Vinyl Asylum: Some of have compared more expensive digital front-ends to our analog front ends by rlindsa Welcome Licorice Pizza (LP) lovers! Setup guides and Vinyl FAQ.

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Posted by rlindsa (A ) on December 4, 2005 at 15:54:19

In Reply to: Precentage Thread Below - It's pretty obvious why your guys prefer Analog to Digital posted by Balance on December 4, 2005 at 08:29:26:

I have 2 data points:

1) I compared my eventual analog setup (VPI Scout/JMW-9 arm with HRX platter and bearing, Sumiko Celebration cartridge - total about $3500) with a high-end digital setup (Meridian 808 Signature Reference CD player - about $13,000). Both were connected to the same Classe CDP-500 Pre-amp (with integrated phono card) with AudioQuest Sky interconnects (RCA for the TT, XLR for the CD), which was connnected to the same downstream equipment - 2 Classe CAM400 monoblock amps, B&W 800D speakers, AudioQuest Everest speaker cables, AudioQuest Sky interconnects from pre-amp to amps.

I had several recordings on both vinyl and CD - 60s/70s rock, jazz, classical. Although the comparison varied a little from recording to recording, the vinyl always sounded at least as good as the CD to me and several others; on some recordings the vinyl "blew away" the CD, on others it was more of a draw. But the CD (and it's really quite a good one) never "blew away" the vinyl - despite being almost 4 times more expensive ($13K versus $3.5K).

2) My original TT was a Project Xpression 1 costing about $425. It always compared very favorably with my CD at home (a Classe CDP-100 costing about $3500), and "blew it away" on some recordings. So much so that I "converted" to vinyl and bought the VPI Scout combo described above. My new vinyl rig came in at about the same price as my CDP, and I enjoy it more.

I still enjoy CDs, but I probably listen to vinyl 85% of the time. I find it more engaging. I also never get listening fatigue with vinyl, but do sometimes with CDs. As a bonus, (most) LPs are cheaper than CDs (I buy mostly used LPs, usually for between 50 cents and $5).

Haven't compared an SACD, as it looks like they are not going to succeed in the market and SACD titles are still somewhat limited (at least for what Im'm interested in).

rlindsa - new vinyl freak

There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. (Albert Schweitzer)

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