Mapman, suggests another good point. With vinyl there seems to be much more dependency on the accuracy of many more mechanical stages from beginning to end (user), and how does that actually turn out in overall real use?
In the end, even with the issues of availability, convenience, portability, record-ability and durability aside, it may come down to which format comes closer to the bulls eye, more often? How that is judged will perhaps be very personal. Some scoring more isolated cases of nearness to perfection higher, others scoring consistency higher. Even within those parameters, the scoring might vary, e.g., with some dismissing different levels of extraneous noise to different extents, and other penalizing extraneous noise to different extents. And, the same kind of scoring could be applied to what ever other various criterion different individuals prioritize differently.
At the risk of being redundant, I have yet to be convinced that one format consistently outperforms the other. With that said, I choose to consider those issues I previously suggested be put aside, availability, convenience, portability, record-ability, and durability and add one other, value(!) when I choose a format.
Except for those with an existing compilation of a particular format, or those rare few, for which cost is not even a consideration, I would offer that good digital can be quite a bit less expensive than good analog, and the extra funds might ultimately be better spent on music, rooms, DSP, speakers, etc..
In the end, even with the issues of availability, convenience, portability, record-ability and durability aside, it may come down to which format comes closer to the bulls eye, more often? How that is judged will perhaps be very personal. Some scoring more isolated cases of nearness to perfection higher, others scoring consistency higher. Even within those parameters, the scoring might vary, e.g., with some dismissing different levels of extraneous noise to different extents, and other penalizing extraneous noise to different extents. And, the same kind of scoring could be applied to what ever other various criterion different individuals prioritize differently.
At the risk of being redundant, I have yet to be convinced that one format consistently outperforms the other. With that said, I choose to consider those issues I previously suggested be put aside, availability, convenience, portability, record-ability, and durability and add one other, value(!) when I choose a format.
Except for those with an existing compilation of a particular format, or those rare few, for which cost is not even a consideration, I would offer that good digital can be quite a bit less expensive than good analog, and the extra funds might ultimately be better spent on music, rooms, DSP, speakers, etc..