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Thread: My personal digital versus analogue journey.

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jan 2022

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire

    Posts: 111
    I'm Shaun.

    Default My personal digital versus analogue journey.

    My vinyl versus digital system thoughts.

    Denon DCD2500NE SACD/CD player.

    Clearaudio Anniversary turntable with Clearaudio Unify unipivot tonearm.
    Audio Technica ATOC9 XML moving coil cartridge.
    ProJect Phonobox DS phono stage. I've tried so many mid priced units and not found one significantly better including the Dynavector P75 MkII.

    Fidelity Audio Pre120 SE preamp.

    Usher R1.5 power amp.

    Kef R5 speakers.

    I am absolutely amazed that my CD based front end is almost completely lacking in space, depth and air when compared to the vinyl side of things. The turntable produces an immense stereo space that fills just about every cubic centimetre of the room with one sound or another. The CD on the other hand is very two dimensional. I have been making comparisons using 'When It Falls' by Zero 7 as my reference as I love the early music by this band. I have heard the albums sound more detailed in the treble when using Spendor speakers but the KEF R5's have much more bass extension and the Uni Q driver produces such a strong stereo effect. Anyhow, loving the sound of my current vinyl sound system especially the stereo depth and width so when I decided back in 2018 to dispose of virtually my entire vinyl collection I was a prat ? Wasn't I ? What I couldn't have foreseen though was what would be coming in 2020. No, not Covid but something much better. Financially I became able to afford this 'new' system. I got rid of the old Prima Luna setup and settled for this one. What an amazing move. Better than any system I have ever owned and the vinyl sound has now made up for all of those 'pissed off' days and nights where I always thought I would be so much better off with it all switched off.

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    I came to exactly the same conclusion as yourself 6 years ago. CD player has since stayed in the attic!
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jan 2022

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire

    Posts: 111
    I'm Shaun.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Jimbo View Post
    I came to exactly the same conclusion as yourself 6 years ago. CD player has since stayed in the attic!
    Honestly James the difference is like whisky versus water. Yeah I know you already know but even with my previous systems I have never heard it with such clarity. You are so lucky you realised six years ago. It is my intention to concentrate on vinyl that hits the spot from now on. Music that is very special to me.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Jan 2022

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire

    Posts: 111
    I'm Shaun.

    Default

    In fact I may sell the Denon and buy a cheap Marantz CD player.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    I had a choice 6 years ago to go down either a digital or a vinyl route or both. I had the funds to buy the best of both but vinyl simply sounded so much better. I have listened to digital systems both cheap and very expensive for many years hoping I would somehow find one that I could like but alas as soon as I pop my vinyl back on the difference is obvious and I have realised my hearing/brain is sensitive enough to hear this difference.

    I believe there is something else going on with the brain when listening to analogue which lights it up and engages in a way that digital simply cannot. I dont think this has been fully evaluated or can be measured but I do know when I listen to digital there is a connection that is not made and I switch off and I tire of listening very quickly.

    As you say it is like the difference between whisky and water. That is a very good analogy because I know which one has the most effect on the brain!
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2022

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire

    Posts: 111
    I'm Shaun.

    Default

    I find the huge amount of space and air completely overwhelming with vinyl but I have never really heard it before like I hear it now. It is almost as though digital is a superficial veneer whereas vinyl is like watching a pint of Guinness settling in it's glass. That stereo surround is almost intoxicating.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Enossification View Post
    I find the huge amount of space and air completely overwhelming with vinyl but I have never really heard it before like I hear it now. It is almost as though digital is a superficial veneer whereas vinyl is like watching a pint of Guinness settling in it's glass. That stereo surround is almost intoxicating.
    Really great you are experiencing music from you vinyl system that seems to refresh the parts digital cant reach!
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  8. #8
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: Canaries

    Posts: 193

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    The negative side of vinyl, for me, is that you tend to hoard vinyls, so you end up with 2000 of themor more but only regularly listen to 300 or so but sooner or later space becomes a problem. I once gave away 300 in one fell swoop, most of them only having been played a couple of times and have never even thought about them since so now I just buy better copies of those I play more assiduously, when and if they crop up. Yesterday I bought a NM copy of Tracks by Oscar Petersen for its big, fat left hand notes which has been on my turntable at least once a monthnforv30:years.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Jan 2022

    Location: East Riding of Yorkshire

    Posts: 111
    I'm Shaun.

    Default

    Chris I agree with your comment. Back in 2018 I massacred my vinyl collection to weed out all of those I never play and those I should never have bought. I now have a small collection of (my) classics which will be added to when appropriate. Unfortunately though, I sold a few albums by Quantic that to me were priceless and which I almost certainly will never be able to replace but I do have the CD versions.

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