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.”
mkgus
Today I prefer hi res streaming.  

I remember playing vinyl, even on a new recording and I could hear the noise of the needle tracking the vinyl.  I wonder if buying a $20,000 turn table eliminates the noise.  To me CD's and streaming sounds crisper.  I would have to listen to vinyl again to compare.  However, what is vinyl going to sound like on a $1,500 to $3,000 turn table.  Can't justify the expense of some of these expensive turn tables.  Plus, you have to get up, find the vinyl jacket, clean the record, put it on the turn table every time you want to listen to vinyl.  I must say those $20,000 turn tables are pretty.

I have given up my CD's for streaming Tidal on my streamer.  I can just sit on my sofa and switch albums or songs without having to get up.  Plus, I can create my own play lists.  Not sure why anyone would spend the money on a good turn table and vinyl to give up this convenience. 

However, there must be a reason why vinyl is still around. 
"...I think it costs too much to get a system to play LP's to the level of CD's..."

I think this is true, a really good LP rig is going to be expensive. A high end cartridge and phono-pre might cost as much as a decent CD player.    
Why no mention of DVD or BluRay audio?
The latest remasters on those formats are stunning....and it's more than just the tom tom's super-realism (non-compressed) as one feels it in ones chest.
My understanding is that it requires the master tapes to transfer the music properly, it costs a lot of money , not to mention the Universal Studios LA warehouse fire that melted a wide swath of our musical heritage. 
Acoustic piano has always sounded more natural to my ears on vinyl than on cd, although I foolishly pulled the trigger and dumped all of my vinyl and turntable before I realized the difference. I jumped mainly due to surface noises, even on ECM vinyl, cleaned properly, played with a SME tonearm and Dynavector moving coil cartridge. Now years later, I find many, but not all, SACD releases played through my OPPO to be superior. A comparison of Keith Jarrett’s Sun Bear Concerts in Vinyl, cd, and SACD is quite interesting but that release does sound best to my ears in SACD.