When is digital going to get the soul of music?

Sure, that the best CD/SACD players are much better than 10 years ago, and often sound very good.

Now, besides theory I just spoke a little in my former message - I can't develop more in english, not to say that I am not a technician - I just can say :

- I have a very good CD/SACD player, Accuphase DP-85, considered among the few best ones (16'000 euros in Europe)
- as analogic outfit, a Michell Orbe, Rega RB1000 tonearm and Lyre Titan as cartridge.

Well, my top sounding LP's sound better than my top sounding CD's or SACD's.

Richer, fuller, warmer - just more musical, if I can say that.
Ok, more dynamics in CD's.
I enjoy a lot my CD's, no problem, but when I want to listen to the best sound, I put my LP's.

Nice of you to say that digital is better than analogic.
But at my home, it's the opposite !
And for many other people too.

Do you really have a high end analogic gear ?

If you only compare datas, you don't go far in music...

Well, as I said, I am very pleased with my digital outfit, the CD/SACD Accuphase DP-85.
I am not an anti-digital and pro-analog.
I still buy LP's when I find something interesting, but I more often buy CD's.
(I won't even mention all the practical plus of the digital over the analog).

Maybe I am just half deaf or with terribly decadent tastes but, with a great system, both digital and analog (100'000$), I prefer my best recorded LP's to my best recorded CD or SACD.

That's all !

Yes, Nilthepill : That's what I said !

digital is a wrong way for reproducing music, compared with analogic.
Even if it's superior physically, in some fields.
It cuts the time into instants and reconstructed it after, more or less closer to reality.

Neil Young, for instance, has never accepted digital, calling it a crime for music !

I have been positively surprised by the JPS cable "Digital AC" made for CD/SACD/DVD outfits, which makes sound the digital gear closer to the analogic true sound.

D-Edwards,

2'000 - 3'000 "analogic" people ? Where ?

I must say that like everyone, I enjoy all the practical advantages of digital gear, simple clic, etc
I just say that I enjoy more analogic sound than digital, owing very good gear in both fields : so, I still listen to analogic and buy LP's - less than CD's and SACD's, that's true (choice and practical advantages).

I have around 1'000 LP's and 1'000 CD's & SACD's.

One thing is sure : it takes pretty much money to have a very good analogic gear : turntable, tonearm and cartridge.
But, as I said, for me, I spent as much money in my CD/SACD player (Accuphase DP85 I love) as in my analogic stuff Michell Orbe, Rega RB1000 and Lyra Titan (if I except, my analogic preamplifier, a Lamm LP2, I must say).

I believe that you can have a very good analogic sound with 7'000$ (turntable, tonearm, cartridge, for new stuff.
Less - possibly much less - if you find good used stuff.
Of course, if you spend more money you will have something even better : but over a certain level, price, the improvement is much less obvious than the the increase of the bill...

Something else : there is a beauty in turntable, tonearm, cartridge similar to the one of a great mechanical watch compared with a quartz one. Some people are sensitive to that, but it's probably true that most people who own both analogic and digital gear are older than those who were born at the digital era.
There may be a nostalgic feeling towards the "original" sound, the analogic sound we have been used to as children and teenagers !
Eventually, I understand perfectly well people who prefer digital, its dynamics, for instance.
I just say that I prefer analogic simply because it sounds closer to reality to my ears.