A very good ENGINEERING explanation of why analog can not be as good as digital..

LPs were a compromise development as well.  78s could have killed the sound quality of LPs (note the high end pressings at 45 rpm) but marketing/listening considerations won out.   Edison invented a 6 minute 10" and a 10 minute 12" 78 rpm record in 1910 and made about 300 sides.  Marston Records has released some of these recordings. 

Using current recording, mastering and pressing technology. 78 rpm records on vinyl could sound utterly magnificent with shorter playing times as the only constraint (minimal RIAA correction with more stereo bass under 50 Hz with the appropriately larger stylus size).  

No one is considering this.

However, I share my love for the LP and CDs despite their shortcomings.  I do not like MP3s because they are missing too much information.   I do like well recorded 78s for their dynamics and tone quality (after eq corrected).  I've heard 15 ips master tapes in studios and they sounded outstanding.  The LP playback chain has probably hit it's limit in technology. The CD playback chain probably has not. whereby further technology improvement can render it more analog-like (humans have analog hearing so more analog like is a positive premise for reproduction of music).  My own recordings using RR tape have been fantastic even at 7.5 ips 1/4" 2 track while everyone also appreciates my 2 track 16/44 digital recordings.  

You’re correct, I spent $6K on my CD player and $28K on my analog set-up. I won’t spend more than $20K on CD playback but I will spend up to $40K or $50K for LP playback.

Until you’ve heard my system or my friends systems who have near SOTA CD playback, you haven’t heard great CD sound, only inferior CD sound. My cable manufacturer friend and I hated CDs until the mid-2000s when the equipment improved sufficiently to make us realize how good it can sound. I am not part of an unwashed mass who accepts crap sound. I am also a part time recording/transfer engineer and have friends who are world reknown mastering engineers. Too bad you haven’t enjoyed the pleasures of fine CD playback (or maybe what you’re listening to was poorly mastered).

Well, I really liked recording to DCC because it sounded so much better than CDs.  I think it is a lot closer to analog sound than most digital solid state device recordings (computer, recording devices).  My own DCC recordings sounded similar to my Tandberg RR recordings at 7 1/2 ips.