Upgrade CD player or get into LPs? Suggestions

Wow. Clicks and pops??? What are you listening to, some vinyl that used a nail? The discussion between vinyl and digital has gone on for some time. the real question is do you listen to music or use it as background? First, to answer your question, have you considered an external DAC first? You would be amazed at the difference between an internal and good quality external DAC. Before you go down that road, please understand that a DAC is three things. 1. A digital component that processes the digital signal. 2) a power supply and 3) an analog output stage.

Very important to know that the analog output stage should be judged just like a good quality pre-amp. People get so caught up in computer music and ease of use that they completely forget that the analog portion better be top quality or it doesn't matter how good the digital side it. This also includes a high end pre-amp quality power supply. if the two are present, then the DAC suffers. This is typically why internal DACS compared to good external DACS don't compare well. Go borrow a decent DAC and plug it into your system and you will hear the difference. I would still get the vinyl rig going anyway, because, well, it is wonderful to me.

But, I can tell you, in my long years of experience, that a good vinyl rig (phono stage, turn table, arm, cartridge, etc.) vs a good digital setup, if the music was originally digitally recorded to digital master and then mastered to vinyl and cd, you won't hear as much of a difference as opposed to music that was originally recorded to analog master and then to vinyl and cd.

enjoy

Minorl,

You can read many threads on this site complaining about noisy Lps. Have you really never heard an Lp that pops and clicks?

I used to listen exclusively to LPs back in the 70s- early 80s. When CDs came along I bought in mainly to save wear and tear on my LPs, which I stll considered my reference source for music. CDs replaced cassette tape and the convenience of using them became addictive, supported by the lack of surface noise LPs (and tape) always produce.

Fast forward to today and I have all but forsaken vinyl, but plan on resurrecting it. IMHO 16 bit resolution of standard CDs is just not enough to provide the low level details of vinyl, surface noise notwithstanding. The higher resolution digital 24 bit may be a lot better, I don't know. I do know that 24 bit music selection is meager at best, and there is little to no hope that the hundreds of LPs or CDs I have accumulated over the years will ever be reproduced in high res 24 bit sources.

If you have never listened to a vinyl rig, you owe it to yourself to find one and listen. You may wish to freeze your digital CD based system where it is and start a vinyl setup. After you have made the comparison, then go from there. Vinyl does require a lot more tweaking and attention than playing CDs require, which require more than steaming from a music server. LPs also wear out while digital sources do not.

Surprisingly though, LPs for many artists are still available, with CD sources still being the most common.

Tomcy6: I consider clicks and pops on albums the same way I consider scratches on cds. That is to say, I go buy another copy. People complain about pops and clicks as if they are normal. They are not! They are caused by the owner doing something stupid to the album or a faulty album in the first place. I look for very good to excellent copies of albums and I clean them very well. If I have an album I like that has issues, I go find it in better condition. Wouldn't you do the same for a damaged cd? to me this is a non-issue. It is a problem with the album, then replace it. It is pretty easy to find good to excellent copies of used or re-issued albums, exactly the same as cds. That is all I was really trying to say. Not start an argument on pops and clicks. If it is bad. trash it and get another copy in better condition. I inherited some albums from my Mother and some friends. Yes, they used nails as needles and the albums were trashed. So, systematically, I replaced them (the ones I liked) with re-issues or very good used copies and I am good to go. No noise. Great music.

enjoy

Minorl,

How many copies of an Lp do you buy on average to get one without clicks and pops? What is the highest number of copies of an Lp that you had to buy to get one without noise?

I'm not arguing, just trying to get relevant information. I haven't ever had to buy two copies of a cd to get one that was quiet. If a cd does not play properly the seller will provide a replacement at no charge.