Vinyl vs high def audio i.e. 24bit / 96 or 192khz


I was born to the world of cassette tapes and soon digital music. My only experience with Vinyl was the one rather audition I had recently. It wasn't feasible at the time for us to try a blind fold A/B test. So my question for anyone has experienced both, is that is it worth it to buy a turntable? 

The entry level ones are not really expensive compared to the gears I currently have. However, it's my habit to not keep things that I would not use. That includes thing that is a hassle to use or requires a lot of maintenance. The shop owner where I auditioned a Rega turntable kind of insinuated it falls into both of the aforementioned categories. For instance, the Vinyl doesn't hold many songs so swapping is pretty much a necessity. Upon some research, I also found that vinyl albums recently issued are likely produced from a digital master anyway, some are even just slightly above CD Quality. I have a large library of songs from HDTracks that are at least 24bit / 48khz and honestly I cannot tell a difference once they hit 24 bit / 96khz. 

With the above said, what's so great about Vinyl in your view? Thanks for the feedback. 
angelgz2
I have it all. Vinyl is euphoric like tubes, it is tradition, it is a collectors dream, and lastly it is tweaky. There is so much you can do with it. What are you going to do with zeros ones. Vinyl once set up is really just a little more work than CDs
I have 192/24 HDtracks and Vinyl versions of both Dylan’s Desire and the first Santana album. Actually the Santana might 88/24.
the Vinyl has a sense of space missing in the digital versions. This might be a euphemism but I like it. The vinyl obviously has more noise. Tell me of any venue that does not have extraneous noise. People cough and shuffle around, talk to each other etc. as long as it is not a big loud scratch the noise in the vinyl biases your brain. It actually is more like the real experience!  Digital is silent, drier, more up front. The violin in Hurricane has a bit of a sting to it missing in the vinyl version. Dynamics are the same.
Albums that have been remastered specifically for high resolution digital are however amazing. Just have your wife cough once in a while.

@atmasphere Actually I understand your point. It's true that the original master digital file could be closer to the original. It's not completely lossless like Vinyl -- I'm no expert, but do they sample above 786khz / 32 bit depth? If not, I may as well just invest in a Chord Hugo 2 which can play up to 32 bit / 786khz or DSD 128. We have a local Vinyl shop in Austin and the owner acknowledged that some "Modern reproduction" of old vinyls are converted back from Digital, often at no greater than CD quality. The only way to experience true Vinyl, at least from what I read, is if the LP is pressed from a pure analog master recording which is rare nowadays let alone going to the future. 

I have no doubts pure analog is better -- I've experienced it in various friend's homes or boutique shops, the "three dimensional-ness" that many refer to. However, given the lack of willingness pursuit for quality products exhibited by today's younger generation, I fear less and less recording studio will be willing to spend time and effort to create a pure analog master tape. If you tell my sister, who's 23, about Vinyl, she will give you a quizzical look and just ignores you completely. This is unfortunate, I know, but the industry is profit driven, and the few of us who's willing to pay for it won't be as profitable as the masses who just want something cheap and simple. 


On a side note, anyone a Celtic music fan? I almost listen exclusively to Celtic music. Here are some artists I listen to:

Loreena McKennitt
Enaid --  Avalon - A Celtic Legend
Méav Ní Mhaolchatha
Enya

I also have some albums from Sara Brightman & The Carpenters. I know The Carpenters definitely have "real" LPs, but those Celtic artists may not have "true" LP releases. I am not expert enough to figure out whether those out there are just from digital conversion or real analog press. If I manage to pick up some true analog LPs for the above mentioned artists, I may invest in a system. Certainly, any recommendations to other good Celtic music is strongly appreciated. 
Dear @millercarbon :: """  Vinyl is so much better than digital its silly to even talk about, as that can't be done without assuming they are comparable, when they aren't. One is music, the other noise. A whole lot of people miss this, because the noise of vinyl is so obvious. The noise with digital is woven right into the signal. With digital its silly even to talk about signal to noise ratio. With digital the signal IS the noise!  """

what's silly is try to ridicule digital alternative with your riculous statements because things are that all can be or can be changed the other way around for any one but a silly person.

Where are your facts or the foundations for what you posted other that: "" that's what I like it ""

At least try to post something that can be " coherent ". MUSIC is some kind of " noise " too.


R.