The character of analog and digital

@mglik

Thank you for your kind words.

I find which sounds better (analog / digital file/ Streaming) depends. You clearly are a better judge than I on the nuances of specific instruments. But in some cases I find the vinyl is just less detailed than the same version streamed, sometimes the reverse. I am not sure, but it easily could be which vinyl press or what number pressing. We would have to review a lot of albums to find an average.

Alternatively, with your professional musical background you may be more grounded in exactly how and instrument should sound. I may be deaf to some of those nuances and value some other aspect.

To me, given the variability of each medium I find them on about equal footing… one shining brighter from time to time.

But happy to have you over whenever you like to continue the experiment.

Very recent purchases of Audio Technica ART9XA, Korf ceramic headshell, Boston Audio Mat2, Zavfino Gold Rush phono cable and Thoress Phono Enhancer phono pre will hopefully bring my analog up to digital sound quality.

@sns How is the Korf headshell?
I put one on at teh same I switched carts, and it is either the HS the cart, or the combo… but it seemed to lower sibilance,

what say you?

+1 @david_ten 

I think many are looking for an absolute truth. To accept that they are different is to believe one or the other is ‘wrong’. People should get over that. I generally try to listen to music in its original source - at first. Then I try and just listen. 
 

In my system the dynamics of analog generally overcome any concerns of a soft focus veil. What some may consider comprise others would call balance. 

@holmz I have yet to install any of this into system, waiting on the Thoress to arrive later this week.

Was lowering sibilance a good thing for you, or did it darken things up excessively? I did see one individual had azimuth issues with his example, seems his Korf was incorrectly manufactured, free replacement corrected this. Other than this I've only heard good things about the headshell.

Was lowering sibilance a good thing for you, or did it darken things up excessively? I did see one individual had azimuth issues with his example, seems his Korf was incorrectly manufactured, free replacement corrected this. Other than this I've only heard good things about the headshell

The “horse blanket covering the speaker” descriptions always seem like a great analogy.
But I really don’t think that the cartridge resonating like a rosined up violin bow is what I want. I just wants the cartridge to wriggle from the cut track.

My analogy is that some songs were hissing like a pentacostal revival with the snakes. Now the snakes are largely gone like St. Himself, to be sure, to be sure, chased the snakes from the land.