When does analog compete with digital?

a direct drive technics with a nice cartridge can get you some
analog bliss for 1K if your preamp just happens to be excellent for both line and phono. If you mean 1K for good tt, cartridge, and a phone preamp that is not possible even used unless you get the deal of the century on the above items (and set up arm/cart well and isolate tt well diy style).

I got back into vinyl when a, comparatively, crappy turntable sounded better (I will admit "different" as in warmer and more complete to me) than my very expensive, and very good digital set up.

I've never looked back, I like my digital set up, but I love my analog gear. That said, I have about 3x the investment in analog at this point, to be fair.

Great responses, keep 'em coming!

FYI, I posed the question to get a general sense of what others feel about the issue. My own personal view is that comparing analog to digital is like comparing apples to oranges - each have their own strengths and weaknesses. I prefer analog for simplistic music that emphasizes strings and vocals. Analog can convey a sense of emotion and warmth in a way that digital simply cannot. But, when it comes to more complex music, I much prefer the analytical sound of digital, which is more clear and 'in your face', so to speak. That said, I still think it's possible to compare analog to digital, in some sense - much in the same way that we can compare Leonardo to Edison... both were spectacular in their given discipline.

Concerning my analog front-end, it sounds amazing on some recordings (better than CD), but not so much on others. I'm still trying to pinpoint what, exactly, is amiss. Sometimes I think it lacks the ability to capture certain details or nuances, but that doesn't mean I want that digital sound either. Argh, it's so frustrating not being able to articulate what I'm hearing! As you can probably tell, I'm new to hi-fi, so I'm not well versed in the various (ambiguous/unintelligible) adjectives. That said, I've always suspected that the cartridge may be at fault. The Goldring 1012GX came free as part of a package deal, but I had my eye on the Benz Micro Ace S (M). With respect to the pre-amp, I actually like the Tube Box II. It offers the functionality of both MM/MC, plus it adds some warmth to the Nait 5i, which is very analytical.

Part of the problem - if it is a problem - is that I wouldn't classify myself as your typical audiophile. That is, I don't enjoy constantly swapping out components in search of 'audio nirvana'. I much rather save for a particular component that I know I will be satisfied with, then simply sit back and enjoy the music for years to come. Seriously. The problem is, it's difficult to audition all the different equipment (especially in your own home), so I don't know what component is the right fit for my system/tastes. I'm not made out of money either, so I don't have the option of switching back and forth. Given what I've written above, does anyone have the slightest clue as to what might be causing this 'discomfort'? I won't swap any components until I move to a more hospitable listening environment. The current room is 10x11, but I'm moving in September/October (thank God).

Finally, I realize that my analog/digital may have different sonic signatures (or what have you), but that was my aim. I want to play to the strengths of each. For instance, I like to spin Bright Eyes/Son House on vinyl, but rock out to the Black Keys on CD. If this makes no sense, someone please correct me!

Have a good one, people!

After reading my long-winded response, please allow me to clarify the initial question...

Suppose we are trying to compare wine and beer. Some say they are incomparable. However, we would certainly say that a very fine wine is much better than a stale beer. So, they are comparable in at least one respect - we can compare them according to their perceived quality, value, 'bang for buck', etc.

I would consider my digital front-end to be 'very good'. How much should one expect to pay to achieve the same level of performance from the analog side?

That's a general question open to all. It has nothing to do with my particular system/set up. I think it would interesting to hear the various responses...

But I would still like some feedback on my own predicament!

It should read "When does digital compete with analog" as digital is an imitation of the real thing with the exception of some of the newer 24/192 and other high rez digital which is just wonderful if done right..... I usually find I have to spend 2-3 times as much on digital to get close. Now to murky the waters a bit, a good cd stomps a poor vinyl record so the comparison must take into consideration there are fantastic recordings in cd and analog, as well as crappy recordings in both medium. Which is better.....depends on the recording used....jallen