Turntable got absolutely crushed by CD

MC cartridges need a good step-up transformer (SUT) for best sound! High-gain phono stages won't do! I know this from 40 + years of using MC cartridges! In fact, the best active head amp I heard was a Levinson JC-1 clone. It was very, very good with the 103. But my Verion (Cotter) P transformer was even better! Lower noise floor and more dynamic sounding! 

At this point I feel like I should give up on analogue playback and invest further in digital.

Your call. You can get your vinyl sounding closer to your digital, if that is your objective.

As long as you understand that Vinyl is a total setup game based on vibrations and resonances. It is only (somewhat) plug and play for that person that is happy and content with the outcome of the first setup. No need or desire for further tweaking.

Since you are making comparisons to your digital, and finding the digital better, it's up to you to decide if you want to pursue this. If you do, I recommend keeping your current setup and focus on the tweaking of your current setup. Just changing the turntable feet and stand components will dramatically change the sound. As will using a higher still  VTA;  since you state that the Bass is more with vinyl (it shouldn't be)  Just remember that when you change the JMW tonearm VTA, it is NOT "on the fly" you will need to readjust the other set up parameters. Once tweaked out if your setup is still lacking compared to digital, then consider changing out components, if you desire.  My 2 cents.   

With that, as ones experience grows on how to refine the setup (usually through trial and error ) to manipulate and manage these vibrations and resonances, your vinyl setup can continue to be improved. How far you go down the rabbit hole depends on your state of Audiophilia Nervosa at any given time. 

So good luck and have fun since you are dealing with the audio hobby aspect, discussing how "Gears" sound, and not how really great that album is, no mater what medium is used to play it.

fwiw . I have also found a bass recording emphasis on Sarah's LP's.   Surfacing has some really low tones that can test out how much your house, floor, walls, TT components, (wife) ..... vibrate.

 8^0


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYC9N4fVd6g

I question the 40 year old phono stage in this preamp matched with a somewhat hard to please DL103. Would be interesting to match an outboard phono preamp, more suited for the DL103 (or better cartridge), for possible better results. Quality wise, I don't think you are comparing apples to apples.

And your TT/arm combination is suspect! I'd wager my Sondek/FR arm and 103 would handily beat the VPI. These Scottish TT's (Ariston and Linn) have such an overall pleasing "musicality" that has kept me using them for so many years!

Analog playback is fraught with peril! A lot of experimentation is necessary! TT + tonearm + mat + cartridge + phonostage vs. CD player/transport/DAC. I said back in 1978 that I would get rid of my LPs if Sony/Philips could perfect their digital system. Alas ...