Madman! Digital vs Vinyl

@2dougthebiker - to answer your question, with €7k invested in your analogue front end, it is definitely worth investing in a quality phono stage - pricewise/quality, up to something like the Parasound JC3+, I would say.

But will €10k of analogue gear trounce €10k of digital playback -  no.

As regards comparisons of specific recording on vinyl and digital, there are massive variations at both ends.  A friend of mine used to blind tests using me a the subject with him playing various copies of LPs from different mastering houses and pressing plants, and sometimes albums from the same pressing plants where the variable was the age of the stamper. There were significant differences in sound quality. Then throw in the differences in mastering /  A to D transfers of digital files for CD and streaming and the number of possible permutations are enormous.

However, I will try your comparison as soon as I get my digital streamer back up and running. It's down while I install a hardwired connection to it.

I appreciate everyone’s thoughts on this.  This leads to a related question.  Given that the age of the vinyl stamper impacts the SQ of a given copy of an LP significantly, wouldn’t it be true that if you stick with a single digital source, e.g., Qobuz through Roon, you’ll on average get better SQ than the LP copies you happen to have in your collection?

OP: “Given that the age of the vinyl stamper impacts the SQ of a given copy of an LP significantly, wouldn’t it be true that if you stick with a single digital source, e.g., Qobuz…. ”

That is just one variable. Old albums can be remastered a number of times, or not mastered but produced from a secondary transfer as master. It is extremely complicated as to what you get.

On the other hand, in general if you double the cost of your system all the recording sound MUCH better making typical recording variance less important. So, it is a matter of proportional differences.

Also, when your only source of music had to be purchased… at a high cost per unit (I remember only being able to purchase one album every few months, or none) you tend to be really careful what you buy. Also, exposure only came from radio and friends. This tends to force drilling to find the very best music and recording and listen to it over and over. But in the digital world, you can sample tons of stuff… and follow interests. Don’t like the album you found, for whatever reason… move on.

Also, the catalogues are only going to get more robust. I am sure different mastering are in the future of streaming and more and more obscure stuff. So, to me, this still points to digital as the future. Although I have enjoyed the hundreds of spectacular vinyl recodings I have, some original and many audiophile.

For as many cd’s or streamed content you show me, I can show you just as many vinyl Lp’s that will sound better. It is in the pressing. Some sound like utter garbage, others will make your head spin played on a good set up. I have yet to hear any digital content that possesses that "tubey magic" that some, not all, Lp’s have.