Article: "Spin Me Round: Why Vinyl is Better Than Digital"

Ihasaguy, love that Bugeye Sprite! 

Someone above mentioned that you can go anywhere with a digital signal but you cannot do to much to an analog signal. I would add that you can not do much to an analog signal without adding distortion unless you digitize it. 
As far as recordings go, studio recordings always reflect the intension of all those involved in the recording process and is in short an art form. It does not reflect the reality of a band playing on stage. It reflects the reality of a band playing in a studio frequently at different times and locations. I do not try to think of it as a band playing on stage. If you do you will be sorely disappointed. A vocalist can still sound as if they are standing right in front of you just not on a stage in a big hall. This is why some of us love live recordings such as Waiting for Columbus, a wonderful recording wherein you get the feeling of a live band playing on stage in a large concert hall. I have both the mobile fidelity vinyl and high-resolution digital versions of this concert.  Because the bass in the mobile fidelity version was boosted this is a case where the high-resolution digital version sounds better. Mobile fidelity did this sort of stuff a lot in the old days.
I think that I am somewhat of a traditional list. I prefer to keep in a log recordings analog and digital recordings digital. So records recorded before 1985 I will usually get the vinyl version if available. Recording is done after 1985 I will look for high resolution downloads. I try to get 24/96 or better. There are some older recordings that were remastered for digital such as led Zeppelin 1.  The high resolution version of this recording is far superior to the original analog record. Led Zeppelin 2 was also re mastered but the original analog vinyl still sounds superior. Go figure. 
Mahgister, you are entitled to think that doing all that stuff to a DAC will make it sound better but that is psychological and solely in your own world. The only way you can make a DAC sound different is by dumping it in the bathtub.  However with a turntable all you have to do is increase the VTF a little. There are all sorts of things you can do to a turntable to change its sonic characteristics. Getting a turntable to sing separates the men from the boys.  Anybody can get a DAC to play even millercarbon:-)))

I have a very good DAC and a very good turntable. I listen to both formats. I don't agree that one audio format is intrinsically better than the other and both are somewhat flawed. 

I think it comes down to what you prefer. My digital sounds plenty warm. Playing through a tube preamp and amp helps..but it sounded warm through solid state as well. A good DAC is very important.

I think what vinyl does do better is also a  function of one if its flaws. When analogue musical instruments are played loudly, they distort. This is a natural part of their sound. Play a piano or cymbal louder and you will hear it. 
The distortion recedes with the volume.

The stylus in a groove hitting a loud section or large percussive note does the same thing.
This is why wooden claves, hitting cymbals on their bells or cowbells sound so convincing on vinyl in my system.

I think this little bit of distortion helps make vinyl unique but not better. With digital and solid state, you get a much cleaner rendition of the recording. Digital sins are more subtractive...vinyl is flawed by the additive: distortion and rumble and surface noise.
I think it comes down to what you prefer to put up with. 

Ear buds and computer speakers for “digital” is where it got insulting. The tactile thing; yes indeed. Size (in this sensory input) matters too. You touch, look at and even smell records. That’s not nothing. But as for the sound.......

A high end FLAC/streaming/dac listened against a high end record set up would leave many stunned.

Sadly the cost of a great vinyl set up on par with a great streaming set up is staggering. In the upper middle I’d put CDs. My CDs are gathering dust.

“Digital” done right has caught up.

Both are great and really who cares as when you’re in your chair and blissed out that’s the ticket.

@
richmos Thank you!  "This entire debate over vinyl vs digital, and for me digital is CD or SACD...I don't stream music; seems to ignore the fact that all we listen to is dependent on the recording process.
The studio, the recording equipment, engineer, the producer, how it has been finally mixed. I have over 1500 LP's and over 1500 CD's...I have vinyl that sounds better than CD and I have CD that sounds better LP.
It's all about how that recording was made as much as the format used for the end product."

Mahgister, you are entitled to think that doing all that stuff to a DAC will make it sound better but that is psychological and solely in your own world. The only way you can make a DAC sound different is by dumping it in the bathtub. However with a turntable all you have to do is increase the VTF a little. There are all sorts of things you can do to a turntable to change its sonic characteristics. Getting a turntable to sing separates the men from the boys. Anybody can get a DAC to play even millercarbon:-)))

Any piece of gear is always an ideal GENERIC design with measured and verified theoretical capabilities, but any piece of gear, to produce a sound or to contribute to produce a sound, must be implemented in a SPECIFIC environment, which will be each time different... This is the reason why reviews have only anecdotal meanings...

A dac like a turntable will sound differently if the mechanical, electrical, amd acoustical embeddings are controlled OR not...

A dac can be isolated mechanically like a turntable, his metal box can be coupled/decoupled in the right way or not, the electric field around the arm of a turntable like the electromagnetic field around the dac can be act upon , and no vinyl on a turntable will be perceived in the same way in different room like any speakers.... You cannot review a dac or a turntable in the same way with the same results in different conditions...

When you throw a dac in a bathtub you change his GENERIC capabilities by introducing it in a new SPECIFIC environtment.... This is drastic change.... The modifications of the 3 embeddings controls do the same BUT in a controlled and subtle way and the dac can continuously work...It cannot in a bathtub....

And by the way spare me the "placebo" accusation....😁 You know better....I hope you know better anyway....🤔

The psychological placebo effect dont work in the same way in audio and in the case when you give unbeknown to someone a pill of sugar, his spirit being directly linked to the body the sugar pill can do miracles because the link between brain and body is a complete unity...

But in audio cumulative materials modifications in an incremental way with an increase in positive S.Q. for many years, after hundred of experiments with my homemade devices, cannot be reduce to be "placebo" only and mainly, because the link between my brain and the perception of sound is MEDIATED in a complex way by different material working dimensions (mechanical, electrical and acoustical) and is NOT direct link like in the case of the spirit and the body.... Miracles are possible in medecine not so much in audio...Except in the nutcase people ready for asylum , and i hope you will exclude me from this case....

Getting an audio system to sing  is what  really " separate the man from the boys" by the way, anybody can tweak a turntable even you .... But to embed rightfully and to win on all S.Q. counts the many elements of an audio system, working on the vibrations and resonance problems, and decresing the noise floor of the system and of the house because they are coupled together indeed, and implementing a complete sets of acoustical passive and active (non electronical) controls in the room acoustic, all that for peanuts money,mthis is what i call separate man and from boys....

Anybody with enough money can buy some S.Q. buying  good electronical devices, but audio begins after that... Not anybody can with peanuts money changing the three embeddings and create an audiophile experience.... I succeed... Call it placebo if it is your only argument and if this contribute to your peace of mind.... 😊 And i dont doubt that you can tweak your turntable without placebo effect in play....Anybody can do that by the way... But almost all people own an under working audio system, not knowing how to embed it especially at no cost....

I wish you the best and Merry Christmas 😌