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
rbyington711's avatar
rbyington711
70 posts
 

Until you can hear a difference that makes you say that's better price does not always signify a better sound. I purchased a PS audio phono stage for about 3K

Then replaced it with a Pass Labs 27  for me it was not that much more revealing considering the huge difference in price.

thom_oz's avatar
thom_oz
40 posts
 

I have a Rega P6, Ortofon 2M Black (shibata) cart, McIntosh MX113 phono/preamp on my primary system. My other phono setup is a Marantz TT-15 with Clearaudio Wood Ebony cart and a Harmon-Kardon 330c receiver, so "less robust".  I keep my records as clean as a 60 year old house not updated permits.

My digital playback at home with any transport and either DAC doesn't come close to the vinyl playback of like-titles unless a specific CD mastering is insanely good. I own 60 SACDs and 35 DVD-A, so I'm no digi-phobe.

avanti1960
1,569 posts
 

"$3,000" minimum.  

Technics 1200 MK VII

Hana ML

Lehmann Audio Black Cube SE II.  

To sound as good as digital vinyl requires life like dynamics which do not come cheaply- a LOMC cartridge is a must as is a good clean phono preamp.  The Technics tables also bring excellent energy to the "table".  You get the smoothness of vinyl with the dynamic clarity of digital.  

unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
1,118 posts
 

@r27y8u92 

“I cannot say possession of $150,000 is stupid, but also I refrain to say that was wise.”

Is that directed at me? You are making a value judgement on how many records someone owns? Really?

I hesitate to suggest what you may think of one friend of mine who has 14,000 LPs, all Afro Cuban. Or another friend, a famous and highly regarded journalist, who has 27,000 LPs. They must both be at the very least, very very very unwise? 

For the record, I have been collecting since the age of 11. I will soon be 71.  So that’s about 100 a year. 

 

 

missioncoonery
1,244 posts
 

A ton of money to get it to sound as good...I just did it and I say forget it.Records blow as far as sound quality in most you find used and new ones are ridiculous in price compared to digital. 

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