When and how did you, if at all, realize vinyl is better?

Why did everybody have to have a CD player when they came out?
Why did everybody buy CD's when they cost over $20. with so few titles available, and a new record $7.
Why did so many people sell their records?

Only people in the "High End" knew that analog was much better, and a lot of people on this forum were not in the high end when CD's came out, but had "Dual", "BIC" cheap Girards, that they thought were "The cat's meow", to use one of the many phrases that mean "Hot stuff".

Analog still costs much more than CD when you are speaking of "Audiophile quality".

Now back to the original question; when I spent over 3K on analog, only then did I discover it was better than digital.

In my opinion vinyl pales in comparison to the quality of a really great tape machine. I've worked on a Studer A827 a few times and it's hard to beat an ATR102. 

Parkinen, I don't think anyone will challenge that..

The same assumption could be made in regard to tube and SS; although in a bedroom system an SS amp would outweigh tubes based on practicality.

I believe the most valid observations are those that are made "unconsciously"; for example, that's how I made my most valid observations in regard to tube and SS. Ages ago, when I enjoyed the night-life, I wondered why did all the music on "jukeboxes" sound so good; it was because that was the first high end I had encountered, plus it was both tube and analog at 45 RPM.

My very first rig was SS, as probably everyone else's was because tubes were ancient. I was still enjoying the night-life when the "jukeboxes" changed to SS, but not digital, and somehow, the music had lost it's "sparkle". I didn't investigate, just quit playing the jukebox.

Not until my state of the art (according to "Stereo Review") SS needed to be replaced did I give those antiquated tubes another try, CJ it was, and never looked back to SS since. Now I wonder if my stance on tubes, is similar to this one on vinyl?

Really good thread. While digital can be done well for far less than a good table, cartridge and electronics it still to me sounds a bit artificial with a lack of depth. Perhaps it's because I started my audio trip prior to the invention of the CD but I just prefer listening to vinyl. I do have a nice system. VPI Scout with Dynavector 10X5 and Vincent PHO 700 phono stage and this helps. A lower end table with a mediocre cartridge is going to be a disappointment. Not close to top of the line but very good. 

One place where I feel digital is superior is on poorly produced recordings. A good system and good tt will only reproduce what is on the vinyl, that is the original source. CD's for some reason, I guess because they are digital, make these sound better. However, the newer higher end Original Masters vinyl albums sound amazing.