What do you consider SOTA digital? DCS? Playback design? Weiss? Stahltek? Constellation? Or something else. None are cheap dates.
I'd gladly put all of them up against something like the VPI Classic 3 combined with say a $5K Allnic Puritas, ZYX Omega or Lyra Titan i cartridge
Hi Myles, you're right. Many of the SOTA digital pieces are experiences. Still, i admit (while not being an analogue guy at all), it seems SOTA digital (ie, the uppermost price point) is probably the wadia series 9 or the DCS full stack...roughly 50K-70K. (Stahl-Tek has new Opus which to be fair may be more?) In the case of turntables, it seems we have seen a launch into a few 6-figure turntables (all-in...tone arm, cartridge, etc). Hey, i'm not an analogue guy but that is my impression.
As for which plays better for the money...well, i think many would say (aside from the maintenance), vinyl still rules.