Issue with dynamic range database

Seems to me as a total lay person in this field, and speaking only to the question of which process is more "dynamic", that if either your input RIAA emphasis or your phono stage's RIAA compensation circuit are not perfect, then that will inevitably affect one's sense of dynamic contrasts, up or down.  So for that reason you cannot generalize unless you know you've been using "perfect" RIAA equalization, both in and out, whatever that is.  There is no point in arguing about it.