Vinyl VS Digital

ap_wannabe OP

Has anyone else heard a sound stage difference between the same recordings at the same volume vinyl versus CD.  It is so pronounced in my system. On digital recordings its as if I had a center speaker playing.  On albums there is no center speaker.

You're comparing different recordings and different mastering, so you can't really call them the same. But if the difference is a consistent one, it's likely you have setup problems with your turntable/pickup arm/cartridge.

My comments are prefaced with the usual IMHO - but here's my two cents worth (as a first time poster on this great forum)

The problems you are encountering sound like as Chayro points out sagely "phase reversal". This can be caused by incorrect cabling set-up.

As for the analog vs digital debate, it depends a lot on the quality of the vinyl. First edition pressings in good condition are usually superior to remastered efforts. Particularly with mono 60's era jazz recordings (with a good mono cartridge), you'll notice great soundstage etc. Also a lot of great records have not been re-issued, which means it's mostly analog for me. For new music which is largely digitally recorded, digital is great, and it's mostly pointless getting a digitally made album on vinyl, apart from the coolness factor.

Good luck with the cabling!

If the source is recorded from analog tape originally, Lp should be preferred. Most newer material is not . And should not be used for comparison as it is then digital converted to analog . Defeats the purpose. 

I first had a Rega RP3 (400), Grado Gold cartridge (250), and NAD phonostage (200). Vinyl did not approach digital quality. A Clearaudio Performance se table (3000), ARC PH 5 phonostage (2500), and a Clearaudio Maestro (1200) came very close to digital quality. I now have the same table, but with a Stradivari cartridge (4000) and an ARC PH8 phonostage (7000). Finally I have surpassed digital. Not only did staging improve with the many upgrades, the amount of music taken from the grooves by the cartridge increased dramatically with every upgrade. I was taken with my ability to play all my records when I first got back into vinyl 10 years ago. If I knew how much music was being left in the record grooves with my first few systems, I might have sold my records, bought a great DAC, and saved tons of money. Point 1: It takes a lot of money to get CD quality out of a vinyl rig. If you are not spending a lot of money, you are listening to vinyl because you like to (that's me), not because the sound is "better" (IMO); far too much music is being left on the record. I now stream on one all-digital system (4000 all in) and have a main analogue-only system (40,000). Point 2: You have to talk about money invested if you want to compare digital to analogue. That's just my opinion, though; different ears hear the same things very differently. BTW, prices provided are new prices, certainly not what I paid or will ever be able to afford.

@golferboy 

I know, its been awhile.  The issue I was having turned out to be a bad cartridge.  However, I wanted to comment on everything else you said which to summarize is "Pay UP$$" if your expecting the sound of Vinyl to match the clarity, detail, dynamics and quietness of digital.  This is especially true if you've spent a fair amount building your digital system.

I have been upgrading my two channel system and theater to 4K vid.  I have yet to take the analog plunge but when I do i'll be allocating 6K to start.  I'll get some pretty stuff too, cause half the satisfaction is watching it work.  

I've since heard some good analog systems.  It's not that I think all things sound better but I will say I feel less listening fatigue with a good analog system.