Hello Ron
The short answer is I have six times the number of CDs than LPs. So there is some bias here, and the desire that the CDs would sound better. But that doesnt change the truth for me, that most LPs sound better (than CDs) on a sufficiently expensive turntable.
When I listen to Clearaudio turntable, I say what have I been missing for all the years that I have been concentrating on cd buying? Clearaudio Master innovation (MI) seems to have the detail that many cds on my system lack. The pleasure factor is higher with MI than the cd players (Simaudio andromeda and Esoteric k01x) in most cases. Perhaps I am unfair comparing a $20,000 CD player to a $46,000 turntable. But when I heard the CH player (C1.5 plus C1.2)
I thought that $82,000 CH precision CD players compared to the $50,000 vinyl player seems more equal.
Admittedly there seems to be some records where the difference is minor (discovered like two days ago).
I should now say that there are some CDs that may sound better or same as LP. A small number.
My financial status has gotten worse so affording a better CD player may be a long time from now if ever. Buying the Clearaudio definitely hurt my finances. I am not wealthy. 5-10 years between major audio purchases of that magnitude.
Since I got the master innovation in mid February, I still have a long way to go in discovering its characteristics.
To the CD players credit, they sound very brilliant and a good driving rhythm. But not too forward. There does seem to be a characteristic that is common to most CD players, which has a brighter and more forward sounding some cases.
If I never compared the CD players to a great turntable, I wouldn't know what I'm missing. And I did not compare the two for many years.
I went to an audio show about four years ago and discovered there is a difference, and that the MI (with gold finger cartridge and a $30,000 arm) seemed wonderful. (Compared to DCS Vivaldi setup).
My MI has the jubilee mc cartridge, 12 inch universal arm, and low cost simaudio 310LP phono preamp)
A matter of personal preference, and wanted to do a higher end table before the end.
Bill
Hi Bill,
I followed a similar path to you regarding my experiences with comparing digital vs analogue during my more recent (last 4 years) of my hifi system life path.
When I first purchased my Chord DAVE and Chord M Scaler and linked it up to my Chord Blu MK1 to play CD's with High Fidelity Wave STORM BNC Digital Cables, I thought wow this sounds fantastic and sounded so much better than then my current Rega RP10 with Apheta 2 cartridge and Rega Aria Phono Stage. Therefore I played mostly CDs and SACD Hybrids (the SACD Hybrids always seemed to sound so much better than the standard CDs even though my Chord Blu could only play the hybrid part of the SACD). However, I could only listen to CD's (manily through my TOTL headphone system - Hifiman EF1000 Amp with Susvara headphones) and files direct from my PC for say 1 hour at most as I got hearing fatigue.
Then like you, I decided to look at buying a much better TT, wiht hoping I could listen to my music much longer than one hour at a time with my digital system, so with limited funds I decided to buy the Rega P10 TT with Apheta 3 cartridge and Rega's TOTL Phono Stage the Aura hoping it would sound better than the RP10 with Aria. It did sound better but again my DAVE & M Scaler & Blu set-up still sounded better.
So at this time I came to the conclusion that no way could analogue beat digital.
Then in July last year it all changed, as I saw advertised a one owner used one of my dream TT's a Kuzma XL DC with 4Point 11" arm from a Kuzma Dealer in Finland (who had initially sold this TT themselves to one of their customers, so the history etc. was good). So I managed to secure the funds for this very expensive TT with a fitted new MSL Eminent Ex cartridge fitted and set-up by the Kuzma Dealer as they had a new XL DC & 4Point 11" on demo so they could accurately set it up on my 4Point with the removable head shell etc. )
Wow, even connected to the Rega Aura phono stage wit a direct comparison to my Rega P10 it sounded amazing and was up there with my digital set-up. What was also important to me was that I could also listen to my music for much longer than an hour playing my vinyl on my Kuzma set-up. So I sold the Rega P10.
However I wasn't satisfied, and thought maybe with a TOTL phono stage I could surpass my digital set-up. So from August to October I heavily researched online looking at what phono stage I would buy (with an ideal match for my MSL Eminent Ex). I came to the conclusion that the CH Precision P1 would be best for me due to it's excellent reviews, high flexibility and set-up and I liked the look of the CH gear.
Again luck was on my side and a one owner used CH P1 came up for sale in November last year from a Hifi Dealer in Turkey. So with the funds from selling the Rega Aura and P10, I bought the P1.
Using the P1's MC1 current input connection, wow wow the sound transformed it all directions and more importantly it surpassed my Chord digital set-up. And I could listen to my music on vinyl for many hours at a stretch. I was in audio nirvana (with my TOTL headphone set-up).
However, there is a down side (like all things in life) with my TT set-up. And that is, I have had to spend quite a lot of money on set-up accessories for my TT in order to try and lower the record surface noise and ticks and pops (even though I clean all of my records with my original 1970's professional Keith Monks Classic RCM) and am still buying expensive accessories (i.e. ordered a CSPort IME1 Static Eliminator, going to buy AnalogMagik V2 software and a laptop and analogue to digital phono convertor to run it to make sure my cartridge is properly set-up, bought a good quality electrostatic tester, bought high quality digital TT level, bought a high quality digital scale for VTF, bought the Smart Tractor tool etc. etc.).
However, I don't mind having to buy all of these TT accessories as I enjoy using them and setting up my TT as I am a tactile kind of person. Also, if you put in the time to set up your TT yourself, you learn a lot and get great satisfaction from it.
Since July last year I now have over 530 hours of vinyl playback (use a digital stylus timer) with my vinyl music listening being over 95% now vs my digital CD listening. So like you, I now know analogue can be superior to digital.
However, also like you, I am thinking (long term) if the CH C1.2 with CH D1.5 would sound better than my Kuzma set-up and would also go with my CH P1 ? I would then sell all of my Chord gear (have a fullChord Choral speaker system in Spain) and concentrate over next 10 years to get a full CH Precision system which I would retire with. For now though (due to limited funds for this hobby, I think I will buy a used CH X1 to go with my P1 when I have saved up the funds.
