Really great thought here, and you are absolutely right. I probably sound like a broken record (pun intended) but what we are all trying to beat is noise (from challenges in power delivery, and leaks due to poor isolation) and subpar timing/clocking challenges, which then renders the digital samples with less precision, resulting in imaging that is slightly out of focus (photography analogy there).
The delivery of digital and analog are very different, and there are qualities in each that are both worth appreciating and worth being frustrated about. And whether a person prefers one or another is purely subjective. In my case, my digital rig almost always eclipses my phono rig, except for a number of select masterings/pressings that are specifically created for vinyl. And from a retail standpoint, both rigs are almost head to head, between $60-70K each, so neither are slouches.
Digital has come a really long way in the last three years, and I’m excited to see how it continues to advance.