I dont think its necessary or even wise to spend a ton on an analog rig to experience vinyl. My 2nd system is a technics dd with a shure V15/4 into a 25 yr old NAD int amp and is preferred to cd by everyone in the house. If after living with a modest vinyl rig like this for a while, it doesnt float ones boat mabey its best to stick with cds. I would never advise some one to invest heavily in vinyl unless they were sure it was for them. My digital friends buy much more music and spend less time playing with their systems and more time listening.
Vinyl vs. top-notch digital
I have never had an analogy rig. My CD player is a Meridian 800, supposedly one of the very best digital players out there. From what I've read, it appears there is a consensus in our community that a high-quality analog rig playing a good pressing will beat a top notch digital system playing a well-recorded and mastered CD. So here are my questions:
1) How much would one have to invest in analog to easily top the sound quality of the Meridian 800 (or similar quality digital player)? (Include in this the cost of a phono-capable preamp; my "preamp" right now is a Meridian 861 digital surround processor.)
2) How variable is the quality of LPs? Are even "bad" LPs still better than CD counterparts?
Thank you for any comments and guidance you can provide.
1) How much would one have to invest in analog to easily top the sound quality of the Meridian 800 (or similar quality digital player)? (Include in this the cost of a phono-capable preamp; my "preamp" right now is a Meridian 861 digital surround processor.)
2) How variable is the quality of LPs? Are even "bad" LPs still better than CD counterparts?
Thank you for any comments and guidance you can provide.