Bingo. This is why digital sourced (CD or hi-res) vinyl can sound better than its CD or even hi-res download (heresy!!) IF the download is compressed to death and the vinyl mastering used non-compressed files.

I have many digitally sourced LPs that sound identical or worse than the CD and many that sound divine. It’s a crapshoot.

It pays to research for opinions on SQ on other websites before laying down 30 bucks for a vinyl record. I learned my lesson years ago after blowing lots of cash on ok at best pressings.

Bottom line, vinyl and HiRes can both be great or lousy. Gotta do your homework.

Yep. The Harrow and the Harvest will restore one’s faith in well done vinyl. It is awesome and I don’t have Digital anything that matches its sound quality.

I agree we have to be discriminating in how/what we purchase on vinyl, but I still love it. That said, Whichever sounds best is fine with me. So, I maintain vinyl, Digital, cd/SACD rigs plus an FM tuner. Surely overkill and some are underused, but it sure is fun. I have multiple copies of things I like in multiple formats - for me, that’s part of the fun.

I do this all the time, compare a digital hi-rez file to the vinyl version. At best they sound the same, where vinyl seems to win always is in sound stage, it has a wider presentation than any digital copies I have, I don't have many DSD files but these too, most of what I have is 24 bit FLAC files.
Clearly because of the lower noise floor of Digital files, you hear the music and that is all, one would think that would be enough.
But I find that digital can be too clinical and some of the breathyness of vocals and acoustics are lost, that I hear with records.

There is a song by Marillion on their album marillion.com, Interior Lulu where a vocal passage was given some echo/reverb in the mix and on the digital file it expands maybe 2-3 feet wider and pushed forward 4 feet past my speakers, nice.......The vinyl version, this same passage the vocals are literally pushed so far forward they are to the left and right of my ears, just crazy wide and forward. (And I sit about 12 feet from my speakers)

I admit I spend more on my analog end than my digital end...but that is what makes me happy.

Cheers

+1 Due to the stereo bass limitations and limited dynamic range of the format, I think vinyl is way harder to master than digital.

Dave, my 5 year old is now 23. Time flies!

Tom

My bad Tom, I guess I misread you initial post ! you sure are right about time flying by ....... :tears:

When I first heard a 25 000 USD MSB dac and transport (3 boxes) play side by side with a 25 000 USD vinyl rig in the same room with the same gear. I realized that to my ears, for the same money, vinyl is preferred. CD can still sound really good. But the goosebumps are not as common in that context.

Well I think a CD (redbook 16bit) loses all the time against a well setup/assembled analog rig.
I'll be the first to raise my hand and say it should not, but reality is it does. I bet that MSB Dac will play 24bit and DSD files like nothing else.
But for me if I had to chose which setup to buy for $25K.....Vinyl rig.

That's me....

-Digital system in our living room
+
-Analog rig in my dedicated room

is the way to go for me and I'm in the process of completing both thankfully.

While I was waiting for the delivery of my new turntable I ordered a copy of 'The Harrow & the Harvest' from Gillian's website. Now I really can't wait for the TT to arrive so I can sit down and listen to it.

The great digital/HD vs vinyl debate marches on. All I can say is that when I was digital only, including HD, I just didn't listen to music as much and didn't go out of my way to do so - it didn't touch me in the same way. When I listen to vinyl, I get totally absorbed by the music and I want to sit down and listen. Go figure, YMMV.

Also, I started playing acoustic guitar about a year and a half ago. I turn 61 in May and I've now played 3 open mics - singing and accompanying myself on guitar and playing with others. I never would have guessed I'd do this. But a side benefit is that I'm now listening to a lot of music that I didn't listen to before to increase my repertoire and, when I listen, I want to do so on vinyl. It just, to my ear, sounds more natural especially when it's music I'm familiar with from playing/singing. Again, YMMV.