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Does Anyone Think CD is Better Than Vinyl/Analog?

I am curious to know if anyone thinks the CD format (and I suppose that could include digital altogether) sounds better than vinyl and other analog formats. Who here has gone really far down both paths and can make a valid comparison? So far, I have only gone very far down the CD path and I just keep getting blown away by what the medium is capable of! I haven’t hit a wall yet. It is extremely dependent on proper setup, synergy and source material. Once you start getting those things right, the equipment gets out of the way and it can sound more fantastic than you can imagine! It’s led me to start developing a philosophy that goes something like this: Digital IS “perfect sound forever”; it’s what we do to the signal between the surface of the CD and the speaker cone that compromises it.” 
So I suppose what I’m asking for is stories from people who have explored both mediums in depth and came to the conclusion that CD has the most potential (or vice versa - that’s helpful too). And I don’t simply mean you’ve spent a lot of money on a CD player. I mean you’ve tinkered and tweaked and done actual “research in the lab,” and came back with a deep understanding of the medium and can share those experiences with others.

In my experience, the three most important things to get right are to find a good CD player (and good rarely means most expensive in my experience) and then give it clean power. In my case, I have modified my CD player to run off battery power with DC-DC regulators. The last thing that must be done right is the preamp. It’s the difference between “sounds pretty good” and “sounds dynamic and realistic.”
128x128mkgus
kren0006
1,859 posts
 
Where’s the over/under line where a top analog system will beat out a top digital system at that money? $1k? $2k? $5k? $10k? $20k?

Here’s what I mean. Let’s say those numbers above are just for the front end, digital or analog ( and let’s say the best new front end that can be had for that money), and that you’ve got a sufficient amp and speakers and everything else to nicely complement the front end (nicely balanced at that price point).

So then, if we can agree that a top $300 digital front end beats a top $300 analog front end, how high up the source cost ladder must one climb before analog overtakes?
psag
518 posts
 
Yes. Manfred Eicher (ECM) no longer produces LPs. Case closed.
bpoletti
1,553 posts
 
troll thread
aschaub
6 posts
 
"People yap about even/odd distortion, ... My KISS explanation is this: Analog captures and reproduces the timing of the fundamentals and overtones better, a more involving way. No listening fatigue occurs. " --Yep

"Yes. Manfred Eicher (ECM) no longer produces LPs. Case closed" -- Yes he does, has never stopped. Do you me to have him call or email you?
atmfrank01's avatar
atmfrank01
12 posts
 
Wrong question. To think or ask if one medium sounds better than the other implies there is a definitive answer. As you can see from the previous comments, this will never the case :-)

A better question to ask, which medium makes you tick more? Which one is preferred, but on a personal basis. We know this will yield the usual massively long thread.

Here is my brief response: I use two mediums the most, a 40+ yr old Thorens turntable with a decent cartridge, alignment tweaked to perfection, and only a modestly priced cable upgrade. The second medium are FLAC and DSD files, collected over time. But here is the catch. I play each digital file through different DAC’s depending on my mood. Sometimes I have a cheap (R2R equivalent) DAC if I want my 16/44 - 24/96 files to have a more analog feel to it. Next time I might want the super-micro-detailed dynamic sound signature of the main DAC. I give myself choices to cover a broad playback range (without breaking the bank).

Most comments here are spot-on: You cannot change the recording techniques, the mastering, the PCM conversions of the original. Everything I do to manipulate the sound is cosmetic, after the fact. If you ever heard an original master tape of a recording session, (or worked in a recording studio) you will be blown away by how much "better" it sounds, more realistic and 3-dimensional. Hard to achieve this in a home system situation, but you can come close to it.

A good example of a well-recorded, well-mastered, with good dynamic range, and life sounding recording is the vinyl version of Exile on Main Street (re-master on 180g)

Happy listening.
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