PBB, let me say once again I prefer digital to analog. But, AlbertPorter is absoultly correct. Despite all the technological hurdles analog has to leap(it's amazing it works at all!).I have never heard any digital source sound as good as a carefully set up, money no object, top flight turntable playing well maintained vinyl. It takes passion to make it all work. If you haven't heard a really good set up in twenty years, your long over due. Leave your prejudices at the door. Relax and listen. Again, I still prefer digital for a multitude of reasons. Just don't dismiss analog out of hand with out a fair audition.
Vinyl's Noise Floor
vinyl's noise floorI'm actively considering returning to analog after a 19 year hiatus from it. I listen to a lot of classical music, which, as we know, has many pianissimo, i.e., soft passages. If the soon-to-be desuetude 16 bit format has an attribute, in my opinion, it would be an extremely low noise floor. I've read about the advantages of analog, the most salient of which is its innate sense of continuity and palpability. What concerns me about vinyl is its, supposedly, high noise floor.Assuming that the recording is of the highest calibre, the vinyl impeccably clean, and the analog rig unequivocally great, will there be even a modicum of distracting noise during a near-silent segment of music?