Have you asked yourself this question?


Lately I have thought about selling my entire analog set-up:  Turntable, phono preamp, and vinyl collection.  It's a good system, but my digital system sounds good enough that I don't listen to the analog system any more.

For purposes of illustrating my dilemma, my system is as follows:

Analog system:  Linn Sondek LP12, upgraded with Lingo II power supply, Karousel bearing, and trampolin suspension.  Loci Psionic Tonearm with practically new Clearaudio Maestro cartridge.  PS Audio Stellar Phono Preamp.  Plus, about 450 records, mostly popular stuff from the late 60s, 70s and 80s.

Digital System:  Metrum Acoustics Streamer (Roon endpoint) plus Metrum Onyx DAC.

Just curious if any of you have thought about selling your entire analog rig, because you don't listen to it.  What did you finally decide? Interested in your experiences.

hifinut51

Showing 5 responses by mijostyn

@hifinut51 

You are certainly not alone. Those of us with thousands of records are sort of stuck.

Although your vinyl playback system is lack luster, getting to something that can give digital a little bit of a run for its money requires a substantial amount of money over what you have already spent. People with no records or small collections may well be better off maximizing their digital systems ditching the vinyl. I routinely recommend that people not get started in vinyl. They are much better off sticking with digital, spending the money on speakers and amps where it really counts. 

@jasonbourne71 

I have owned two of them and I would think everyone knows by now my opinion of that turntable and I am certainly not alone in that opinion. That is also not the only component in the OP's vinyl compartment. My overriding point is, if I might explain it better, great digital is far less expensive and less problematic than great vinyl.

@drmuso 

I have made the comparison on several occasions and playing a file from your hard drive sounds better than streaming. It is counterintuitive. It is only numbers and should sound identical, but it does not. I stream tio check out new music.

@daveyf 

Not at all Dave. You get a Qobuz subscription and stream with your computer through a USB input on your DAC. Getting a dedicated streamer is IMHO not at all necessary and a waste of money. We all have computers now and many of us have DACs. It is very convenient but not the very best sound. It is a great way to check out new music.  

@daveyf 

You get a USB to SPDIF converter. Streamers always start with an asynchronous  data stream, USB. This is the way information is exchanged in the computer world. The question is where the stream is clocked for music. It can be clocked in the streamer, or in the DAC, or as in my case, a very trick master clock. 

Moon Audio and Arrender make really nice converters. The best is the Berkeley Alpha USB. I have one, but I do not use it any more as I have a master clock

@daveyf 

Anyone who uses a computer for their digital source uses a USB to SPDIF or AES EBU conversion somewhere. It is either in the streamer or a separate piece. Anyone who buys digital files online or streams utilizes an asynchronous to synchronous conversion. If you want the best get the Alpha USB. I used one for years and it is excellent. My current preamp has a USB audio input. so I do not need it anymore. The only time this conversion does not happen is if the source is already clocked like a CD player.