My last setup for digital was also a emmlabs dcc2 (not SE) fed FLAC files from a linux server. This was my apogee setup as I worked my way up the digital upgrade path for redbook only. What I found was some vinyl rigs I'd heard were as good or better to my ears over my digi setup. The digi sound was very good indeed but it didn't often enough grab me in the guts like hearing good vinyl did.
And I agree with Kthomas in that the vinyl rigs I was listening to had far less expense than my emmlabs setup. It was then I decided, predisposed to vinyl if you will, to stop chasing digital upgrades. Started building a vinyl setup and buying used & new LPs. I still keep digital because some new music never makes it to LP so it's a neccessary evil but I downsized the dcc2 to an electro ecd1.
I find vinyl far more satisfying in that the sound signature can be tweaked without wholesale changes, well if you don't consider carts and phonopre's wholesale changes. With digital, it was swapping out a DAC and that's that.
Some items on your list are intrinsic to vinyl so when viewed through a digi-based prism it's no wonder they come across sounding as arguments against LPs. But go have a listen to a good vinyl rig before being convinced that it's an arcane medium and not worth the hassle (relative to digi). Then you'll know.
And I agree with Kthomas in that the vinyl rigs I was listening to had far less expense than my emmlabs setup. It was then I decided, predisposed to vinyl if you will, to stop chasing digital upgrades. Started building a vinyl setup and buying used & new LPs. I still keep digital because some new music never makes it to LP so it's a neccessary evil but I downsized the dcc2 to an electro ecd1.
I find vinyl far more satisfying in that the sound signature can be tweaked without wholesale changes, well if you don't consider carts and phonopre's wholesale changes. With digital, it was swapping out a DAC and that's that.
Some items on your list are intrinsic to vinyl so when viewed through a digi-based prism it's no wonder they come across sounding as arguments against LPs. But go have a listen to a good vinyl rig before being convinced that it's an arcane medium and not worth the hassle (relative to digi). Then you'll know.