What CDP gets really close to vinyl?

Not that my rig is SOTA, but having heard many SOTA setups, I think that practically it competes well, and I am challenged to hear any practical difference between my digital and vinyl (other than surface noise with vinyl).

I have things tuned so that my digital and vinyl sound most similar using the Constantine on my main rig, and the Paradisea on my 2 channel A/V system.

The important thing is to have a good reference standard to go by. If you have good vinyl as a reference standard, then I find the digital can be practically tuned to come very close. However, there may be more involved than just swapping on digital player for another. You have to really pay attention to all teh possibilites that determine the resulting sound. Not easy....

I am big on air, sound stage, and imaging and my system does very well in this regard with both digital and vinyl.

"You have to really pay attention to all the possibilites that determine the resulting sound. Not easy"

This is true Mapman, agreed. I also agree with you concerning practical differences as well. How much does it matter? Practically I don't like the TT as well as the convenience of digital but I've never had a digital device that came close to fooling me into believing it is as good or ultimately as enjoyable. This one does and it may prove to be a moot point on how important the differences are when weighing all the practical matters. I will always listen to vinyl because I have so much good music on it not because I love the medium itself and the rituals involved in keeping it sounding optimum. Having said that i always enjoy listening to the music on vinyl. I have not listened to much digital over the past several years because it has been too fatiguing and absolutely not enjoyable, until now.

On a further note, I don't consider my system in any way SOTA but it is very well balanced with great resolution which has taken a lot of effort to get right with cables, vibration isolation and various tweeks. Most importantly it is well suited to my musical tastes. I am a huge proponent of vibration isolation with all especially source components. This can make a huge improvement. So there are plenty of things to try out with the Havana. It needs some burn in so I'm sure there will be some subtle changes in that area as well, we'll see.

By spark I mean, does the trumpet have bite, can the violin hit those ultra high notes with grace, are drum rim hits in proper proportion with excellent attack?

Audio Note gave NOS sound a bad name in the lower models roll off the highs, and the bass is pudgy. Those same DACs can become world beaters just with a a little component switching.

TT can't compare to CD when it comes to dynamic range. Listening to Liszt played vigorously, you need the full dynamic range to get all the artistry. You also have to get every key press to just the exact degree.

My amp and preamp set up a stage where the source can fully express itself. I can tell you for sure, the Audio Aero will stumble here.

I understand what you are saying, never heard this adjective before.

So far as dynamic range, I dunno know about that Muralman, so far as dynamics. I've heard some pretty mind boggling analog front ends in that area. In any event even if digital is better in this area can it match it in the other areas previously discussed in the here and now in ways that matter? Or is is close enough that it really isn't that important. You have stated a very clear opinion on that and it certainly isn't lost on me.

I would love to hear Liszt on steroids on those Apogees of yours Muralman. You make a very persuasive argument aside from all the great fun watching you spear chucking with Audiofeil ;^)

I think with vinyl, there is no imposed limit to dynamic range imposed by the format as there is with Redbook CD. So it is possible for vinyl to achieve greater dynamic range in theory.

But in practice, most records are not recorded and produced in a manner that stretches those limits, though some do.

One of the reasons is that it takes a very good turntable setup to be able to track a record produced with very large dynamics accurately without mistracking or distortion creeping in.

Ironically, a lot of teh early Telarc digitally recorded lps were designed to demonstrate the dynamic range capabilities of the new digital recording technology. I recall most turntables, even decent ones, that most people owned could not track those well. They helped up the ante in terms of what one might expect out a good phono rig in terms of dynamics.

In practice, wither vinyl or CD can hold the edge in regards to dynamics on a case by case, recording to recording basis, despite the fact that a really good phono rig and a really good recording together tehse days might be able to set the bar.