pink Floyd dark side of the moon mobile fidelity getting closer to vinyl

Sounds like a good enforcement for the Marantz SA-11 (in s3 designation now)... Are you using the player as a transport to a DAC also, or only as an SACD to a preamp? If so, how do you like it for redbook with and/or without a DAC?

I do not have outboard DAC.  Just the SACD player to the preamp.  I actually like the redbook CD playback very much from this player.  SACD is also very good but I do not have many sacds.

Digital has made many great strides since the early days of the 80's/90's.
That said, my analog front end still has a distinct advantage over either of my CDP's.

Digital has come a long way but I think a lot also depends on the source. I have had a Marantz player, although not the SA-11, and in general, I find them to be more on the forgiving side, very easy to listen to. I listened that that very same disc (DSOTM) on my Modwright Oppo105D and it is very, very close to my analog front end.

jmcgrogan, what is your analog front end vs. your CDPs?

I find vinyl to be a labor of love. You have to love the tweaking.  You also need a so a substantial setup that really is synergistic, the arm, the cartridge, the table, good isolation.  Isolation is important regardless, but more so with vinyl.  Stylus only last so long sounding their best.  It is laborious.  So you have to love it.  If you do, you will be rewarded with the best natural sound which is these days open to interpretation.  I personally enjoy vinyl better when everything is just right.  More air, realism, strings sound amazing, I have never heard a digital player really get strings right.  However, all that being said, digital is very easy, open the CD drawer put the CD in, you are done, sit back and listen.  If you get the interconnects right it can be quite enjoyable and it is getting much better.  

There is no question that digital is easier, and I do listen to digital quite a bit as life can be pretty hectic and digital sounds good enough when multi-tasking. I'm still always amazed when I have the time, sit down, and just listen to analog though.

mesch, my analog front end is a VPI Prime w/ 3D arm and an Ortofon Cadenza Bronze cartridge. I also have a Walker Audio Motor Controller.
I have a Transfiguration Phoenix S cartridge too, but I haven't gotten around to mounting it yet. Phono stage is a Allnic H1201.

I have two CDP's, one is a Marantz SA-11S1 with Ultimate Tube mod by pcX.
Second one is the Playback Design MPS-5 w/ USB box. The Marantz is a bit fuller and sweeter, the MPS-5 a bit more revealing.

The Mobile Fidelity DSOM CD is worse than the Sony DSOM SACD, and the Sony is cheaper.

Personally, I've gotten my digital to a point where I don't think much about analog anymore. Analog has many charms, to be sure, but for me, my modded SA-7S1 does the job just fine.

If you have an SACD player, the SACD of DSOTM is pretty hard to beat in the digital realm. I just sold an MFSL CD after hearing the difference between the two. The redbook layer is a mess, but the hi-rez layer is a different story altogether when played through a quality SACD spinner.