Vinyl's Noise Floor

Pbb- I don't know where or how you had gotten the impression that "the best tt/arm/cart makes the recording more silent". Clearly, any playback medium cannot change the actual recording in any way as a noisy recording is a noisy recording. A playback system can't go back in time to re-do the master tape, record mold or pressing to make the recording more silent. What a higher quality playback system (analog or digital) can do is be more faithful to the existing recording. Vis a vis noise and noise floor, a better quality table/arm/cart will be able to drop the noise floor very significantly as extraneous vibrations during playback will generally be minimized so as not to be introduced by the table as noise. This results in a much quieter background and much greater clarity in transciption. (I suppose that some might mis-interpret this to the RECORDING sounding quieter, but it's really the equipment playing what's on the LP more accurately.) Also, a better quality cartridge will better track the groove sides (where the music is) and minimize contact with the bottom of the groove where there is more LP surface noise and not much, if any, music.

And yes, Formula One, there may be some slight noise on the quietest passages. But, like most things in life, it's a trade-off. As TWL pretty much said above- if you want dead silence in the background, don't mind strings sounding like synthesizers and want convenience, go with CDs. If you don't mind a little effort, some slight noise (which most folks cancel out psycho-acoustically) and enjoy a more natural sound, then go analog.

Lastly, to Pbb- There have been many, many threads giving suggestions for the best analog rigs at various price points so I can't imagine why you would have any trouble settling in on something to try in your price range. From your comments, though, I'm sensing that your priority is dead silence and convenience, so your best bet might be to just stick with CDs. I don't think anyone on this analog forum believes analog is for everyone all of the time, just as CDs aren't for everyone all of the time.

Regards
Jim

Yes, Patrick , this is once again seeming to get into a tussle between Digital Heads and Vinyl Junkies while poor old Formulaone doesn't get the answers he's looking for. (BTW- In case my previous post wasn't clear, yes, Formula, there may be a barely perceptable surface noise while playing an LP under the best conditions.)

I find a use for both LPs and CDs. For serious listening, my personal preference is LPs. Sure, sometimes even a new LP can be unlistenable but, on the whole, the medium is alot more sonically satisfying for me. For those who are passionate about CDs, it's good for you that you found something that you can be passionate about.

And, while high-end CDP manufacturers love to claim that their CDP "sounds more like analog", I'm still waiting on a turntable manufacturer to claim that their product sounds more like digital......

(Hey, at least I didn't post that last comment on the DIGITAL forum!! Hoo-eee!! That'd make the Hatfield's and McCoy's relationship look like kissin' cousins in comparison!!)

Regards

Jim