Can you imagine a world without vinyl?

Come on, Albert is one of those who listen and he has his opinion. Other's think different or they link it with spending money. When I started in this "Hobby" I had nothing, no records, no CD's. I compared and I decided to go for Vinyl. Those who listen ---> use Vinyl, those who read datas listen ----> to Digits. This has been a fact 15 years ago, it is the same now and it will be the next 15 years. Unfortunately it is true, a good analog System is really expensive, no way out. But the satisfaction is worth it. Since I use my AirLine Arm I have problems to believe what's in the groove. Really amazing.
I own DCS Equipment and I like it, but honestly, the Software is sooooo bad, it is frustrating. For my limited listening time it is a waste.

Newbee

Upon reflection do you think that your 'over the top' self defense, even in the face of comments by others which are judgmental of your preferred format, might just generate in others with less experience or security a feeling that you are denegrating their choices.

My response was mostly at Eldartford who has attacked LP format almost since the day he arrived at Audiogon. Forgive me if the constant rubbing against my feelings occasionally cause me to cry out. If I were as persistent at visiting digital forums and criticizing everyone's choice, ragging on the flaws of digital and telling everyone it was the wrong way to listen to music, do you think someone might fly back at me with comments?

I think the answer is yes they would. Perhaps I should not defend analog and hide my feelings so those that don't choose it can feel like they have not missed anything.

Thomasheisig
When you say

I own DCS Equipment and I like it, but honestly, the Software is sooooo bad, it is frustrating. For my limited listening time it is a waste.

It sounds as if you agree with me that digital is good but not up to the quality of analog.

As for comments about music, I own 6K records, some CD's and even a few hundred open reel tapes. I even own an iPod. I am a music lover and will avail myself of music any way I can.

Just like dining out, given the choice I will dine at best quality restaurant, (Vinyl) it that's is not available I eat at a midline place (CD). If nothing else is available fast food has to do (iPod).

That does not change the fact that each is a different level of quality. Some people only eat fast food and some all the above.

Analog is superior on my system and of the tens of dozens of professionals I know in the audio business most prefer analog to digital. That may not make it a truth for everyone but it means I'm not unusual in my belief.

My condolences Albert for the loss of your friend.

I want to point out that as this thread has evolved away from the starting topic, IMO many of the posts have too casually equated analog with the LP record and digital with the Red Book CD. I think disappointment with the Red Book CD gets carried too far as a general blanket condemnation of the potential of digital audio. It's still a young technology by the standards of the LP and its forerunners, but the CD is absolutely ancient by the standards of information technology. Recall the primitive state of the home computer at the time of the CD's introduction, then think about the cost vs. capability of computing power today. Yet the CD ploddingly persists (if no longer predominates in the mass market, where sound quality is the least of consumers' concerns). It's like being confined in 2007 to playing Pong and working in DOS. The theoretical advantages inherent in skipping at least a couple stages of signal transduction on the way from the microphones to the loudspeakers, combined with intrinsic robustness, manipulability, and portability/transmissability as a storage medium, clearly make digital the way of the future, today's audiophile vinyl renaissance notwithstanding. I'll never get rid of my records, but I don't expect them to always be my sonic preference.

Good debate but should we all be venting our anger and expending our energy in a CD vs vinyl debate when neither format has a significant future and both have significant flaws. It's time for the analog and digital audiophiles of the world to unite and imagine a better future where we are not the after toughts (no thought?) of the big music companies.
Apple reinvented music distribution in a way that the likes of Sony and the old school CD distributors could not imagine. They dramatically lowered distribution costs. Perhaps this offers some avenue for a high end digital download alternative (at a whopping $5 per song instead of $1). The marginal costs to apple of creating a super high res digital mastering of the original tapes might be minimal and the distribution costs could be identical to low res. This could be a very profitable niche market.

Perhaps we should stop fighting and move on to a better future for true music lovers