CD vs. Vinyl

My question is more theoretical than anything else. I don't have any plans to get into vinyl, but appreciate the sound quality.

As for CDs, I have my music somewhat divided into quality and not so great CDs. I have one particular CD that is one of my best recording and it replaced a version that was probably the worst.

First of all are we comparing apples to apples? Usually these experiments include a much more expensive turntable/arm/cartridge. Another question is what source is the system based on. There is a difference paticularly in high frequency information between vinyl and CD therefore system assembly plays a crucial role in the end result.

One advantage vinyl has over digital is the signal remains analog. Did anyone see the movie "The Fly"? Jeff Goldbloom cuts a steak in half and sends half of the steak through his invention where the steak is taken apart and reassembled in another location. After cooking both pieces of steak it became very obvious the steak that was taken apart and reassembled did not taste quite right. Could this be the problem with some CD players?

Great analogy Rrog.

Sorry Clio, although I respect your judgments on most audio matters, I think Rrog's analogy is inept. The issue of remaining in the analog domain ignores the major energy transductions from acoustic to electrical then back to acoustic energy. IMO these transductions are far more difficult than sampling a waveform. Mathematical representation of the even high frequency energy in the waveform is entirely possible for digital processing. In either case, the waveform is most likely to have been originally recorded to tape with vagaries like head alignment and print-through if an analog tape recorder was used.

db

With all due respect db, digital still typically uses analog filters in the output of the dac. Furthermore the "quantization" as you call it still "analog" in the time domain aka jitter. IMEs, digital sources all have a sonic signature akin to analog source signatures.