Given a well-made recording either digital or analog, a CD system can sound as satisfying as an analog system. In my humble experience though, a CD system cannot sound better.
In my experience, it took approximately 1/3 of the dollars to get "better" performance with LP's. That is to say, I had a very good sounding (to me) CD transport, DAC, Cables, Pre-amp, etc., and the Analog system that replaced it cost about 1/3 the price.
They can't sound the same. Better or worse is up to you. Go to a high end dealer and audition a good vinyl rig, see what you think. If you're a high strung type you might not like to hear an occasional pop or click on an old record (though if you get a well tracking stylus and take care of new records this isn't a problem).
Also, records do not have to cost $30. Used records tend to be cheaper than used CDs and you can find them by the boxfull, sometimes whole collections which yeild many records for cents apiece. New records cost about like CDs; standard pressings $5-15 or 10-25 for double LPs; heavyweights and virgin vinyl imports from about $15 up. $30 would get you a really nice pressing and would be like spending the same on the fancy gold CDs and whathaveyous...I'd go out on a limb and say you may find the difference in quality vinyl more profound than the higher priced CDs. I do anyway...
Both can sound good. It's a shame about SACD because it did (does) sound better than CD to my ear. But I prefer vinyl.
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