My conclusion: mid level $$ analog vs digital


Good morning

I purchased a mid level analog system 6 months ago 
     project classic
     Hana sl
     Musical Surroundings Phenomena II+I’ve compared the analog to my digital 
      Roon 
      Chord Qutest 
      24/192 & Streaming 

and ;

After listening to a bunch of albums and music.

A well recorded album with a well setup analog is tough to beat . The analog has a certain snap to the drums and bass that digital cannot match.  Extremely , quiet and smooth
 The mid level price point and the associated quality is surprising to me 
Do not get me wrong , digital is close , but good albums really can show a difference 

Ive listened, at homes with much better analog setups, and the difference seems to get better 

So, For you guys think to take the analog jump ?

Don’t worry 

Jeff

frozentundra
mazian, if you are doing a comparison for your own sake blinding is not necessary but you have to do a "rapid" comparison and you have to be honest with yourself.  I have done this many times with recordings that I have both the vinyl and digital copies. You have to be able to switch sources by remote from your listening position. You Q up the digital and analog sources in a synchronized fashion matching levels as closely as possible then switch back and forth between sources. You can only analyze one characteristic at a time, bass, voice, cymbals, image and so forth. The number of switches you can make is infinite. What I find varies depending on what I usually think is mastering technique. Sometimes I prefer the vinyl, sometimes the digital. It always amazes me how dragging a rock through a trench can be even remotely close to raw science. 
Besides my preference, which is vinyl, not surprising due to investment, i still enjoy both.
So listening is simple. 

G
I think the op has already proven to himself what most already know, analog just sounds better. 😁
No need for rapid fire A/B comparison. You know right away that it just sounds right.
have said this before in similar threads

those who so clearly favor one of over the other in a ’hands down’ way probably haven’t heard the other well implemented in a really good system -- those who feel the need to put down the other is short sighted and narrow minded

key point is, either can sound truly wonderful and deliver the toe tapping, emotion inspiring, incredulously good sounding musical experience that we are all vigorously chasing in this hobby/undertaking

each delivers its own lovely experience and unique benefits, and we as an audiophile community are much better for it in the present day
I've thought about this subject too.  It's hard to draw a conclusion because you could spend similar amounts of money on digital and analog and windup in the same place or drastically different places.  Further, spending smart and finding synergy can reap huge awards.  All of that creates noise for me in the logic of the original post subject. 

I will say though, assuming purchases and integration are taken seriously there is a point where analog starts doing things that digital doesn't do or not as well.   

I do subscribe to the wise ones' view that digital and analog are just different, and it's not a zero sum game. 

Different though can be very intoxicating and compelling.  A friend popped by last night.  He's got a mainstream all digital system that he had configured.  He says with the house integration he's got $50k minimum in it.  I've heard it many times. It sounds really pleasant.   

He asked to hear my system.  I first played digital (Roon -) Tube DAC).  Later, when he requested Dark Side of the Moon (felt a bit shopworn, but still a classic), he said, "Woah, I get it."  Then he struggled to define what he liked about vinyl.  

Point is, I think he was responding positively to a careful put together analog rig, as it was doing things so differently than he was used to.  

+1 jjss49-- each delivers its own lovely experience and unique benefits

What a great time for audiophiles!