2. analog
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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
aewarren
692 posts
 

The price of a good new record.

superhonestben
214 posts
 

to answer the OP question why not try this.....if you have a local Rega dealer chances are they will have a P6 with Exact on demo, see if you can borrow it and simply listen.....and three responses to look for

1...it sounds better or even much better

2.   it sounds about the same

3. it doesnt sound as good

avoid the black hole of endless terms used in the audio world to describe the sound

does it make you want to play records or even play record after record...... 

then it sounds better

do you kind of alternate your hands up and down.......

it sounds about the same

do you kind of scratch your head while listening....

then it sounds worse

the above comments about room acoustics, phono stages and isolation are all very good points....but one needs to start somewhere. 

and simply trust your ears.      Just my .02

 

dynacohum
701 posts
 

If I hadn’t spent countless hours in record stores and reading The Penguin Guide to Classical Recordings, I would never start with vinyl now. 

mswale
215 posts
 

I have the TT & Cart, had this same issue. Wanted my vinyl to sound better. 

Here is what I did.....

Upgraded my TT with upgraded cable, alm sub platter, acrylic platter, Sumiko Moonstone, lastly hi-power power supply. 

Everything helped a little, the cart was the biggest upgrade. Sadly the TT has a lot of noise, and no matter what will always be a low end TT.

Upgraded my TT to a Pro-Ject X2, with Amethyst cart & alm sub platter, along with a referb on my pre-amp. power supply & cable moved over to the X2. Everything is on another level, much lower noise, more detail, just sounds better everywhere. Sounds on par with my digital front end. 

IMHO, to really get the big before and after, you need to spend 2-3X as much as you have now. Would say you are in the $1500-2000 range.

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
972 posts
 

I grew up with vinyl an aside from the scratches and snap, crackle and pop was the fact that I had to flip the LP every 15 mins or so.

When CD came out I wasn't a fan, it sounded harsh, but now with modern DACs it sounds great.

Most modern vinyl had been cut from SACD/DSD masters so cut out the middle man and rip SACDs and CDs to an Aurender or similar and have a playlist that'll last a week or more.

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