2. analog
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Vinyl vs. top-notch digital

I have never had an analogy rig. My CD player is a Meridian 800, supposedly one of the very best digital players out there. From what I've read, it appears there is a consensus in our community that a high-quality analog rig playing a good pressing will beat a top notch digital system playing a well-recorded and mastered CD. So here are my questions:

1) How much would one have to invest in analog to easily top the sound quality of the Meridian 800 (or similar quality digital player)? (Include in this the cost of a phono-capable preamp; my "preamp" right now is a Meridian 861 digital surround processor.)

2) How variable is the quality of LPs? Are even "bad" LPs still better than CD counterparts?

Thank you for any comments and guidance you can provide.
jeff_arrington

Showing 2 responses by millercarbon

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Yes. 1/4” tape. I’ve never heard any debate from the vinyl crowd on which is more superior, many discussions though. All seem to agree that tape is the best. I don’t know if this is also the same consensus the digital crowd shares too.

The digital consensus is, "Its better." The analog consensus is, "Its not." 

The digital consensus, well I hate to get all technical and everything but its what we call, "Wrong."

millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
My point stands, when a DAC is really good it's described as "analog sounding" (MSB, Lampizator, Aqua, etc). Sounding analog for a DAC is the ultimate compliment. Sounding digital for a turntable is the ultimate insult.


Right. Them's fightin' words.

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