Is analog & vinyl anoying? Is it worht it.

Certainly, digital media has greater frequency respons than LP replay at the low end of the spectrum, but at the high end, LP are capable of response in excess of 45K, which easily exceeds redbook CD replay. There is also some compelling research suggesting that LP replay may have a dynamic range that exceeds CD replay, as well. See here:

http://www.audioholics.com/education/audio-formats-technology/dynamic-comparison-of-lps-vs-cds-part-4/dynamic-comparison-of-lps-vs-cds-part-4-page-2

Viridian...Some recent tests that I ran on my humble phono system (Shure v15mr) suggests that, to my surprise, some signal up to 35 KHz does actually exist on some records, (at a very low level) so I won't contest your suggestion that 45KHz is possible. The low end is, IMHO, the important difference relative to CD. For a CD there is no roll off the bass to limit groove modulation amplitude, or mix to mono to prevent stylus hopping, or feedback. And, my ears still work quite well down to 20 Hz, but are deaf (to sine waves anyway) over about 14KHz.

Regarding dynamic range, on my system the noise floor of a "silent" groove is about 80 dB down from the peak of a loudly recorded LP, and a similar test of a CD yields about 100dB. I admit that I didn't read your reference (web names that go on for two lines are a challange) but the ones that I have seen usually talk about listening to signal that is many dB BELOW the noise floor. Frankly I don't enjoy listening unless the quiet passages of music are well above the noise floor. A signal that lies well below a noise floor can be detected by computer processing and perhaps by ear, but I would not include that in a practical measurement of dynamic range.

El, it is super that you take the time to do your own tests; my hat is off to you. Actually the link does not asses recorded signal into the noise floor, but points out that the noise floor has, by far, the greatest component below 500HZ and measures dynamic range of 96db or so above that cutoff to the top of the noise floor. Not bad for a rock slamming around a plastic racetrack really.

BTW does anyone know what the carrier frequency was for CD4 recorded LPs; certainly that had to be reliably reproduced.

Viridian...I agree that it is astonishing that a mechanical media like a vinyl LP can sound so good. With some dynamic equalization (instead of the fixed RIAA curve) it can be as quiet as a CD, and with reduced distortion. (This was the DBX LP system, which I once had).

I believe that the CD4 system used a carrier with frequency modulation above 20 KHz. Because it was FM an undistorted waveform was not necessary. It was intended that the rear channels have full bandwidth capability (20 to 20K) so the cartridge had to work up to 40 KHz. In fact, although CD4 was a flop, phono cartridge design was greatly improved as a result of CD4.

I think that the carrier signal was at 44K Hz, but certainly above 40K. That of course forced cartridges to track at much higher than previously.
The response, however, wasn't necessarily flat to 44K and many carttridges achieved the higher frquency response by designing them to 'ring' at the carrier signal frequency.

salut, Bob p.