinyl. Most likely the reason for this is that my digital source is only an NAD T532 DVD player (ran into 2 NAD C 272 amps, NAD C162 Preamp or Adcom GFP-750 Preamp, Paradigm Studio 60 v3). The sound to me has been relatively harsh and just does not sound natural. My friend also let me borrow his Cambridge Audio Acur D540 player; it has its strengths against the T532, but can still sound bright and edgy. Granted neither of these players are ones to base a good overall analysis of digital sound reproduction on, the prospect of smooth fully analog sound is interesting to me. I've heard LPs before, but only on sub-par playback systems where the albums sounded grainy. So now the question is: do I spend $500 on a new Music Hall MMF-5 turntable and start investing in an entirely new music collection (I own about 3 LPs) to get this smooth sound that I am seeking, or is there a modestly priced CD player or external DAC out there that can achieve a smooth, lifelike sound with my current set up?

I've considered going with an external DAC and a computer-based album storage solution, but from what I've been reading and from what I've noticed listening to more expensive CD players ($3000+), it seems as though you really need to get up around that price range before digital begins to sound smoother and more analog. Right now I don't have $3000 to drop on a DAC/CD Player; it's a little easier to come up with the $500 for the Music Hall and gradually build the LP collection. So that's my dilema. I'm so close to saying "screw digital" and just taking the plunge. I might like, I might hate. Who knows.
jwglista
glory's avatar
glory
1,614 posts
 
Koegz,

Beautiful wording on what we hear in a vinyl setup. It is a way of life that has many rewards. Some will never get it but to those of use who do we have a certain grin on our faces that only vinyl can give.
ablang
165 posts
 
Jwglista: It's hard to argue with vinyl sounding great, which it does, but if buying a vinyl rig and all that goes with it won't solve the problem you're having right now--unpleasant digital playback--you may (and I speak from my own experience) find yourself enjoying records but still missing all the good music on your CDs. The DAC suggestion is a good one, or an investment in a better stand-alone CD player. This idea has been batted around a bit on this forum already, but if you want to try a smoother sounding CDP, a Playstation One for about $25 is as cheap an experiment as you can get. If you find its more laid-back presentation suits you, you could then look for a "real" player or DAC with those attributes--or just keep the Playstation. Me, I'm on the Playstation train and loving my CD collection again. Vinyl's still vinyl, but why not get the most out of the music you have before pursuing another format?
jwglista OP
206 posts
 
Restock: I live in the Pittsburgh area. I called the local Music Hall dealer and they do have a listening room, but do not allow in-home auditions of the equipment. I do know of a few record stores I could check out though.

Ablang: A Playstation One? Why choose this out of hundreds of other cheap cd players? What other players would have the same attributes as a PS One?
nrenter's avatar
nrenter
766 posts
 
Do not think you need to spend a small fortune to get into vinyl. Sure, I have (probably) $8k+ sunk into my analog front end, I didn't start out that way. My first table was a Music Hall MMF-5, a Hunt brush, and a couple of bottles of Last.

My recommendation (take it for whatever it's worth) is to buy yourself a KAB Technics SL-1200MK5SE, and have KAB recommend and install a cartridge for you. For your first table, IMHO it's the setup / alignment that matters. Plug it into your NAD and enjoy. Simple as that.

If you think you'll get most (or at least some) of your vinyl used, I would also recommend going over to The Disc Doctor and get a couple of scrub brushes and a small bottle of solution (the solution lasts longer than you'd expect, and by the time it's gone, you'll be into the discussion on the "best" cleaning solutions). Yes, there will be a lot of debate on the "best" way to clean vinyl. Well, while the debate rages on, go find some gently used vinyl, scrub it up, and kick back and listen.

Don't let some of these enthusiasts freak you out by suggesting you *need* to spend a lot of money to enjoy vinyl. It's not that they are wrong (per se) but they are pretty far removed from the perspective of someone who is just starting to get into vinyl. I'm sure many of their systems sound amazing (although some don't have their systems listed as a point of reference to their advice), but everyone has to start somewhere, and if I would have been told that I needed to sink $3k into my first analog setup, I never would have taken the plunge.
timrhu
2,779 posts
 
My advice comes from similar experience. A few years ago I owned the Paradigm Studio 60v.2 powered by older Japanese electronics. Things could get unbearably harsh sounding. There were several system upgrades through Audiogon purchases which improved things over the past few years. Here are a few of the things I've learned to help tame digital harshness.
The single biggest improvement to alleviate the digital nastiness was the purchase of a Resolution Audio CD-50 cdp. I believe it listed for $3k+ when new but I got it on ebay at a steal price, maybe no one in the know was looking that week. The point is, there are cdps that can sound wonderful.
Another thing is those speakers. I remember auditioning my Paradigms and falling in love with them but they would never be called smooth.
One more thing which has been mentioned above is the room. That takes work but is extremely important for good sound.
As for vinyl, my experience is way different than yours. I owned 500 or so albums that were stored in a closet. There is so much work that goes into listening to vinyl it isn't for me. I auctioned off most of my albums here and honestly haven't regretted it. Can vinyl sound wonderful? Most definitely. Can digital sound wonderful? For me the answer is most definitely. They both take some work to get good sound but it is achievable either way.
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