Is Digital actually better than Analog?


I just purchased an Esoteric DV-50s. The unit is fantastic in the sense that you can hear every detail very clearly in most recordings. Here is the thing, does it make for an enjoyable musical expereince? With this type of equipment, you can actually tell who can actually sing and who can really play. Some artist who I have really enjoyed in the past come across as, how shall I put it, not as talented. This causes almost a loss of enjoyment in the music.
Which comes to my Vinyl curiousity. I dont own a single record, but I have been curious why so many have kept the LP's (and tubes for that matter) alive for so long after the digital revolution and now I am thinking it is probably has to do with LP's being more laid back and maybe even more musical. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Would someone recommend going back to Analog. I was thinking of getting a entry level player like a Scout Master.
128x128musicaudio
I don't believe digital is yet better than high-quality analog. In fact, I would argue that vinyl has higher resolution.

Having said that, my Exemplar 2900 digital unit is extremely musical and provides joy every day.

Digital has come a long way, but the two formats, while attempting the recreation of the same event, are not likely to ever sound the same in my opinion.

Music is an analog waveform; a stylus in a groove moving a magnet or coil is an analog mechanism.
Analog is much more work than digital. To do it seriously, you have to be prepared to do the outlay not just for hardware and software but also for cleaning (which need not be expensive) and the time for cleaning, whether you're purchasing new or used records.

Is it worth it? My turntable had very little use for close to a 10 year period. In the past year I've gone back to analog almost completely, listening very occasionally to CD's in the house and mainly in the car. I've bought a ton of records (probably 500-600 in the past 10 months) for next to nothing, many of which I've recycled or traded for other music on vinyl that I really want. I like the sound of vinyl. Just sounds more like music to me. In fact, I'm about to cue up an expensive album I just bought, a Speaker's Corner reissue of Oliver Nelson's Blues and the Abstract Truth. Just spun Gene Ammons "Boss Tenor" a while ago and there is nothing like great jazz on vinyl.

But, as I said, it's a lot of work.
Andrew, enjoy your DV-50S and let sleeping dogs lie.

Having owned your DV-50S, yes, analog is better, no question. However, it does take much more work to set up properly, and keep the LP's clean.

If you have any doubt's, drop by again, when I have time, and I'll be happy to demo my analog rig. :-)

Cheers,
John
My goal is to have both analog and digital rigs sound as close to each other as possible. I've done it. People say my LPs sound like CDs and the CDs like LPs. Although I have three times more albums than CDs the high cost of used LPs readily available on CD drove me in this direction.

I use a Dan Wright modded Parasound belt drive transport and a KAB modded Technics 1200. The CIA DAC and Monolithic Sound phonostage are from the same designer (Dusty Vawter), thus having similar sonic signatures. I rely on a modified Stanton Trackmaster DJ cartridge for bass slam, superior trackability/dynamics and fluid, edge free harmonic midrange. The belt drive's power supply was re-engineered to provide glare free transient response and three dimensional imaging usually wanting in most digital systems.

Both formats have strengths and weaknesses. As the inherent weaknesses of each format are properly addressed analog and digital get closer to the same destination...music.

With psychic power and primal intensity,