CD's or Vinyl?

And not only because of the SQ... changing from one side to another every 20 minutes, no thanks... It's true that a few very well recorded LPs may sound more realistic than the corresponding CDs, but this is not a typical situation at all.

@niodari 

Interesting hearing points.

I think you nailed it with your valid answer as asked for by the OP. You have put in perspective what the original question was all about, but have clouded the water so to speak.

Your quote…“It’s true that a few very well recorded LPs may sound more realistic than the corresponding CDs” Very useful information for those on the fence.

From my perspective, it doesn’t bother me having to change sides every 20 minutes. What is most important is the sound quality, not an inconvenience.

lf anyone owns a lot of really well recorded LPs, and are not bothered by the inconvenience of 20 minute turnovers…. then analogue, with it’s potential (as mentioned above) “can sound more realistic”, is arguably the winner over digital

If you would have asked me a year ago I’d have answered definitely CD, but I actually heard a system with a newer TT and clean records.  Sure there was a click or two, but the sound was surprisingly good. TT, arm and cartridge all together maybe in the $1200 range and the other equipment was vintage. 

@mylogic , If the cracks, dust cleaning and  demagnetizing LPs does not bother you and you can completely concentrate during 20 minutes of listening, and if you have a super TT and really well-recorded LPs, then you will have an advantage in listening to these LPs over the corresponding CDs. But bear in mind that for the most of the classical rock and even jazz and classical music LPs, the corresponding CDs sound better defined. 

Kind of funny that Von Karajan was quoted as saying that Cd sounds better than vinyl. Ray Charles once said that digital kills the music. Both of these men would likely have very keen hearing. Ironically, any Von Karajan recordings that I have are on vinyl and are very well recorded and pressed. I do not own any Ray Charles recordings but I'm sure he was a stickler for quality recording. 

In the last year, I changed my preamp from SS to tube, likely a bit of an upgrade from what I used for the prior 20 years or so. My phono preamp has been a tube unit for about the same 20 years. During that 20 year period, I would have said that Cd was a big step down from the vinyl. With the addition of the tube preamp, it is a much smaller step. I'm able to enjoy Cd's a lot more than I used to and with all the tube rolling that I've been doing, in and out, I have found a great deal more detail in at least some Cd's. Most of the ones that were made in the beginning to replace old worn records, were terrible. Not so anymore. It's getting closer.

All that said, I still prefer vinyl 80% to 90% of the time but it is getting a lot closer. I do not stream and maybe I never will. Like a lot of other old timers on here, my collection and my setup is heavily geared toward LP's. I do see a lot of guys who are like myself in listening tastes and many are now streaming. I'm sure there is something to it but I really don't care. Like many here, I have a pretty extensive collection of Cd's and vinyl and will probably never stop buying more. Cd's are practically being given away and so is some old vinyl. As long as people think they can live without them, I'll be happy to buy them up. I've never sold a single album and do not regret that in any way. 

Look at the old rock stars vinyl collections. There is something to it. I and many others have amazed many listeners over the years. It never gets old.