2. analog
  3. 140184-113812

Turntable got absolutely crushed by CD

Long story short, i've just brought home a VPI classic 1 mounted with a Zu-Denon DL103 on JMW Memorial 10.5 with the appropriate heavier counterweight. Had everything dialed in..perfect azimuth, VTF, overhang, with only a slightly higher than perfect VTA. Levelling checked. All good. 

I did a comparison between the VPI and my Esoteric X03SE and it's not even close. The Esoteric completely crushes the VPI in all regards. The level of treble refinement, air, decay, soundstage depth and width, seperation, tonality, overall coherence is just a simply a league above from what I'm hearing from the VPI. The only area the VPI seems to be better at is bass weight, but not by much. 

I'm honestly quite dumbfounded here. I've always believed that analogue should be superior to digital. I know the Esoteric is a much pricier item but the VPI classic is supposed to be a very good turntable and shouldn't be a slouch either. At this point I feel like I should give up on analogue playback and invest further in digital. 

Has anyone had a similar experience comparing the best of digital to a very good analogue setup?

Equipment:
Esoteric X03SE 
VPI Classic, JMW Memorial 10.5, Zu-DL103
Accuphase C200L
Accuphase P600
AR 90 speakers

Test Record/CD:
Sarah McLachlan - Surfacing (Redbook vs MOV 180g reissue)



chadsort
terry9
2,353 posts
 
It depends on your taste. If you can't abide wow, which no-one with perfect pitch can, then CD is your best bet.

I don't have perfect pitch, and I don't mind wow. I can't abide the tizzy digital sound, so I listen to analogue.

But first, try a real demo with revealing music recorded on a great analogue rig. The recording that finished digital to my ears was Delibes' Lakme (Joan Sutherland), London OS26201; also available in CD.

And dialling in a cartridge isn't something that most people can do in an afternoon. Even assuming that your tonearm is stable. I took an afternoon a month for a year before I got it right, and I check it periodically. Yeah, it's a bitch.
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Islandmandan.

I agree that likely being limited to a max of 100 for loading is killing any chance of that cart shining.
My dl103d, as stated , is best at 1k ohms.

That and not having sampled any really quality vinyl is the root cause here I fear.
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
"East is East, and West is West! And never the twain shall meet!" - R.Kipling
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Sometimes the best that can be said is "we like what we like!"
solypsa's avatar
solypsa
462 posts
 
I setup a lot of tables...including all manner of customer supplied hardware. It's a bit tough to say 'vta is a bit off'. Imho it's really off until it's close...then its only close till its right. And getting it right is not particularly easy. The stock Denon stylus is pretty easy compare to some but still.

Like said before....change loading and experiment with vta.
And yes the Denon is good but not great....

More to discover