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
Digital is rapidly improving. We are no where near reaching the limits of sound quality on CD or high-res digital. I think the medium is just starting to hit its stride.

Yes, there are tons of bad sounding CDs out there and the music industry, including musicians, should be ashamed of themselves for putting this crap out. There are plenty of bad sounding LPs out there too, including some of the new $30 - $50 ones.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Nielsen Soundscan only about 1 million new LPs were sold in 2007. So there just aren't a lot of people buying a lot of them.

So take your time, do plenty of research and for $3,000 you can get a really nice sounding cd player that should allow you to really enjoy your music, even if it isn't the best sound possible.
>>whereas the forever warping, dusty, snappy, crackly, poppy vinyl can last maybe 450?<<

That's funny.

I have some albums with over 3,000 playings that are just as quiet as your discs.

Your assertion is ridiculous.
>>I have some albums with over 3,000 playings that are just as quiet as your discs.
Does this mean you've listened to some albums every other day for the past 17 years? Or twice a week for the past 30 years?
Actually honestless, it's approaching 50 years.

And I believe you can play an album more than once a day.

Now go play in your sandbox.