Can digitizing vinyl match CD?

The Korg DSD recorders, especially the MR-1, are becoming very reasonably priced (300 usd or so), and seem to be a good choice for ripping. Even if - for now - we have to downsample from DSD to PCM (see www.taperssection.com).

If you believe that using anything other than reference level gear (TT, Phono, ADC) will give you anything close to a decently mastered CD, then you must also think that vinyl is at least twice as good as good digital.

When you convert an analogue waveform to digital (and then convert it back to analogue), you are introducing a whole bunch of garbage that degrades the quality. It is almost as bad as converting CD down to 256kbps or lower MP3. There will always be a loss of information. No number of steps or sampling frequency boosts will make up for the gaps in the ADC conversion. Studio mastered CDs, when done correctly, should easily surpass needledrops of even the best TT gear.

You might prefer the needledrop version, but you are likely just enjoying its colors and distortion. The needledrop version cannot possibly have more resolution, detail, and better dynamics. It will have certain frequency responses similar to vinyl though.

I fail to understand how a (decent) studio digital file can be inferior to a consumer digital file of the same piece of music, especially when the source is vinyl (for needledrops) instead of master tape or digital master recordings (for studio CDs).

Applebook,
You write, "I fail to understand how a (decent) studio digital file can be inferior to a consumer digital file of the same piece of music, especially when the source is vinyl (for needledrops) instead of master tape or digital master recordings (for studio CDs)."

That was my thinking when I originally posted the question. A friend of mine was of the opinion that superior results were possible on high-end gear. I figured that the studio master tapes would, by definition, produce a superior product. The one argument that made some sense to me pivots on what you mention in your post. You say, "Studio mastered CDs, when done correctly, should easily surpass needledrops..." I think the operative statement is "when done correctly". I have no idea what goes into producing a commercial CD, but apparently a lot depends on the audio engineer at the helm and the budget of the studio.

I'm pretty certain my budget home system won't match a commercial CD, but my efforts so far have allowed me to make very listenable digital files for my iPOD.

Craig