I had some friends over last night. It was not a listening session so I just played CDs.
One of them asked to hear Sonny Rollins so I played his SACD “Saxophone Colossus”. It sounds great. Then he asked is vinyl really better than that? When I played the vinyl version he was wide eyed. Thereon it became a listening party.
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Theoretically and technically digital audio can sound better than analog because it offers higher resolution and a greater dynamic range, minimizing noise and distortion inherent in analog systems. However, the perceived superiority depends on the quality of equipment and the specific format…
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Digital has it’s own distortions, jitter, for example.
And digital often eliminates harmonic distortions like second and third order that many people find pleasing.
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As with all things it depends. Digital still tends to sound mechanical and less natural to these ears, even on extremely high end systems. It tends to bring along its own distortions and colors, clearly not immune from gremlins, just different gremlins. The Playback Designs MPD-8 has changed my thoughts somewhat, whereas DCS, MSB, and PSA are the basis for the comment.
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So let me zoom in on my personal listening ability when comparing vinyl to digital on my system:
Vinyl:
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Comes across warmer, smoother, and a little softer. Vocals especially have a pleasing roundness.
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Surface noise—pops, crackle, light hiss—is audible. Some find it nostalgic; I find it distracting (and I grew up with vinyl).
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Bass is there, but usually not as deep or tight as digital.
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Overall, vinyl feels friendlier and more “musical,” even if it’s technically less precise.
Digital:
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Sounds cleaner, sharper, and quieter. Silence between tracks is absolute.
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Bass is tighter and often deeper.
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Details—like finger slides or reverb tails—come through more clearly.
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At times it can feel a little clinical, as if it’s showing you everything, flattering or not.
My Takeaway:
With my system and my ears, I can always tell which is which. Vinyl = cozy, slightly fuzzy charm. Digital = clean, precise, more punch.
Which do I prefer? Honestly, both. But these days I find myself focusing more on digital—which is partly why I’m debating my path forward.
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Yesterday my brother and I decided to compare my LP system to the Playback Designs MPD-8 directly. We spend 6 hours comparing 45rpm and UHQR clear vinyl records directly to DSD64, DSD256, PCM196, and SACD play back with PS Audio PST and MK2 Dac.
You would probably think I would say my vinyl should walk all over the digital formats, but nothing is further from the truth. Playing DSD256 of “Art Pepper meets The Rhythm Section and Sonny Rollins Way Out West” actually sounds better than the 45rpm version. Images pop out more with better presence less overhang with DSD256. Fullness, texture, and ease of sound is about the same which is really surprising because I have never heard a digital source that can equal vinyl in that reguards, and this is a first. Actually DSD64 just about indistinguishable from 45rpm. But the UHQR had the most detail and clarity of them all. I believe its due to the superior mastering of the UHQR recordings. With the 45rpm of “We Get Requests The Oscar Peterson Trio”, the DSD256 version gets the nod for better clarity and presense. With the 45rpm of “Shelby Lanne”, the 24bit 196khz also gets the nod for the same. So generally that’s the theme except for the SACD. I didn’t want to talk about my PS Audio combo because it really sounds digital with leaned out images and a bit hard sounding. Bass I like before on vinyl because it sounds more bigger now I prefer with the new dac. It’s now as big, but with much better control and extention. I may want to try the new PMG Dac for my SACDs since I have many single layer SACD’s when the dust settles and if that Dac is as good as they say, similar to @dchang05’s situation.
My LP turntable with “My Sonic Labs Diamond” cartridge vs Playback Designs MPD-8.
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There is not much room to further advance analog anymore, but digital format will continue to improve for sure. Just look how many new components have been released from the digital side for the past few years. I myself have changed four streamers in the past three years and the latest one sounded so much better. I do not have analog components to compare, but I am so satisfied with digital that I will not consider going into analog at all. I believe soon digital will surpass LPs, and we may have gotten there already from wayman’s experience.
It makes me wonder if the top level digital from MSB, Innuos, and other ultra-expensive digital gear has already done that.
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If it does, I don’t hear it at the dealers and shows. The Playback Designs is the first I heard that do not have a digital signature at all, Check it out when you have a chance.
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My Music Decision for Retirement
As I step into retirement, I’ve been weighing whether to continue expanding my vinyl collection—with all the turntables, cartridges, and gear that entails—or to go all-in on digital, from CDs and SACDs to streaming. Cost is the big sticking point. Vinyl has never been cheap, and prices seem to keep climbing. Meanwhile, my retirement budget will need to prioritize the house, health, travel, and other essentials.
Listening on my system, here’s what I notice:
Vinyl: Warm, smooth, slightly softer. Vocals have a roundness that’s very appealing. Surface noise—pops, crackle, hiss—is audible, which I find distracting. Bass is present but not as tight or deep as digital. Overall, vinyl is friendlier, more “musical,” though less precise.
