I could not hear a difference between Analog and digital...... what gives ?

Its funny you mentioned this, I just did a test the other day, I randomly like to do a comparison right after listening to the last song of an LP. I have to say though, my analog rig is worth way more than my digital, and the LP blew it out of the water. Album was : GNR Lies. The Qobuz and Tidal versions couldnt compare at all. In 1-2 years, I will upgrade my digital gear and see if it gets closer, but for now, im happy with my LPs.

I’d stay away from comparing vinyl to digital. There are too many variables and you’re going to end up chasing ghosts. Been there done that. 

@joeycastillo 

Thanks for posting your experience.  Gives me something to think about.   Regarding Preamp, I am running a McIntosh C2300 with a pair of vintage 12ax7 Telefunken Smooth Plate tubes in both the MC phono stage and the Line stage.  This means that both the Phonograph and DAC are getting the "benefit" of the smooth plate Telefunkens.  I guess this may be helping match the tone of the two mediums.  I consider my components already matched since they are all McIntosh from the same era.  For cables, I am using a Voodoo Stradivarius cremona between the turntable and preamp, and a Neotech NEI-3001-III XLR Interconnects between the DAC and Preamp.  I am using Audience Ohno XLR interconnects between the Preamp and the two MC275 amps set in monoblock mode....  All connections at least OCC copper. 

In general I have noticed differences between Analog and Digital, and have normally preferred the Analog - if it is a mint first pressing.  I am just surprised the two versions of Aqualung I mentioned in this post sound exactly the same, and what it may mean in my system. 

@skads_187 

Thanks for your reply and posting your experience.  GNR lies was recorded in 1988, I believe it is an analog master tape and therefore an analog recored.  So, I would expect the Analog to sound different from the Digital.  For some reason, there is something exactly similar about these DCC versions of Aqualung that were created at the same time.  

@yoyoyaya 

Thanks for the quote of that review.  I re-listened again last night switching back and forth, I hear a lot of flutes, which may include a descant recorder, but, I am not sure.  I asked a 35 year old to listen with me, and she said she could hear that the Analog and Digital sounded a little different, but, could not pick them out in a blind A/B session.  She did say she preferred the Analog.  After she said that, I thought I also could hear some differences, but, I also could not pick out which was which in a blind test...  So, I back to blaming my ears, and believing that these versions are very similar based when and how they were recorded, and the sound of my system with similar tubes in the preamp and amp stages is producing comparable sound for both Analog and Digital. 

@billstevenson  @newton_john  @audphile1 

Lol, great points, thanks so much.  I just finished upgrading my ethernet and streaming front ends this year, so, I have been doing a lot of comparing between streaming (Qobuz) and SACD/CD and I am very satisfied with the results.  After that, I decided to test my DAC to see if I should upgrade, and the best I could come up with is to compare it to Vinyl & Digital that I know comes directly from the original analog master tape... Hence, this long post about DCC Aqualung with both Analog and Digital mastered by Steve Hoffman directly from the 1971 original master tapes in 1996. 

I did a similar test this AM on my system and in the past.  One Step vinyl against digital streaming.  My observation is this; I am amazed how good vinyl can sound on a well mastered recording.  In my system it’s easily the equal of my digital system that costs 4 times as much. That said it’s not better thus digital will win based on convenience.  I do still enjoy spinning at times and have many vinyl records that beat poorly recorded digital streams!

Good for you!  I envy you.  Take this as a blessing.  You're good.