Analog vs. CDP: A fair comparison?


Ok, in summary, I'm planning on selling my Cary 303/300 and taking the funds and buying a TT rig including Table, Arm & Cartridge. I'll worry about the phono stage, record cleaning machine, etc. later.

Assuming I get $2,500 from the CDP, will I be able to get a used rig that will at least match the sound quality? Assume also that I will have a phono stage budget of $1,000.

Rest of the system if Cary 300SEI.

Is this a fair comparison? Or, will the sound just be different (i.e. tubes vs ss).

thanx much
pawlowski6132

Showing 6 responses by zaikesman

Agree one thousand percent with Onhwy61. Pawlowski, are you mainly an audiophile, or a music lover? 'Cause without a CDP and without a phonostage, you don't figure to be listening to much music in glorious sound, digital or otherwise, for a while here. And if all your budget is allocated to hardware for the near future, do you already have a waiting collection of records? Bottom line to me, as a guy whose record collection has always dwarfed his CD collection but who frequently listens to both, is that music availability trumps EVERYTHING. Play with different formats to expand your musical possibilities, not just to chase some received notion about 'better' sound...
Eldee: I take it you mean "never been to nirvana"...I know you've been an owner of turntables and records!
Thanks Pawlowski for answering my question. I admit I can't advise you because I can't understand you. So carry on reading, being "hands-on", and trying new things (buying and selling music you don't like, buying and selling gear that you do). I wish you nothing but fun.
E: I think choice of program material also has something to do with this -- if I listened primarily to classical, where noise and time limits can be more intrusive, I'd probably find more reasons to enjoy digital. Personally, I think CD and LP can each show faults compared to the other in different ways, but also believe mastering quality is really the main determinant (assuming the playback quality is on a par). Of course, neither my digital nor analog playback chains, nor the rest of my system through which I hear them, are anywhere near SOTA...
Maineiac: After that last post, I will now regard everything you say as complete fiction ;^)