Diff in recording/reproduction in Analog/CD/SACD

I think Eldarford is wrong with regards to budget vs quality. I personally own two 10K plus CD players, as well as a table/arm/cart that I picked up on Audiogon for 750 dollars. The budget turntable is so much better than either digital player it's no contest, and I'm not playing perfect brand new records either. You don't have to have a mega thousand dollar system to realize the benefits of analog. I would hope than anyone reading Eldarfords opinion won't take it seriously. I think he's dead wrong.

Uru975, my favorite description is that vinyl is like a real dog, it pisses on the floor, leaves hair everywhere and has to be walked. CD replay is like a stuffed dog, no fuss, no mess, but not even a facsimile of the real breathing thing. Come to think of it, the same metaphor may be applicable to the tube/transistor debate, but that's for another day. Gotta go now, Boa2 and his sister are on the way over, wonder if they know "Stairway to Heaven"?

Ejlif...We differ in opinion. Who is right or wrong is for others to decide, hopefully by listening to the gear rather than reading this thread. Please note that I report my experience over 50 years of spinning LPs...it's not just a theoretical opinion. It sounds like you got a super deal on your TT/arm/cart. A good MC pickup costs a lot more.

Going back to the first response: I am also an Analog man at heart. I have two systems for 2-channel playback, one upstairs (digital - Rega Jupiter 2000) and one downstairs (Analog- Rega P-9/Benz Ref silver/benz phono unit). Now while I'll always have the records and LP system, I don't necessarily think the Digital system sounds that bad... just different, and sometimes I cannot pin down exactly what it is that makes the digital sound different, it just is... Perhaps if you carry the upgrading a couple steps up (from what I have) the differences are easier to describe(?) Also many of us were raised with Analog, have spent decades developing and acquiring the analog equipment and peripherals. If we had to start from nothing right now.. digital would be cheaper and easier. $5K for a really top notch cd player and be done with it... now to start building a LP system.. just think of all the stuff you need!! Table, Arm, Cart, Arm wire, cable, stlyus cleaners, LP wet vac system, LP cleaners, LP inner and outer sleeves, not to mention LP's themselves, stylus gauges, setup tools, phono preamp, and something really hard to find these days, furniture for storage of LP's.

Thanks all for responding and making this an interesting read. I did not intend this to be 'flame away at digital' thead. Intent was thru simple technical rational backed by your actual vast or limited listening experiences.

Just finished reading 'Ringing False' article in January 2005 Stereophile issue. It was hard for me to follow and understand technical jargon in story of the digital sound evolution. In the end the author seems to indicate the early problems like dither, jitter, energy smear w/ digital sound reproduction has significantly reduced.

My limited personal experience with analog does indicate (like the poster Spiro indicated) that analog rig typically lacks ultimate air and resolution and at all the auditions I have made except two, I did yearn for that presence-they are there sound and was unable to find. The auditions that I did find complete satisfaction- beyond the best digital I have heard- was one with Transrotor Orfeo w/ (tone arm I could not recall) Shelter 901 run thru MBL preamp, MBL amp and MBL speakers and the second was Clearaudio master solution w/ Master TQ1,Everest stand and I am not sure which clearaudio cartridge it was but the whole system sounded fast, almost real and with lots of air.

But both systems (TT) costs 10k-20k. SME and VPI set up has not satisfied me yet so far. My own Transrotor Sirius with Lyra Clavis DC does a pretty good job, but not great. At most times I yearn for air and transperancy. May be digital sound habit is hard to break... Gotta audition different TT set ups, but Clearaudio max solution is clear standout. Clearaudio master solution should even be better.