How can we settle for digital?


My friend, a recording engineer, once made a remark when I told him I had spent $3000 on a CD player. He said "How far can you polish a turd?" Those I know in the music business all agree that digital can only go so far. Vinyl is certainly making a comeback, but the advent of new digital formats seems to perpetuate new hope on the part of audiophiles. Do you buy it? Or are you sticking with your records? Or will you stand up for your $3000+ CDP? Is it just polishing a turd?
chashmal
I have a Raysonic 168 with cryoed NOS Russian 6922s. I use the variable tube XLR outs to an active XO, biamping Magnean 3.5Rs with Wyred4Sound amplification. I get to hear super expensive analog at a friend's house and will gladly trade his sound for the convenience of CDs when they sound this good.
Speaking for myself on this one...but I dont have 3k + to spend on a cd player * hoping * that it will sound better than vinyl.

So, for me, I will stick with vinyl.
I listen 50/50 to vinyl/CD and in 1997 spent $2500 on a Meridian 508.24 CD player. I still have that player and this was one of the best investments in music playback ever; I am still very satisfied with that purchase as it brings me musical pleasure several times a week (when I can find time to sit down and listen). CD recording and mastering techniques and equipment have also greatly improved and I think we're just beginning to get all the value out of the format, just as it took many years to realize how good vinyl could be. It's not a turd, just as with everything else, development has to take place and the advancements in CD technology over the past ten years have made this a very musical and high quality, convenient format. Now if you want turds, just say MP3!

Steve
My $2500.00 CD player sounds way better than my $300.00 CD changer sounds so I'm okay with it. Since I grew tired of surface noise on LP's a long time ago I'm okay with the compromises of digital, too.
If you are interested in having access to the maximum amount of the world's great music, you will have to embrace both redbook CD and LP, as there are so many marvelous recordings that exist exclusively on each format.

I know, speaking about music, rather than sound, is anathema on this site, but that is how I decide on a format.