Got a New CD Player and Now I'm Bummed

I would not spend significant amounts of money to get a marginal improvement in vinyl playback. I would save the money for your next digital upgrade. I think that most of the sound quality improvements have been wrung out of vinyl but cd players and cds are just starting to hit their stride. I think cds and cd players will continue to improve significantly for years to come. Then there is the promise of 24/96 or better digital downloads somewhere in the future.

Thanks folks. I'm certainly not in any rush however the superiority of my digital front end over my analogue is quite clear and unlikely to change over time. As to the location of the turntable--it is really the best set up I've ever had (and I've tried most of them). If you look closely you will see that the Target shelf passes through the back panel of the entertainment center. It is bolted to a piece of 5/8 birch ply that is screwed to wall studs. The table is literally floating within the entertainment center, immune from footfalls and airborne vibration generated by the speakers. Also, I've replaced the MDF shelf on the Target with a Symposium Svelte Shelf. All in all, this is the best isolation I've ever achieved and has the added benefit of being out of harms way to boot.

I just feel that while the Scout is a good player and an excellent value for money, there must be vinyl rigs out there that will fit into my space and outperform the Scout in a meaningful way. Perhaps I'm wrong here but I've always operated under the assumption (untested really) that the best vinyl playback will outperform the best digital playback. Now that I've upped the ante on the digital side it would only make sense that I will need to spend a comparable sum to get similar performance out of my LP's. Actually, let me put that as a question--do you think at this point in time one needs to spend less, the same or more on a vinyl rig to get the same level of performance out of digital? In other words and speaking generally, if my CDP retails for around $8K, do I need to spend about that much to approximate the sound of my Esoteric? Or does the inherent supremacy of vinyl mean I can spend half as much to get similar quality sound? (Or for those who may tout the superiority of digital, do I need to spend half again as much to get the similar quality sound?

I'm very curious as to where people are with this. I've always accepted as an article of faith that, all things being equal, vinyl will outperform digital. But the degree to which the Esoteric spanks the Scout (granted, at four times the price) I'm not so sure anymore.

BTW, I've run A-B tests here with a number of recordings in which I have both LP and CD format. Several of the LP's are quality (audiophile) issues such as MOFI's, etc. These were put up against standard Redbook CD's in the shootout.

There is a a lot of potential for improvment just with your cart. The Dyna 20X is a great cart for the money, but you can do a lot better. That alone will make a big difference. Just a move up the next step in the Dyna line is dramatically better.

I feel that the next level up for the Scout in analog is probably the biggest improvement. I spent many years with several very good turntables (Scout, Michell Tecnodec, P3, Linn Basic) but was never completely satisfied on all account in comparison with digital. And I agree - my friend's esoteric is awfully close to his Scoutmaster, Dyna 20XM setup.

If you are looking for a compact table (which I did) the DPS turntable from Germany would be my contender even if the price has gone up quite a bit due to the Euro/US$ exchange rate. Another important step as Ejlif has pointed out would the cartridge and phonostage. I find that my Lyra Argo with JLTI phono contributes as much as the table to the improvement in my analog setup.

Now Esoteric, Meitner, etc doesn't even come close to my analog setup anymore in all areas; Realism, speed, detail, top-end extension, bass extension and control, layering of the soundstage and instrument separation.

Finally, I agree that the place for your turntable is not ideal and would be the first thing to change; the compact 60lbs DPS table may even be too heavy on that shelf anyway. If you change the location, you can also consider several other good tables: Galibier, Teres, Verdier, etc.

Well its got to do more with the character of your cartridge in my opinion.. I would suggest an even better cart, and look at ones that supposedly have a more opposite character to the one you have, might be the CD player is not as dark sounding and warm as your previous, or vice verse, maybe more presence so to speak, so I suggest maybe trying a cart with better jump factor, and then you will not be so bored with it. I have no experience with your dyna cart, but I am sure many will get you a totally different tone to match up better or exceed your new CD player. I can say if you want a very strong rock sounding cart, very clean, tons of raw dynamics to match the best of CD players, look at the Ortofon line, kontrapunkt series and even the Jubilee. By way almost every MOFI half speed or 33 I have owned have always been pretty DUll sounding, not a good indicator vs. using some better standard vinyl recordings.