Pros and Cons of "Staying with" Analog and Vinyl


After having various turntables over the last 40 years, I am seriously considering getting out of analog. The "vinylists" argue that analog playback sounds more natural, musical, and provides more of an emotional response. I have experienced this feeling several times while listening to my modest vinyl collection, and tend to agree....until I begin hearing pops, clicks, surface noise. I keep my vinyl generally clean and protected

However, after listening to the 40th anniversay edition of Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" I am more convinced that analog is just not worth the time, money and, maintenance. The dynamics on new Aqualung are superb and there seems to be much more detail to what I remember of the Mobile Fidelity remastered recording

I have a modest analog set-up Rega P3-24 with their upgraded PS and the Dynavector 10X5 MC. I was on the verge of upgrading to the new Rega RP-6 which includes a newly design PS, and a choice of color plinths. Even with a generous trade-in value offered by the dealer, I would still be putting in about $1300 + which would get me into the Dynavector DV 20MKII ( above their 10X5.)

I personally don't see the value regardless of the sonic qualitative edge of analog. Maybe, the money could be spent elsewhere or not at all. BTW, I am not getting into computer audio, and am STILL not convinced that a BASIC DAC will bring me closer to analog sound quality. Members have recommended Peachtree's DACIT, and even the supposedly new and improved Musical Fidelity V-DAC II. I have a Rega Apollo player. A great sounding player, but it has its flaws.

Therefore, I would like to hear the pros and cons of staying with analog....or just dumping it. Thanks
sunnyjim

Showing 2 responses by lewm

Rok, baby. If you really listen to music first and foremost and not to what your system is doing, then you should learn to appreciate vinyl. First of all, as Doug and some others have said, the experience does not have to be as tedious and "noisy" (ticks and pops) as you seem to think. That's all I can say.
Rok2id, I respect your right to prefer digital and to revile vinyl analog reproduction. But in your initial post you stated that you abandoned vinyl immediately when the first CD players became available. That does not speak well for your audio goals; those early products and the earliest CDs made to be played on them were nothing short of horrible, and I will posit that this is a fact, not an opinion. I remember being at a party where the host was using one of the early but then well respected cdp's as a source of background music. (He had the Meridian cdp that put Booth-Stewart on the map, I think.) The sound was so amusical that I privately begged him to shut the damned thing off or to reduce the volume. So, we are all different. To each his own. Vinyl can indeed be a pain in the ass, but I love it. I have a tweaked cdp as well, and I use it for parties and as background house music, secure in the knowledge that digital has come a long way since I sat cringing before the Meridian. But when I sit down just to listen, vinyl is my choice. However, I will acknowledge that the current state of the art in digital reproduction has a lot going for it. As Cronkite used to say, that's the way it is.