Digital is far better than vinyl

I’m glad many of you got the joke ... but I was also kinda surprised to see how many did not. I thought the irony was quite obvious ... I put very little money and almost zero thought in building the analog system. It would be absurd to think that the outcome would have been any different. And yet, we see this absurdity on display on these forums almost on a daily basis. Not a day goes by when some vinyl aficionado spends next to nothing on streaming setup and is quick to claim victory for analog. There is this perception that since it’s all ones and zeroes, streaming doesn’t deserve the same level of respect or investment both in terms of time and $$$.

Just in case someone is wondering, I do not think even for a minute that vinyl is inferior than digital. A well thought out analog rig has its own strengths and charms. But that result is a labor of love and passion .... you don’t just stumble upon great analog systems by chance. I just don’t understand why the same people turn into hopeless luddites when it comes to streaming. It is just mind boggling to see posters make ridiculous statements like DACs or streamers or better switches don’t matter since it's only ones and zeroes. Sadly, these are the same posters who have never bothered to try a better DAC or streamer, but that doesn’t stop them from spouting uninformed nonsense.

If you read these forums, you will see many people like @ghdprentice or @lalitk who have (or had) amazing analog systems. But they also gave the same respect to digital and can rightly claim that digital is on par with analog. I mean what’s not to like when you can play pretty much any music ever released for less than $20/month .. especially when technology has improved to the point that digital is just as good as vinyl.

And, by the way, there is absolutely nothing wrong with affordable streamers like BS Node. I have one in my second system and it continues to give me a lot of joy. The comparison is not meant to offend or belittle the experiences of those who are happy with Node or other streamers in that price bracket. But it simply cannot be used as a benchmark for what streaming is truly capable of in 2022, especially when compared to analog systems costing many thousands of dollars. If you are going to make comparisons at least bring some parity between the systems.

I wish we could stop seeing it as an either/or proposition and realize that both formats can perform at the same level in 2022. Peace!

@thecarpathian

Man, you guys are clueless...🙄

Isn’t that amazing?!? You have posted several times where you clearly spelled out the obvious satire, and how it was not the same as trolling or being clueless. I wonder what’s going on with people’s reading comprehension. This is bordering on tragicomedy.

Good lord! I continue to be amazed at the lack of humor or reading comprehension, or perhaps both, on display here. I thought the absurdity of the ludicrous comparison between the systems was a dead giveaway that this was intended to be satire. Many of you got the joke, but it’s amazing how many just never bothered to read the subsequent commentary by myself and many others.

Just to re-iterate (please read my previous post for context) ... no, I don’t think vinyl is inferior to digital in any way. The original post was not about the superiority of one format over the other. The main point was that many people who are seriously into analog have this pre-conceived notion that digital is just ones and zeros and therefore they do not put as much money or thought when building their digital frontends. Usually, the comparison is lopsided. Either that, or they might have given a half-hearted shot at digital a few years ago and were disappointed. Apparently, the obvious satire sailed over the heads of many vinyl lovers.

Of course, as we can see from many posts here, there are audiophiles who have invested equally well (not just in terms of $$$ but also research) in both formats. Not surprisingly, there is no consensus here either. Some still prefer vinyl, while some feel their digital is on par with their vinyl setup. The key is to realize that digital has come a long way in the last few years. And just like anything else in this hobby, you need to pay attention to everything in the chain. For digital this includes the router, switch, filters, better cabling, and other means of improving the sound.

At the end of the day, you might still prefer vinyl over digital, or vice versa. And that’s okay. But at least bring some parity between the two frontends,

lol 

@rvpiano i owned a CA CXN v2 as well. It’s nice piece for the price, but I’m not surprised it doesn’t stand up to your analog rig. 
 

@laoman please look up satire in the dictionary. Obviously, I was being facetious. Good lord!

And for god’s sake, I have said multiple times that I don’t think analog is inferior. What’s up with you vinyl guys? So touchy and emotional. Lol 

Thanks, @thyname  I had the exact questions. If dealers are going to jump in, better show some proof when making sweeping generalizations. 

Regardless, there are a number of folks like lalitk or @ghdprentice who might disagree with the dealer. They have put together reference systems and feel the digital is just as good if not better  

By the way, @bigkidz my system might be modest by your standards but I have heard reference level analog systems many times. We are talking total system cost over $70k. You remind me of those patronizing dealers I’ve encountered in the past. Lol

@jjss49 and @jerryg123 -- thanks for ’getting’ the joke. I thought the satire was obvious but never expected that this thread would garner 150+ responses. That’s crazy!!! It also shows how many people never bothered to read the subsequent posts before jumping to conclusions.

"latent audiophilia nervosa and belligerence"

Haha! I couldn’t have explained the knee jerk and clueless reactions any better.

Tonight I’m going to sacrifice three virtual lambs at the digital altar to appease the vinyl gods (who are apparently the most thin-skinned and humorless gods in audiophiliac universe).

Happy holidays to everyone!

@jefflz We are truly sorry for not meeting your lofty "professional" standards. There's another site called ASR where I believe humor or satire, or any other emotion for that matter, is frowned upon. From what I've heard they are quite uptight over there. I think you will be a good fit there. Good luck!

@ghdprentice 

Typically one gets a pretty cheap Rega, a decent phono stage and it trounces one’s digital end.

Great point! I guess this knife cuts both ways. My original OP was highlighting the discrepancy between a well-sorted analog rig vs. a hastily put together digital setup. But you are absolutely correct in pointing out that the reverse is also true.

Let me ask you this then ... let's say if you were starting out with vinyl and didn't already own 2,000 albums, would you have spent the same amount of money on building a reference analog system? Or would you have focused on extracting the last bit of fidelity out of your digital?

@ghdprentice and @lalitk -- thank you for sharing your opinions. This is indeed excellent advice for folks who might just be getting into vinyl. I think it's best to own both formats, but if one is just starting out and has limited funds, your advice to stay single-mindedly focused on digital is very prudent.