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Will a $700 turntable outperform a CD player?

I’m looking into getting a second source as I don’t want to be tied down to internet and a streaming service as my only source.  Will a $700 turntable and inexpensive phono preamp out perform a Cambridge CXC transport / Schiit Gungir Multibit?  
The Schiit Sol / mani preamp look enticing but I know nothing about turntables.

I used to dj and always used technics Sl1200’s and really liked them.  I can pick up a nice SL1200 mk3 used for $600...

I figure that before I start spending hundreds, possibly thousands, on cd’s or vinyl, I should be sure which format I want!

Thanks for any advice / input regarding this 😁

Best Regards,
Bruce
128x128b_limo

Showing 10 responses by geoffkait

geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
As I oft counsel, the CD is not (rpt not) the problem, it can contain tremendous dynamic range and signal to noise ratio, and all of the intricate Information from the original tape. The problem, gentle readers arises when the CD is played back 🔙 on CD players, even very expensive CD players! Hey, where did all the information and dynamic range go?!! 😩
And I’m not even talking about CDs that have the life compressed out of them, which accounts for the majority these days, I’m talking about good CDs. Heck, you’re lucky if you get 75 dB dynamic range out of a CD.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
That may be true theoretically but as I said they compress the CD so much these days, it looks like a flatline. Have you checked out the dynamic range database. OMG 😆 Plus as I just said the CD players can’t retrieve the full dynamic range on the CD whatever it is, anyway. So what’s the point?
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
But I was referring to the CD, not vinyl. It’s difficult to compare apples and oranges anyway, there are a great many variables involved with both LP and CD so I won’t make any categorical statements. 😀
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
144 dB of dynamic range ain’t going to do you much good if the mastering engineers compress the life out of the recording. Garbage in 🔜 garbage out. 🔚 The CD player has inherent problems that prevent the full dynamic range - whatever it is - from being recovered from the disc, anyway. You can’t win.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 

roberjerman
This question has been around since the arrival of the first CD players in 1983! And that was the Hitachi vertical loader - $1000!

>>>>Hitachi had the right idea, eliminating the effects of gravity on the spinning disc thus eliminating the tendency of CDs to flutter and wobble during play in one swell foop.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Schubert which one is Metallica better on?
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
And the award for most diplomatic post goes to...
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
It won’t if the other guy knows what he’s doing. If both systems are Untweaked, straight outta the box in an untreated room, who cares? They are both going to suck, relatively speaking of course. Everything is relative to something else. There is also the sticky question of what your preferences are regarding sound quality.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
If you often find yourself tapping your toes along with music in the elevator maybe not. 
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