I think your results are due in a large part to the level of equipment being used. No offense, but the CDR and CD players being used are not particularly high end. You did not even mention what turntable was used, but an Ortofon Blue is definitely entry level. I believe a comparison such as this demands high end equipment at all points.
New take on CD vs Vinyl vs CD
What if I digitize a vinyl record, and compare that CD to both it’s rebook CD, and the actual record?
1. Clean record (using a VPI HW-17)
2. Put vinyl on turntable (Ortofon Blue cart)
3. De-magnetize vinyl using a Furutech Destat III
4. Record vinyl using a Harmon Kardon CDR 20
My Parasound Halo integrated allows nice A/B/C comparison.
I used 2 CD players: Sony CDPXA7 ES, and XA 20 ES
I put the song on (‘We got the beat’ Go-Go’s) all 3 sources at the same moment (using all 3 of my hands)
Though the turntable and it’s mediocre cart is the weakest link, it sounded pretty nice. I then switched back and forth and forth a few times till I had a winner.
By far the digitized copy of the vinyl sounded best. Not the outcome I expected.
I then A/B’d both CD players, with the result remaining the same.
Can anyone explain this, besides my psychologist?