On the Fence with Analog Vs. Digital. Need Help

I agree with Calbrs03 and Plato. Evolve your digital and slowly work toward LP until you see if the performance difference is worth it for you.

I'm crazy about LP's, they work perfectly for me, but I have many years experience so there are no problems and no surprises. Getting into LP's when your primary experience is with CD is a big commitment.

Have you had a chance to hear an entry level LP playback rig in your system? Any friends or local dealers that would show you what it's all about? That would go a long way in settling the issue of performance.

As already stated, you might have cable or other problems making CD performance disappointing. You may only need some correction to get back to enjoying music with CD and not be forced to change everything.

Thanks guys, this has all been great advice. I know I could count on the Audiogoners for some help.

I think it’s good advice to continue building the CD collection and just build the LP collection along side of it. I figure the worst case scenario could be that I end up not liking it and just sell all my vinyl gear and take a small loss. While I do have an NAD C 162 preamp that has a built-in phono stage (and a good one from what I’ve read), I didn’t realize that so many other important things are needed, as Calbrs has stated. I was thinking all I had to pick up was the Music Hall MMF-5, a needle cleaning brush, and one of those red record cleaning pads my dad used to have with the spray bottle of anti-static record cleaner. But I guess I have to realize I’m not playing beat up 45s on my Fisher Price turntable like I was when I was 7 years old.

Honest1: I have been searching around on various sites including Amazon.com to see what’s available. I was actually surprised at some of the things I can find, but also alarmed at how much some of them can cost, depending on whether it was out of print or not.

Kthomas: I’ve looked at a few of those products. Haven’t heard any of them yet. It would nice to have BOTH a vinyl playback system and a good DAC/computer system.

For everyone else that suggested isolating the problem in my system, that is also a very good suggestion. I’ve considered going with possibly a tube DAC, or a tube preamp, but since I don’t have the money to spend on both a tube preamp and a new DAC at once, it’s hard to decide which is more important. I would guess that the DAC is more important. But all I’m trying to do here is tone down the harshness in the system. I’ve also considered the tube buffer, but read that the results from those things are less than what most would expect from them. I am planning to incorporate some kind of room treatments, building my own sound panels from rigid fiberglass panels. That should really be my first step, because no system is going to sound good in a room that isn’t treated properly.

I guess in the end, the “journey” into vinyl is more interesting than just purchasing a better DAC and/or a tube preamp, but I need to evaluate this whole thing on a cost level too. Ideally I’d like to see if my local dealer could lend me a Music Hall MMF-5 to bring into my own home, and borrow some of my dad’s old LPs just to give it a whirl, and then make my decision based on that.

Start over and do it right. Make the commitment to analog and don't look back.

Keep your CDP to play backroom music for making love and cleaning the house.

Improve your present system and stick with digital unless you have a unstoppable urge to be trendy.