The BLISS of returning to ANALOG: my experience

Hi Elizabeth,

I'm an analog fan from way back and I am happy that you've recently found your way back to the great sound of vinyl.

That said, If there's such a big discrepancy between your vinyl source and your CD source, then your CD source must not be very good or possibly outdated. These days, high end CD playback can be very close to the best analog turntable/arm/cartridge systems. My investment in my analog playback system is at least twice that of my digital playback gear and while I think that the analog has an edge -- it's more of a speed-bump than a wall. I think that if you improved your digital source you'd be surprised at how good CDs can sound nowadays.

Hey, if you want a real kick, go out and get a decent reel to reel tape deck and some prerecorded R2R tapes and compare them to your TT system. You might be surprised again...

Welcome to the world of analog! It is nice to see that someone is getting the picture of what analog can do. I can only say that you have heard what "the fuss" is all about, and I'm glad you posted it. There are still many in denial about this. Enjoy!

PS - If you liked "Bookends", try "Parsley Sage Rosemary, and Thyme". This has some really great recordings and material on it. I used to use it for demos back in the 80s, at the audio shop.

Elizabeth,

I'm glad your enjoyment factor has improved with the change. Another recommendation I suggest is Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years". An added bonus on this LP is "My Little Town", a one song Simon and Garfunkel mini-reunion. Speaking of which, I read yesterday there is likely to be a Simon and Garfunkel reunion tour soon.

I offer this experience as a contrast to Plato's post. A fellow Audiogon member and myself met at an auction a year or so ago. There isn't much great gear to audition where we live and he had several high end systems where my system is really modest by Audiogon standards. Mine consists of a Linn Genki, 2 LK100's, Aktiv crossovers, Keilidh's and an LP12, Ittok, Blue Point Special. His best system was a pair of ZH270 Bernings, Merlins and an Audio Aero Capitole. Hell, his speaker cables exceeded the value of my entire system. To make a very long story short, I took my LP12 to his home and left it for a week and the only way it could be inserted into his system was by using the phono stage on an old Panasonic (or such) receiver. The Capitole is history now and he just took delivery of a fully loaded 300 series Teres, Illustrious, Shelter 901. I don't think a person, even a person of considerable means, would make such a change unless they heard (in his words) the "magic" vinyl has to offer.

I don't intend to beat up on digital playback because it can be very rewarding. Besides, accumulating quality analog software can be quite a challenge now days. But, in my experience, it requires a considerably greater cash outlay in digital gear to equal the results of a modest, but excellent, analog rig.

Time will tell if todays best CDP's will still be used twenty years from now. I doubt it. My table is twenty one years old and I gaurantee it will still be in my system twenty years from now assuming I am also around.

Well, in contrast to Lugnut's experience, I've owned a VPI Aries with JMW 10 arm that I had a real hard time getting to sound as good as my digital gear and since then, I've had better luck with my Michell Gyro and Orbe SE TT's with a $4500 AHT phono stage. I use the Wilson Benesch Act 0.5 tonearm and Benz Ruby 2 and Shelter 501 II phono cartridges. My analog sounds really great through my Monarchy Audio SE-180 monoblocks and my Audio Physic Virgo II speakers. There's no question about that.

But I also have an old Parasound C/BD-2000 belt-drive transport and a Boulder modified Art DIO, which I use in conjunction with the Perpetual Technologies P-1A (as an upsampler), and a Monolithic power supply. Now, provided that everything is adjusted and working 100% in my turntable system, when I get the digital gear set up just right, with my proprietary blend of digital cables and isolation treatment, well, it's a very, very, close contest in many areas. Each may enjoy a small advantage here or there, but it's really almost too close a race to pick a clear winner. Of course that statement is recording sensitive too. It sort of comes down to the merits of the recordings under scrutiny -- how well they were mastered in their respective formats.

Hey, if anyone wants to bring a Linn over to my house for a shootout with my digital, I'd be up for it anytime. I guarantee I'll have you scratching your head for answers...

Elizabeth,

Me too! Me too! :)

We bought a CDP in 1984 and stopped buying LPs, the whole sad story. Even sadder, around 1991 we nearly stopped listening to music at home for ten years, without really knowing why.

Paid off the house last year and started upgrading like mad, new speakers, new wire, new amp, nice CDP (Arcam FMJ CD23). Pretty nice, but still not right.

Dragged the 25 year old TT out and played a few records. Hmmm, this has possibilities. Did some research here and upgraded the analog rig nearly as much as Lugnut's friend, Teres 265/OL Silver/Shelter 901. (Thanks for the help, TWL!)

Long story short, and with no disrespect to Plato, there's more than a speed bump's difference. One format plays music, one doesn't. He's right about the R2R of course. Anybody have a few spare session or master tapes they want to sell me? ;)

Ah, S&G. "Bookends" was my favorite too Tom, wonderfully intimate recordings. Lost all those discs long ago.

Classic Records just reissued "Bridge Over Troubled Waters" on 200g vinyl. A little too much studio processing on that album, but still if it's anything like the quality of their classical reissues, buy it!