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Vinyl vs. top-notch digital

I have never had an analogy rig. My CD player is a Meridian 800, supposedly one of the very best digital players out there. From what I've read, it appears there is a consensus in our community that a high-quality analog rig playing a good pressing will beat a top notch digital system playing a well-recorded and mastered CD. So here are my questions:

1) How much would one have to invest in analog to easily top the sound quality of the Meridian 800 (or similar quality digital player)? (Include in this the cost of a phono-capable preamp; my "preamp" right now is a Meridian 861 digital surround processor.)

2) How variable is the quality of LPs? Are even "bad" LPs still better than CD counterparts?

Thank you for any comments and guidance you can provide.
jeff_arrington
gpgr4blu
1,080 posts
 
It is a rare cd that betters its vinyl counterpart. This is especially so with recordings made prior to the late 1990s
I’ve compared many on my system--Wilson Alexia 2s, ARC Ref 160 monos, ARC Ref 40 preamp, Spectral SDR 4000SV, cd player, BelCanto Pl1 Player (alternate cd player), VPI HRX w rim drive, superplatter and a number of 12’ arms and carts, the most often used being 3d tonearms w Lyra Atlas and Dynavector XV1-t carts. Except for some recordings made entirely in the digital domain, the differences are not subtle.
mikelavigne
2,194 posts
 
Most people have CD players.

that’s not true. less than half have active CD players in their systems. and few are being added.

maybe they have an old CD player or transport in storage. for the last 4 years i’ve had an ’old’ Oppo sitting in my closet in case i needed to spin a disc. not had to plug it in.

and the heading of the thread is "Vinyl-vs-Top-Notch-Digital".

in case you’ve been under a rock the last 5 years, "Top Notch Digital" is not CD’s........and has not been for many years.
mikelavigne
2,194 posts
 
let me help you out here with some relevant information;

" Per the RIAA: “Revenues from streaming music platforms grew 30% year-over-year to reach $7.4 billion, contributing 75% of total revenues for 2018, and accounting for virtually all the revenue growth for the year.”

"While physical media sales were down 23%, CD sales themselves slipped 34% for the year to $698 million. That’s the first time CD yearly revenue has come in below $1 billion since 1986."

here is what CD has to say.......

"I’M DYING’.

btw; i like 16/44 redbook and no doubt CD’s can sound very very fine. i own 4000 of them, but don't spin any. i’m not knocking it and listen to redbook files often. but it’s not ’Top Notch Digital’ and it’s not relevant to that subject.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
cleeds
5,919 posts
 
mikelavigne
... less than half have active CD players in their systems. and few are being added ...
So what? That was true even 8 years ago, when CDs were still a dominant medium.
let me help you out here with some relevant information;
" Per the RIAA: “Revenues from streaming music platforms grew 30% year-over-year  ... While physical media sales were down 23%, CD sales themselves slipped 34%
I'm not sure how relevant that info is. That data is mass market data, just as your CD ownership player info is mass market. It includes people who don't care about sound and music, and those who do and think their Bose ownership proves it. It doesn't tell us anything about audiophiles, some of whom (such as yourself) still use analog tape.
... no doubt CD’s can sound very very fine ... but don't spin any ... it’s not ’Top Notch Digital’ and it’s not relevant to that subject.
CD is absolutely relevant to this thread. Please note the OP asked:
How much would one have to invest in analog to easily top the sound quality of the Meridian 800 (or similar quality digital player)?
mikelavigne
2,194 posts
 
12, t w e l v e, years ago. the Meridian 800 and it's ilk are dead and buried. open your eyes.

and the request was for ’top-notch digital’.

and if the whole wide world was not shut down i would not waste my time with this stuff.

question; who gives a rip (pun intended) about spinning disc CD performance?
answer; someone who has no idea about ’top notch digital’.
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