My conclusion: mid level $$ analog vs digital

Thanks for sharing your findings on this.  It's a lot of fun to reach a point with analog gear where it sounds better than digital.  

One thing I would like to clarify is the use of mid-level in describing your set-up.  These days I think mid-level is closer to $3-5K for TT plus preamp.  I would put your TT in the (upper) entry level category simply based on price, not considering its performance.  And I do wish to emphasize that you can get excellent performance in this price range with proper set-up.  One of the nicest TT set-ups I've heard was less than $2K including cartridge.  I would say that if you are hearing the differences you're hearing at this level you will be even more delighted when you move up to the next levels.  There are diminishing points of return at some point but I am sure you will hear big improvements as you move up, assuming you have the desire to do so. 

Most importantly, have fun as you go, and enjoy the music.

Peter 

I'm with Frogman; I don't care for anyone else's opinion, but I do respect anyone else's opinion.  This is not an issue that can ever be resolved to everyone's satisfaction, because we all have different personalities, different cues we look for in sound quality from our carefully selected components, and.... because vinyl is better, goddammit!

It's a lot of fun to reach a point with analog gear where it sounds better than digital.

 
It sure is. That point is called the gramophone, and once you hear one you will never forget.

Jeff,

   I can't say exactly at what point my tt surpassed the cd. It was around the time I had a Muse model 2 dac and Pioneer elite cd (used only as transport) vs. Thorens TD-850 tt, Grado Statement cartridge, upgraded Rega arm.
    The problem is that it's not just the tt, a good tt system consists of turntable, tonearm, cartridge, phono preamp, sut, cables, and probably some kind of isolation platform (all of which I use now; the Rogers PA-2 phono pre has the SUT built in.) That's a lot of (expensive) moving parts for a turntable! vs. cd player, dac, and cables, and nowadays a streamer.
    I do use the digital side a lot, for convenience, background music, the tv.  I suspect most of us would never trust a spouse or child with our records.  Records require a lot of effort to play, cleaning the lp and stylus, flipping every 20 minutes, etc.
  I don't always want to really listen to music, but when I do, I play records.