Volume levels

Though I listen at louder levels - the few times I’ve found vinyl sounding dull and lacking punch, it could usually be blamed on phono stage and (in particular) its match to your chosen cartridge.

If you’re running an MC cartridge into a budget phono stage, that can sometimes cause this problem. If your signal level hitting the MM stage (after MC stage gain) is too low, it can cause this problem, even if you try to compensate for this downstream (e.g. raising line stage volume). Switching in a good SUT or head-amp (Hagerman Piccolo, even on a budget) can often resolve these issues.

When you have good analog gear that works well together, you will find no need to get into the philosophy of dynamic range and mastering science - it will just sound good. OP - what’s your phono stage and cartridge?

My experience is the opposite. I actually have the volume of the phono stage input on my amp offset -3dB to balance the volume a bit when switching to/from my DAC. 

So I'd say it's mostly system depend as @mulveling alluded to, but it also depends on the recording.

hilde45

Thank you for correcting the false information. There is a lot out there. E.g., Paul McGowan: "Live music typically has a dynamic range of 120 dB ... So, thanks again for the correction. If was up to the SVS website and Paul McGowan, I would continue to think that the LP medium has a more restricted dynamic range compared to digital media!

You conflate potential dynamic range with the actual dynamic range of commercially released media. That’s why I provided you with a link to the dynamic range database, which clearly shows that in real life, LPs tend to have greater DR than their digital counterpoints. That’s all part of the Loundess Wars, @hilde45, and it explains in part how an LP can sound so much better than a CD.

@hilde45 

 Phono stage Sutherland 20/20

Cartridge Clearaudio Virtuoso, soon to be Maestro

Gain only variable by 6dB.