In building a number of systems over twenty years I've experienced so many variables in regard to vinyl vs. digital. In earlier years vinyl generally won out, digital exclusively cd, likely vast majority of these 1980-90's cd's remastered from analog masters, Analog to digital converters pretty bad in that era (D/A not much better). Somewhere around 2000 digital became better as A/D converters improved, so DAC was upgraded, digital closing in. During period 2005-2015 or so, vast majority of my resources used in upgrading digital, result was digital superiority. In reaction I upgrade vinyl, result vinyl superiority.
So, moving on to around 2015 and the discovery of streaming. Past five or six years almost exclusive upgrading and optimizing diy streaming setup. Result digital superiority again.
Based on my experience, optimizing streaming setup is NOT plug n play. Every single link in the chain is critical, the myth of digital simply being ones and zeros is a simplistic notion and detrimental to the digital experience. My streaming setup is far more complex and somewhat more costly than analog setup, and I do have all the setup tools, cleaning apparatus, etc for analog. I have more than 2500 albums from 1950's-contemporary recordings. Point being I love all aspects of vinyl. I presume my analog could well challenge superiority of digital with expensive cartridge upgrade.
My point in all this is that digital vs analog superiority is SO subjective. Systems not optimized for both cannot be fairly compared. And yes, digital and analog do not sound the same, I've always heard vinyl superiority as what I'd describe as 'flow', a sense of calming that digital just doesn't quite do. Digital also has some inherent advantages. As for the 'flow' thing, latest digital closing in on this elusive quality. My present digital is not in the least fatiguing, I simply hear a sense of living, breathing performers in room. Visitors to my dedicated listening room happily listen for 5 hour plus sessions listening exclusively to steams and cd rips. Have a hard time getting rid of them at 3am.
Both digital and analog happily coexist in my listening room.
So, moving on to around 2015 and the discovery of streaming. Past five or six years almost exclusive upgrading and optimizing diy streaming setup. Result digital superiority again.
Based on my experience, optimizing streaming setup is NOT plug n play. Every single link in the chain is critical, the myth of digital simply being ones and zeros is a simplistic notion and detrimental to the digital experience. My streaming setup is far more complex and somewhat more costly than analog setup, and I do have all the setup tools, cleaning apparatus, etc for analog. I have more than 2500 albums from 1950's-contemporary recordings. Point being I love all aspects of vinyl. I presume my analog could well challenge superiority of digital with expensive cartridge upgrade.
My point in all this is that digital vs analog superiority is SO subjective. Systems not optimized for both cannot be fairly compared. And yes, digital and analog do not sound the same, I've always heard vinyl superiority as what I'd describe as 'flow', a sense of calming that digital just doesn't quite do. Digital also has some inherent advantages. As for the 'flow' thing, latest digital closing in on this elusive quality. My present digital is not in the least fatiguing, I simply hear a sense of living, breathing performers in room. Visitors to my dedicated listening room happily listen for 5 hour plus sessions listening exclusively to steams and cd rips. Have a hard time getting rid of them at 3am.
Both digital and analog happily coexist in my listening room.