CDs Vs LPs

@Elizabeth: We both dropped off the face of the earth a while, but I remember talking to you several years ago and you told me all about your LP collection, your VTL amps etc.  You were very helpful with info, concerning re-setting up my vinyl rig.  It’s very surprising to see you’ve switched to CD’s, as your main source. I listen to both, as many have said they do.  Depends on my mood, how lazy I am feeling and what titles I want to listen to.  I love the sound of vinyl when it’s first starting and actually being totally enveloped by the sound, as the the stylus advances to the song and throughout the song. So many LP’s as well as CD’s are hastily made, just to get the product out to bring in that $$, therefore ending up with a recording lacking in quality.  Many of you, are much more versed on the quality pressings than I. As far as pops etc, most of this is easily remedied.  Back around ‘87, when I first began my CD listening, I was very enthused about the sound and ease of playing a CD. It does require a larger investment for LP’s, but the payoff is worth it. If I had my rathers, I wish “they” would start producing reel to reel prerecorded tapes again.  For me, there’s no better sound, but it’s not convenient at all. There’s a lot to be said for the convenience of a CD and being able to “jump” around from one song to another.  I do believe this is one of the first civil conversations, on this topic. So many of the topics take on a tone of aggressiveness. 

IMO, there is no better medium than reel to reel running st 15ips. I think they went out of favor, due to inconvenience. When I did my internship at MCA in Nashville, we ran off demos from rtr onto cassettes. The quality difference was unmistakable.  I no longer own a rtr, but if they still made prerecorded tapes, I would be there.  30 years ago, I would buy an lp, transfer it to cassette and put the album away. That's why all my LPs sound like new. However, due to the tape size, there's simply not enough room to get the dynamic range u want on a cassette. I think older pressings of lps, not involved with any digital source, sound the best. Many here know of the better pressings than I. I have bought new vinyl that sounds bad. As far as the pops and clicks, it depends on the vinyl quality and how you care for them. I played a 35 year lp of Justin Hayward and John Lodge today. It was pristeen. 

I failed to mention, CDs definitely have a place in my system. I have a Theta Miles CD player and there’s a huge difference between it and a standard CD player. I’m sure there are much better ones available now, but I love the Miles. I can play a CD at much higher db levels than my vinyl, due to acoustical feedback. CDs are convenient, but they’re somewhat sterile. They lack ambience to me. BYW, I’m running my Miles straight analog (using the built in dac) to my linestage preamp. I have a Kora Hermes II DAC, I’m going to reconnect. All tube DAC and preamps. Very warm sound, but still lacks the ambience of an LP or rtr. 

I got back into vinyl about ten years ago. I’ve had a few Arc phono stages and finally ended up with an Asthetix Rhea Signature, going into an Aesthetix Calypso Signature.  There are many better preamps, but my budget won’t allow and I’m satisfied with my setup.  I have a Koetsu Urushi Black and a Dynavector DRT XV-s1, as my carts and am using Verastarrr Silvrstream phono interconnects.  My CD player is a Theta Miles.  I like the sound of vinyl, specially when I first start the lp.  I hear a sound that envelopes me, that I do not hear with CDs. I have been doing an A/B comparison, playing the same title of a cd and lp, cuing each at the same time.  I go back and forth to compare the sound.  Maybe it’s my hearing going away, but it’s getting harder for me to diffienturate between the two.  Most lps have an ambience, that a cd can’t provide.  I’ve said this before-wish I had a good RTR with some prerecorded tapes.  That’s the best sound I’ve ever heard.