Digital: Clean, sharp, and absolutely quiet between tracks. Bass is tighter, and subtle details—finger slides, reverb tails—come through clearly. It can feel a bit clinical at times, but it’s precise and revealing.
My takeaway: I love both. Vinyl offers cozy, slightly fuzzy charm; digital delivers clarity and punch. But lately, I find myself gravitating toward digital.
Decision: I’m going to keep a smaller, curated vinyl collection while shifting most future listening and collecting toward digital.
Why:
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Vinyl’s unique value: It’s not just music—it’s an experience. The artwork, the sound, the ritual of dropping the needle—these are worth preserving. But I don’t need to chase every new release.
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Digital practicality: My digital library already mirrors much of my vinyl collection. I won’t lose access to music if I slow or stop buying records.
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Costs and space: Vinyl is increasingly expensive and takes up room. Retirement favors less clutter and fewer ongoing expenses.
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Middle ground: By focusing on the albums that matter most, I preserve the connection to vinyl without letting it dominate my budget or space.
Conclusion: Enjoy the vinyl I already love. Stop chasing every pressing. Rely on digital for convenience, breadth, and clarity. This approach gives me the best of both worlds without compromise.
Thank you to everyone who offered input and joined the discussion.
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Just your opinion, a fallacy, which lies behind the notion of self-esteem in your digital audio equipment. Nothing wrong with that per se. But for you to claim analogue has levelled out, not buying that, because you prefer the workings of digital.
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Do not want to start another analog vs. digital debate here. We all have our preference and that is fine.
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Sensible, as you are already invested in analog.
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If only I had a nickel…
I’m glad this subject was brought up. I find it quite interesting.
The DS audio optical cartridges really opened my eyes…..er, ears.
Not that anyone needs another opinion on this topic, but I’ll throw this (not very original) one out there… this coming from someone who was steadfastly digital-only and refused to even touch vinyl for the first 30 years of their audio journey, and only just got their first ‘table and starting collecting some records last year.
Assuming reasonably high quality playback systems for both, the analog vs. digital question is much less for me about which format is “better” and more “do I have the recordings I want on one or both media, and do they tend to sound better on one or the other.” Being a classical listener/violinist (with an oboist wife) that seeks out many older performances, a good vintage pressing of a great artist from the past (e.g. Heifetz) simply brings me closer to the essence of their original performance. Certainly a clean Living Stereo shaded dog, but even many a commonly-available DG or Philips pressing of average provenance sounds far more vibrant and present to me than a hi-res remaster of the same. I don’t think it’s necessarily all digital’s “fault” - the master tapes have undoubtedly faded further since they were used for those pressings. But once you hear a good vinyl copy it’s very hard to go back to the digital remaster.
With source material being more equal (a modern pressing made from a digital master - yuck - vs. a hi-res stream), vinyl and digital sound shockingly close on my system. In that case, the win obviously goes to the more convenient format, and I feel like a real sucker when I mistakenly buy one of those discs. Using the Mola Mola Makua phono vs. Tambaqui DAC with similar analog circuitry likely keeps the playing field pretty even, and I’ve been impressed by how neutral and clean vinyl is through that chain. The main advantage digital never cedes is deep bass impact and dynamics, but then, I’m sure my vinyl setup could be tweaked to close some of that gap (I admittedly didn’t spend very much time dialing it in).
If you switch gears to contemporary performances, of course a modern 24/96 Harmonia Mundi track or the like takes the cake for sheer realism, and there’s lots of great new recordings I enjoy discovering in that format, but I’ll never get to hear Heifetz that way.
So I have both for now, and they serve different recordings/purposes. Good vinyl playback has really helped me recognize areas where my digital system needs improvement (e.g. the whole switch shenanigans), but beyond that, I mostly look at them as different tools for different jobs. If one of the jobs isn’t enjoying vintage pressings, I think the value of a vinyl system goes down dramatically - I find modern audiophile pressings to be not very compelling, and not a good enough reason to invest in the format.
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I’m extremely tempted to try a DS 003. The Kuzma CAR-30 is perfectly matched to my Kuzma table/arm and while my expectations for a first vinyl setup were very fuzzy, it’s handily exceeded them. But I wonder if the DS would close some of the macro dynamics and bass impact gap from digital…
I’m enjoying these digital vs. analog debates. It’s our nature to seek the best that can be offered and replicated.
I don’t see the type of system as end game but rather a long term process to seek immediate gratifications. Who is playing and how that was captured makes a greater difference, to me, than
what it is playing on.
Whether fixed or streamed, low or hi res, whatever moves the emotion meter the most takes the prize.
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I just listened to some music on my MacBook. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Here, here!
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