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
Acoustic Sounds just stoped selling hiRez DLs because of decreasing sales. that should tell you something. Vinyl sales have been increasing for 15 years. CDs have been declining for a few years. 

I was disappointed in CDs in the mid 80’s and early 90’s but had no choice since I couldn’t get new music on vinyl. I sold some records thinking CDs would be better with less noise. Since then I’ve paid more rebuying the vinyl. 
I have to admit that I never tried SACDs or hiRez DLs and would consider it if there was a lot of content I wanted that I couldn’t get on vinyl. I think our tastes are established in our late teens and twenties and that’s when a majority of my records were purchased. 
Vinyl is expensive and less convenient, so if you are looking from a practicality standpoint, I wouldn’t do it if I was starting over again. If you’re looking for a hobby I agree with most of the posters who have made investments in both that it depends on the title/format/release as far as what sounds better. In my limited exposure to 90’s CDs, I’ve never heard a CD come close to vinyl’s sound.

if you’re trying to be cool, vinyl does seem to be trendy these days for whatever reason, so if that’s your motivation-keeeping up with the Joneses, have at it. We welcome any new vinyl lovers to the club.
venyl is always better. Off course with a good element, good driver, good dac. :first:venyl, 2th:cd, 3th streaming. Our ears are analog , not digital...
My best friend have Denon dp 100m with Ear dac,- preamp, and -monoblocks with the Ilumnia magister speakers. Never heard that sound before!
Funny, last time I checked, the signal coming out of my DAC was analog ....
While I would rather have music in HD which is basically a digital copy of the master tape (be it analog or digital master), CD is better than vinyl if your goal is to hear what is on the master recording.

Why? 

Vinyl has VERY LIMITED dynamic range physically. CD is close to 50% better with HD files being MUCH better than that. If you want to hear 1/2 of a snare drum crack - listen to vinyl.

Vinyl's "warmth" is actually second degree harmonic distortion. Why on God's green Earth would you pay for that killer $10,000 preamp and then feed it a distorted source. Again, a physical liability of vinyl which is an AGE OLD format and not reflective of today's best audio reproduction technologies.

I get it if you are digitally burned out and like listening to music in the order the engineer, producer and artist wanted. I get it if you like holding the record and reading the liner notes. I get it if you like shopping for music on speculation and being able to buy worn out old records for a buck or two. I get all of that.

But then again for $15 per month, you can get Amazon Music and have a TON of music in HD, meta data on nearly every record EVER MADE with iPad access that is superior in all ways to the above setup. 
"Digital is more accurate.  Analog is more interesting." - me, talking about color film vs CMOS sensors, but it probably applies here, too.

SACD from my Sony SCD777 was VERY interesting.