How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop?
The world may never know.
(although since @middlemass is a verified musical financial genius, I would bet on $5477.36)
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.
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This is an odd question and makes me believe you were led down the wrong path. Analog SHOULD sound slightly different than digital. There is no better, just different. In analog, there is measurable distortion. But it is a distortion that is pleasing to many people's ears, hence why many people prefer it to digital (which does not carry that same distortion). The premise of your question is out way off base. If you don't like the sound of analog over digital, than just go digital. |
@mattmiller "The Internet will not work even if your house has a generator" This may well depend upon the type and capacity of the particular generator ,and what is hooked up to it. I have a 22kwh natural gas backup generator and the internet works just fine when the power goes out as the internet gear is on lines that the generator powers |
Ah, as always the interesting topic. I say, if one is DIY orientated one can rewire an old SME, build a cool plinth for a Garrard 301. Spend some $ for say a Ortofon SPU. Make sure your interconnects are good quality. Perhaps a Aesthetix phono stage. That setup if done right won't set you back too much and sound great. Now, the Digital vs say a first press UK of a 70's rock band on that setup? Frankly it's ALWAYS up the the individual pressing IMO. That said, I do reach reach for the vinyl more that streaming or other digital. BUT I do play both. |
Is take time and effort to get the vinyl system right. change few tables till i found the wow moment, i still remember that system. ballpark price right around $5K : VPI Classic 1 $3k Musical surrounding nova phono $1k Dynavector 20X2L cart $1k Since then I know what I want, also that system stay for few years. Still playing records till now but better components. cheers
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