What sounds best: Vinyl or CDs


My system in an introductory level of high end music reproduction, I realize.  I like music, not so much gadgetry so I am content, although I keep tweeking from time to time trying to get better sound.  Martin Logan ESL mains, Def. Tech 800 subs (2),  NAD C375BEE Int. Amp, Project Debut Carton turntable w/Ortofon Red cartridge, Yamaha S300 CD player (with a Rega Apollo R player on order),  Niagara 1000 power conditioner. My question/concern is this:  My CDs sound Sooo much better than my vinyl albums.  My vinyl collection is substantial, from the '60s through the '80s, with all in great condition.  But on my system CDs are more volume sensitive, with more dynamics and depth.  Is this normal or am I missing something in my system?  I had originally thought, "Oh well, they are 40+ years old with 40+ year old recording technology".  But is there more? I have even gone to point of buying the CD if there is a particular vinyl I want to listen to frequently.  Comments?
128x128chipito

There is so much going on with respect to digital recordings vs analog recordings and playback that it takes volumes.

1) if the physical recording is digital instead of analog, then with proper digital playback equipment vs like analog playback equipment, you probably won't hear a difference. 

2) if the recording is analog and then remastered to digital, then that is a different story. 

The real test is at what level does the analog equipment outshine the digital equipment.  I have found that it all comes down to how good the analog equipment is vs the digital equipment.  In my opinion, when you pass a certain price point, the analog equipment will out perform the digital.

I have heard some of the very best digital playback equipment vs some of the very best analog playback equipment and the analog beat the digital.

Again, a lot depends on how the recording was done initially.

Take a recording that was done "correctly" in analog and also record it in digital at the same time.  play the recordings back on high end digital and analog playback equipment properly set up and you will hear the difference.

Again, a lot depends on how the recording was initially done.

I have a pretty good  digital playback system (can always get better) and a pretty good analog playback system (again, can always  get better).  When I want to listen and enjoy, I listen to my digital system. especially when I don't want to be cleaning albums and getting up to change discs.  but, when I want serious listening, well, the analog is the way I go.

Just me, because everyone has their own opinion. 

but, you really have to understand the recording process for the comparison to be fair. 

enjoy

https://youtu.be/g5dCMz4gKLI

Its about the music ~  the medium isn't always a given for availability.
Enjoying it is easy on any medium for those who dig the music,
throw RR into the mix, even that can show up the others.
Still surprised people get bent on this, levity in humour.......
noise such as pops, clicks, etc. is present in vinyl and worse in lower quality vinyl

... and a vinyl recording will get worse as you play it over & over

digital is not subject to those problems
You’re supposed to listen through the pops and clicks. Besides CDs are SO compressed now who really cares? Tape is a natural medium. It breathes.

IMO, it all depends on the recording and on the playback equipment. Since you are just getting started, I would start investing in equipment that would really give your system a boost in SQ. IMO, going from a Yamaha CD player to a rega isn't going to get you ahead. I would invest in a really good quality external dac then hook up a CD player, music server/streamer to it. As for vinyl, get your wallet out. You will need a good phono preamp (much better than using 1 inside a receiver/integrated amp), then a good tt/arm/and cartridge. You see all these reviews comparing vinyl to digital and the reviewer always prefer vinyl. But when you look at their analog equipment, they can have up to $250k in a tt/arm/cartridge/phono preamp, and they compare this setup to a $15k digital setup. It takes quite a bit of $$$$ to build a good analog playback system, much more than building a really good digital system. I propably have 3x more invested in my analog setup (retail prices) compared to my digital equipment and I have vinyl albums that blow away my digital albums and I have cds/dsd albums that sound much better than vinyl. 
1 option when you go analog, you can setup a 2nd arm with a mono cartridge and get superior sound over its equivalent stereo album, if the album was produced originally as mono, not converted, for example, miles Davis kind of blue and the Beatles mono collection.