2. digital
  3. 153103-1635

Another Analog v. Digital Thread? Not Really

I’ll try to keep this as short as possible. The premise is this: If the highest compliment that can be given to digital is that it sounds analog, why bother with digital? I would never have posted this question, but the other week something happened. After owning my Oppo 205 for about a year and a half, I decided to sell it given the fact I wasn’t that crazy about it and the selling prices were quite good, although I posted mine for significantly less than many others are asking. BTW - In the last month I owned the Oppo, I found it tremendously improved by placing a Vibrapod 3 under each foot.

So a nice young man comes by for an audition and he likes the Oppo very much and purchases it. He is into 4k and all that stuff, but also wants some better audio quality. So that’s that.

Before he leaves, he asks to hear a vinyl record played on my Basis turntable. It’s a nice table - 2001 with Vector arm and Transfiguration Orpheus. I would rate it as the low end of the high end. Well the guy’s jaw just dropped. After sitting for an hour listening to the Oppo, he says that everything is so much more "alive" was the word he used and he couldn’t get his mind around the fact that he was listening to the exact same system with everything the same except the source.

I was considering replacing the Oppo with something like a Cambridge transport and Orchid dac because I have to play my CDs, right? But then I starting thinking why I had to play CDs anymore at all. It’s not so crazy when you think about it. Many of us gave up vinyl when CDs started getting decent, so what’s so strange about going back in the other direction?

So I asked myself - if analog is so much better, why would I even bother listening to CDs anymore?
Convenience? Well, sure, but I don’t really consider putting on a record very inconvenient, so that’s not really it.
Many titles on CD that are not on vinyl? I think that argument may be largely dissipated nowdays. It seems that virtually anything I would remotely want to listen to is available on vinyl, either new or used. You have thousands of CDs? OK, but if they don’t sound as good as a record, why would you want to listen to them just because you have them. I know it seems like a waste, but it happens sometimes.

Let me just finish with this, so there’s no confusion. If you have some insane high-end digital rig that you believe outdoes analog, this is not directed to you. But, for anyone who believes the best compliment you can give to digital is that it sounds analog, why bother? Also, to you streamers out there, the freedom from having a large quantity of physical media in your home is definitely a good argument. We all collect too much stuff and it’s nice to get rid of some.

Hopefully, this will be taken in the spirit it’s given, but I doubt it.
Merry Christmas, really.
chayro
yakbob
473 posts
 
With so many content avenues and varied equipment available to music fans these days, I'm surprised the "vs" conversation still exists.

I'm guessing chayro's vinyl components were methodically selected and run several thousands of dollars in cost. (not knowing the specifics around the gear mentioned).

Should anyone be surprised the Oppo purchaser preferred the analog system's sound over a player whose main selling point was that of all-in-one convenience product? Would the experience have been different with a digital system where an equal amount of selective decisions were made?
Is vinyl better sounding than digital? Sometimes.
Is digital better sounding than vinyl? Sometimes.
The gear from both camps continues to improve, and its a great time to be alive for music fans. Don't waste your time picking a hill to die on.

kren0006
1,859 posts
 
If someone already had amp/pre and speakers, and had $10k to sink into combination of digital streaming/dac and analog table/cart/phone stage,

and their criteria was 50/50 listening to each and they wanted the best compromise of best sound from both, what would be the best budget breakdown to achieve said digi/analog nirvana?? (I’m asking)

$2-3k for digital streamer and dac (e.g., Teac NT-505 or Cambridge 851n or Lumin or Mytek Brooklyn Bridge or Benchmark dac and node 2i),

and $7-8k in analog (for all of table/cart/phono stage)??

Or some different breakdown?

Sorry to sidetrack thread a bit, hope question is okay.
johnss
571 posts
 
so many of the younger crowd have not heard a decent LP playback system, and when they do, they are floored, just as the original poster mentioned.

Has happened to me several times....
big_greg
6,644 posts
 
I recently did some comparison listening between my turntables, my CD player, and my streamer.  Vinyl won, but my CD player was not far behind, and while streaming came in last in terms of sound quality, it wasn't such a night and day difference that I can't stand to listen to it.  To the contrary, it sounds pretty good until I compare it to my vinyl system..

The "debate" for me has more to do with selection and convenience than sound quality.  Do I want to hear some new music that I might not listen to otherwise?  Put on some music and just let it play without fussing with anything?  Check out something I've never heard before?  Streaming is the answer.  Do I want to listen to something I don't have on vinyl, but want it to sound better than streaming and not have to start, stop, and flip records?  CD is the answer.  What is my first go-to?  Vinyl is the answer.

I'm probably not going to go spend $20 or more for a vinyl record that I could listen to along with dozens of others for my $15 a month music subscription service.  If I really like it, I might go buy the vinyl, but chances are I won't because so many newer vinyl pressings sound like crap and I'm running out of room.

Why limit your choices?
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
Apparently in @chayro's world classical music doesn't exist.  Try finding obscure releases of obscure repertoire by obscure composers on vinyl.  And yes, my listening is more repertoire-driven than sound-driven.
More to discover