CD Got Absolutely Crushed By Vinyl

@sleepwalker65,

Just like your vinyl which requires a external phono stage.....Digital streaming needs a streamer device and a DAC. You can go with one box solutions from NADAC or Bricasti that can stream and provide internal DA Conversion. And yes, you can create your own ‘playlist’ with each track. No need to run up a USB cable here....all you need is Ethernet cable from you router and analog RCA or XLR to your pre or integrated. One box typically don’t have internal storage so you would need a external NAS to store your ripped files.

Or you can buy Aurender N100C which comes with internal 2-4TB storage and an outboard DAC.

Plenty of choices for a great digital setup that can be just as satisfying as your vinyl setup as long as you’re willing to explore and keep an open mind.

Vinyl destroys itself every time you play it.  That's why "in the day", enthusiasts would put the 2nd or 3rd needle drop on reel-to-reel and listen to that while keeping the source material carefully filed away in the plain view 'collection'.

Not as much as you might think. Vinyl will eventually lose sound quality after dozens of plays. In the hands of a person who cleans their records, handles them properly, cleans their stylus and uses a line contact or Shibata stylus profile, vinyl lasts a hundred or more plays. 

Having said that, I do plan to archive my collection to 4xDSD as soon as a reasonable solution becomes available. 

If we could have master tape dubs we wouldn't bother with either.
Given good recordings, in terms of sound naturalness even $500 turntable set-up will sound better than any digital, though.
This subject keeps coming as if there was anything unclear. There is no debate, only poor hearing in some cases and commercial interests.