When does analog compete with digital?


With vinyl becoming all the rage, many believe (perhaps mistakenly) that a budget of $1K will allow them to bring their analog front end up to par with their digital. I would like a reasoned assessment of this issue.

How much time, money, and expertise do you think is necessary before one can seriously claim that their analog front end can compete with their digital? What characteristics, if any, are simply incommensurable between these two mediums? Let's use my system as an example.

Personally, I tried to build an analog front-end that focused on texture/warmth (as opposed to dynamics), but I still feel as though something is missing. Trouble is, I can't quite put my finger on it. I'd be grateful for comments/suggestions (system in sig)
jferreir
Try not to worry about such things. Establish a realistic budget for analogue. Investigate, read reviews and search forums on personal opinions and advice. BUT! be very careful entrusting completely in what others from so called experts and those who are not may say. Gather a list of products that fit inside your budget. Study each and try to weed out the chaff from the wheat so to speak. Then you will be able to make better buying decisions. Once you then buy and carefully set up the analogue products you need, JUST ENJOY!

In time as your future tastes and budget evolve you can as per this hobby swap out other gear if you wish.

You can get great analogue playback if you are wise with buying for even under $1,000 total purchase, new or used turntable, cartridge and phono preamp. Even at this it may provide you enjoyable analogue playback that could have your CD player collecting some dust. That said I learned a few years ago to move away from being anti-digital. I got tired of the crap many say about it on audio forums. Even though most of the time my analogue records sound better or best to me I have a nice and still very modest digital setup, basically now a Oppo BDP-83 and have enjoyed playing well produced CD's too. It is just that too many CD's made over the last 10+ years suck in terms of mastering and production quality. But don't think every vinyl record you buy was well mastered and produced either, some SUCK BIG TIME TOO!
For some, including myself, your question is backward.
Knowing your Naim and speakers, only knowing your table/cartridge by hearsay, I would have to think your analog better already. Perhaps a different cartridge, not necessarily more expensive, would do the trick.
Knowing your gear/speakers, for as nice as it is for the money, I can think of many tables that I do know that better that in a heartbeat. For my tastes, anyway. For example, a RegaP3 with a highout Dynavector($400) will blow away your cd player....and I've fallen in love with Naim cd players...:)
.... that their analog front end can compete with their digital?

Never

Digital is superior for 1 reason:
- Remote
Put your finger on isolation for your TT before you try anything else!!!! You really need something, isolation/weight, between your TT and the desk top, just eliminating/reducing the vibrations here will improve the TT's performance and help you hear what you actually have!!
I agree somewhat with Chashas1, but I think your turntable and phono stage are a bit out of step with the character of the rest of your system. I might try auditioning a different phono stage first, such as the Dynavector P75. If that didn't help, I'd maybe audition a Rega P3-24 with Elys 2 or 10X5 (again through the P75 phono stage).