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
tomwh
150 posts
 
Prof.

You stated above real words about what made your heart sing.  Raul show his hand again and again with his distortion, anti tube and even digital is the real thing stuff.

When a person grows up playing in bands and orchestras, they have real advantage of knowing what real music sounds like and feels like.  Most people just listen to what they like or told to like.

So it is nice that you brought the heart felt aspect into the equation.  The only question is how many people caught it or care.

Enjoy the ride
Tom
prof
3,473 posts
 

Thanks tomwh.

It’s funny that raulirugas shows his hand with his last sentence " enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS."


A sentiment that could only come from someone invested in the SOUND of a system. Most people could happily listen to music through systems with the type of distortions raulirugas woud likely decry, because they are focused on the music, without worrying about the teeniest distortions. Only someone really in to SOUND would have motivation to go on diatribes or evangelize about certain types of equipment, distortion profiles etc.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that ;-) But that’s the problem of being all judgemental and trying to separate people in to camps, and "other" them (when it’s all much more diverse and complex than these simplistic divisions). In a place like this anyone who claims "YOU are interested in sound, I am interested in music" is casting the first stone.


As I said, all of us here care about the sound of our systems. (How music sounds via our system). And plenty of us can still enjoy music in other situations as well. I often listen to music right out of my iphone speakers (it’s often the most convenient way depending on what I’m doing) and I get musical joy from that too.
phantom_av's avatar
phantom_av
326 posts
 
Whatever floats your boat! Their is no Right or Wrong. Both formats can work well depending on the Recording and the Room/Gear Setup.

Personally i like a well setup Digital Player, the matter of convenience and the ability to browse through hundreds of files with out the snap crackle and pops.

Just dont have the time to become a dishwasher and clean my records all day long.

I think its good to keep both a Turntable and a DAC. Which ever is your priority on playback should deserve more of your funds. 

fleschler
2,008 posts
 
As to LP shelf space, approximately 80 LPs fit into one foot of shelf space.  Hence, 8000 LPs should fit into 100 lineal feet of shelf space.  I should know.  I currently have 25,000 LPs in my listening/storage room and 5,000 LPs in my storage shed to be sorted, heard or discarded (sold or given away).  Now, 78 rpm records take up much more space if in albums rather than sleeves.  Also, boxed sets can be bulkier, such as for operas.  

100 lineal feet of shelf space in a six shelf high storage shelving cabinet is only about 17 feet long, not 266 feet or even an integer by 6 shelves.   Just one wall for most collectors.

Again, in my very wide types of music in my collection, the recording and mastering are paramount to enjoying the sound quality of the performance.  First comes the performance, then the sound quality.  In my audio systems, I can greatly enjoy the sound of even early electric 78s from 1925, mono and stereo LP recordings and digital recordings.  Records, tapes and CDs can all sound great or mediocre, depending on the recording engineer and in the modern recording era, the mastering engineer.  I get the same thrill from a great sounding CD that I get from a great sounding LP and RR tape.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
The more LPs or CDs one has the worse the sound. Ironic, ain’t it? It’s ironic because the most enthusiastic hard core audiophiles are destined to have bad sound. It is their fate. 😳
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