2. analog
  3. 194290-5063

How much do I need to spend to make vinyl sound better than digital?

All,

I have a solid vinyl setup that I like to think of as entry-level “plus:” Project Debut Pro with Sumiko Moonstone cartridge.  I enjoy vinyl for the ritual but find that my digital gear - a $400 ifi streamer and the AKM DAC built into my Anthem preamp - beats the analog rig in most ways.  Far better imaging/soundstage and much tighter bass without the occasional distortion/sibilance/warbling of the vinyl rig.  I haven’t messed with cartridge setup other than to check the factory-performed alignment, which looks perfect.  The table is perfectly balanced, counterweight set correctly with an electronic scale, etc - so I have no reason to think there’s a setup problem.  
 

Is this par for the course for this level of vinyl gear?  What do I need to spend to get my vinyl gear to match the performance of decent digital?  I’m thinking of upgrading to a Clearaudio Concept, perhaps with a Hana SL cartridge, but I want to make sure doing that is going to deliver a fundamentally different experience than what I have right now with the Project/Sumiko combination.

 

No interest in flame wars or rehashing the vinyl/digital debate.  I know vinyl can sound wonderful and am simply trying to decide whether I can afford the price of entry for a system that can gets the basics right (no audible distortion/sibilance, decent imaging).  I thought the Project/Sumiko would have gotten me there, but for whatever reason it hasn’t fit the bill.Thanks for any insights. 

lousyreeds1

Showing 1 response by mahler123

mahler123
3,517 posts
 

I much prefer digital to vinyl, but it’s possible to get good vinyl sound but at a price.  The entry level setup the OP describes won’t even get him close, which I suspect that he realizes, and therefore is wondering what the floor that he needs to spend is.  At the bare minimum get a separate phono stage.  I would also get off the entry level cartridge.

  Personally I really like my Technics Direct drive table with my Cambridge Audio mm only phono stage.  A $-300 investment for a good mm cartridge gets much better than entry level cartridges, especially in the treble.  If the OP prefers mc cartridges prepare to spend more.

  These prices are pre tariff.

   I would therefore say spend at least $2K on a vinyl front end or don’t bother.  More money will sound better.

  With digital it’s easier to spend less to get satisfactory results.  $2K can get a streamer/DAC that would leave most people happy for life, although this being an audiophile site, spending more gets into rarefied sound.  With analog $2K gets the minimum-the floor- but leaves you a long way from the ceiling

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