I have ~$10k into my VPI Classic TT, Ortofon Cadenza Blue cartridge, Pass XP-17 phono stage and cables. But more than double that into my digital setup (PS Audio DS DAC, Intel i10 NUC, NAS, EtherRegen, etc), LPS's for every single device, switches, media converters (fiber optic LAN), router, cables and on and on. So that's at least a 2:1 ratio, digital vs analog and I wouldn't say my digital setup sounds any better. Just different.
Digital is far better than vinyl
I have invested a decent sum of money into my digital setup, including a decent streamer (Innuos Zenith MK3), a very good dac (Denafrips Terminator 2), Eno filter, and good cabling. But after being told by many here that vinyl is vastly superior to digital, I thought let’s build an analog system and see what all the fuss is about. So this is what I did ...
I picked up an Audio Technica TT from Amazon for around $299. I then used one of the older integrated amps with a built-in phono, which I believe I paid around $500 a few years ago. And, finally, just to even out the playing field I bought the cheapest possible cables from alibaba. Since I didn’t have extra rack space to put the TT on, I got a couple of bricks and built a DIY platform for it.
So after listening to the analog setup for a few days, I can proclaim without a shadow of doubt that digital is far, far superior than vinyl on any given day, and twice a day on Sunday.
What has been your experience? And please, don’t mention your gear or any special. cartridges, isolation, etc. Not interested in your system details. I just want to make sure you guys understand that digital is far, far superior than vinyl.