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

Past job our office was near this company, https://www.vanausdall.com/history/. One they invited us over to view their Thomas Edison Wax Cylinder collection.

That's the way to go.

This question may never be answered in our lifetimes. So, I'd suggest, let your ear's do the listening and decide for yourself. And then proceed to have a good time, because that my friends, is what this hobby is supposed to be about.

What a yawn fest. Get a life. I couldn't care less if you prefer digital. Good for you. Next topic...

The sampling rate of lacquer/metal/vinyl is the number of polymer molecules flying past the stylus at the outer edge, ~15 ips, to ~ 8 ips at the inner part of the groove. This is what limits the resolution of the physical wave form on the lacquer/metal/vinyl. That number is astronomical and blows away any conceivable, let alone practical, digital sampling rates.

In the late 90s, the president of Sony Music said that at the dawn of the CD era, it was decided that the industry’s sampling rate for CDs was to be in large part shaped by marketing considerations. Specifically, it was determined that 95% of music consumers preferred convenience to quality and could not hear the difference between vinyl and CD at the sampling rate settled on. Therefore, there was no reason to cut into profits by spending more money on a higher sampling rate for the 5% of the market that could hear it. 

I have worked in advertising and marketing as a creative director for decades, and at least for me, it is not at all difficult to understand this industry approach. 

I have posted this information many many times in several forums. For many people: their hearing is so bad on this topic that they must be among that 95%. 

Anyone who does not take into account industry’s self interest in this debate is naive.