Analog invites you to turn up the volume

As a general rule, music always sounds better at higher volume.  That's why level-matching is vital for audio comparisons.

We are also very sensitive to distortion.  If we don't have to consider others, we tend to turn up the volume to the point where distortion is no longer acceptable.

I suspect very few reach the volume of most live music!

@richardbrand 

Higher volume often reveals more detail and dynamic range, making music feel more engaging. Conversely, achieving a lower noise floor is far more critical in our environment. You can uncover a whole new layer of details just by lowering noise floor thus allowing us to play music at a sweet spot where clarity and enjoyment peak. 

Level-matching is indeed crucial for fair comparisons, as louder playback can skew perceptions of quality. Live music volumes, of course, are a whole other level, often exceeding what most home systems or listeners can comfortably achieve!

@lalitk 

That is exactly what I was trying to get across!

The noise floor argument surely favours digital, and especially high-resolution including DSD?  Wish I could get the noise floor of my house down to match.

My partner keeps telling me I am playing too loud, but she is happy to listen to any trumpeter or tenor at full blast, and they are much louder

@lalitk 

I was not comparing digital to vinyl at a given volume. I was noting that my favored volume for analog was at a higher volume than digital.

During the course of this thread I went back and attempted to level-match volumes but found I did not really care for the digital version as it approached the analog level at equivalent volume.

I am not disappointed in digital. It has afforded me great pleasure and I truly enjoy listening to it, typically for a few hours each day. Vinyl never really enticed me to do that because it is always a production. Digital is just some buttons and a few swipes. From my couch. 

I am delighted that digital has gotten to the point where it is eminently listenable and satisfying. If I did not know about analog, I would not miss it.

Kudos to those whose bits sound better than their waves. I hope to be there some day.