Vinyl vs. top-notch digital

"and better vinyl (even sometimes but not always digitally sourced) is still easily better than the very best digital "


mikelavigne-I'm glad you made that  statement, and not me!  Some of the digital rigs I've heard have been truly been wow, but I still don't hear WOW!

There is still an emotional engagement(not  technical/scientific) that a record(no reissues!) provides to my ears.

Maybe it's just me, but a 1960 mono copy of Ella Fitzgerald singing "Black Coffee" from "Let No Man Write My Epitaph" versus the latest file, is still "missing" something I can't explain?

Also it doesn't necessarily  need to be on a stellar phono setup, just properly set up.

That said, If I did have a streaming setup, I likely WOULD use it more than my table. Nothing like typing into your Ipad, whatever you want to hear!

Particularly convenient for entertaining, hanging out with non audio friends.

There is a reason why everyone says their DACs sound analog and nobody says their turntables sound digital.

There is a reason why everyone says their DACs sound analog and nobody says their turntables sound digital.

Everyone doesn't say that though.

Of course DACs don't sound digital. The noise is missing. No turntable can sound digital. Too much noise. Sound quality as in fidelity between vinyl and the best high res digital set up depends on the master. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Blanket statements either way are an indication of personal bias not reality. Like Mike I simply go where the music is.

You're both missing the point I guess.  I'm not talking about surface noise.  That is what it is and nobody strives to achieve that.  I'm talking about the actual reproduction of the music.  My point stands, when a DAC is really good it's described as "analog sounding" (MSB, Lampizator, Aqua, etc).  Sounding analog for a DAC is the ultimate compliment.  Sounding digital for a turntable is the ultimate insult.