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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
oldhvymec
5,101 posts
 
I like newer music on a newer format, I like older music on an older format.. I like all music on Reel To Reel..

I like newer music on SS, I like older music in Valve (tube) units.

I like the best music on SS and Valve gear via Reel to Reel.. The problem is where to find the tapes, OR how to make them..

Analog for me.. BUT I stream more than anything.. I’m a conflicted fellow, I guess. Today anyways.. Might change tomorrow.. I'm flexible..

Regards
dht4me's avatar
dht4me
83 posts
 
Digital can SUCK and it can be AMAZING. Unfortunately it is not as simple as anyone initially thought with the early Bits is Bits mantra.  Awesome digital is costly and requires a lot of expensive tibdits, Yes I am talking about using computers however the similarities to your home PC are not to be found.  They require high horsepower, super quiet supplies, tuned software and even audiophile lunacy like USB cables, Audiophile network cards etc.....  Choice gear like a Pink Faun server cost 10K alone however the result is stunning. Most will never experience it as it is so difficult.
joscow
48 posts
 
This is a subject that routinely comes up for discussion and the main comments never changed. I have been associated with the "high end" audio community as a consumer since 1969, owning various audio systems at all price points that included both vinyl and CD formats. At the end of the day, whether vinyl or CDs sound better is about as subjective as the audio hobby that we love so much. You can analyze all the specs, and do all the comparisons that you desire but at the end of the day the format that one thinks sound best will be a reflection of your individual taste in sound. If it is not based upon how it sounds to you then ones opinion is rather academic. In the end, it seems to be that every person will have an individual opinion of which format is best and they are neither right nor wrong with their thinking. 
optimize
164 posts
 
Without reading the whole thread. And without going into lengthy explanations.

If we use data terms. LP is a lossy format or let me correct that it is worse than just to be a lossy format.
LP is the equivalent to mp3 plus that it adds sounds that were not in the master to begin with.

The bad reputation CD has it is mostly from bad content that is stored in the CD. When we are in the digital domain it is far easier to apply compression that many record labels want to have on the content. And AFTER compression (loudness) store that data on the CD.
But that is not the fault of the format when that is done. If the content is made to be used in noicy environments (in cars, and as like) and not in a quiet man cave.

In my experience you do not need to plow down so much money into CD playback.
Take some old oppo 85/95/105/205 and use it as transport that plays all formats. Get the digital output from the HDMI out. Connect that to a break out box. So you get the digital your external DAC. Now you can plow money into a good DAC that you also can use for decode when you streaming.

That way you do not need go down that rabbit hole to buy expensive units called CD players. That consists of a transport and a DAC. So more or less when upgrading to a new CD player you logically not upgrading the transport but only the DAC and it surrounding electronics. So you waste money on buying yet another transport that do nothing for the sound quality despite what the marketing wants you to believe. In other words you just upgrading the built in DAC.

Despite all of that above I have plowed down far more money on buying LPs over CDs. But that is of different reasons than for the sound quality.

Like:
I want to hear the new pressing of Adele 25 album. That I heard that are in its way.
(In other words I just want to hear another variant and compare what the differences is against the first pressing. And my old first pressing is getting worn.) 

Talking about wear.. The CD from the 80-ties has NEVER before sounded so good as they do today. When our DACs and electronic is so much better today. 
fleschler
2,030 posts
 
With my higher end system, I have yet to discover the differences in sound quality via different CD transports.   After I purchased my COS D2v DAC, I use my old EAR Acute as a transport and it sounds great!   

Can someone with a modestly higher end system tell me how much I will gain if any, improvement in sound using a more recent, potentially better transport?  
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