Giving up Vinyl for Better Digital - to do or not to do

I have both a P3 and a P8 as well as Auralic streaming systems. The streamers outshine both the P3 and the P8 at their respective levels. The P8 runs a Hana SL cart with a variable input phono (GN ph10) which allows me to get the best from it. The P3 has a Hana EL cart directly into a nac 82 mc card (E?) The P3 combo is very good and I wouldn’t look to upgrade to the P8 if I ran just one system and had the Auralic streamer. It may be worth looking at alternative carts and phono stages for your P3 to get closer the the 222/300 sound?

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I mainly listen to vinyl, but have a modest streaming set up too- Bluesound node and a chord qutest dac. I derive enormous pleasure from listening to both sources, and often stream music that I then go on to purchase on vinyl.
I won’t repeat all the non audio reasons to embrace vinyl previously posted- however I just love the turntable as an example of fantastic high quality engineering. When you consider what a turntable is tasked to do, it’s incredible.
To me- and ok may sound weird- they are beautiful items to own, never mind the sound they produce.
I still marvel at the sound I listen to from a pointy thing grinding over little bumps!
And then there is all the nostalgia too……

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Oh my goodness…a thinly disguised reiteration of the vinyl v digital debate.
Maybe the only answers are ever going to be…do what’s best for you (this will presumably include a consideration of what sounds best).

I do have my own opinion, of course, but so do we all!

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I think you are right in that these vinyl vs digital conversations are coming up in different forms. Isn’t that just a reflection of the increase in quality of digital systems though, now that they have been around for a while?

I could add my own thoughts on the poor quality of vinyl re issues and the milking via multiple anniversary releases but that may just be me.

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Yes, could play around with the P3, but I suspect some time at the dealer listening to turntables is probably required, just need to develop a shortlist of candidates that may perform at a noticeable level beyond 222/300 streaming.

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Are you sure you have E cards…? Great if you do, but they are a bit rare… :thinking:

(except in my house, where there are 2 sets…!!)

Anything to mask, if only for a few minutes, the essential futility of life, no?

I have a pair of each type. I just can’t remember which I am currently using. Pretty sure its’s the E in there( converted by Darran). The Hana EH isn’t quiet high enough an output for the 82 MM cards. Sounds a bit flat with the mm, the E lifts it.

Cool… :sunglasses:

Similar with the Dynavector 10X series - high output MC. They work into N boards , but E boards give a better gain match vs line level inputs.

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Um, well, assuming the debate to which you refer is one of relative SQ then, nope, my post is nowt to do with that at all. I made my choice years ago - as I said in the opening post, 99.9% of my listening is digital. (There are many reasons for this, but they not directly relevant to this post).

I just need a new dac, am out of budget and find the easiest/only way to pay for it, above a certain pricepoint, is to sell my vinyl gear. Selling it has far greater emotional rather than practical consequences for me, given I play a record about twice a year. So I was looking for feedback from others, some of whom may have given up their turntables, vis-a-vis any potential regrets I may encounter in selling mine and which I haven’t considered. Some responses led me to think, off-piste and briefly, about the cost of quality vinyl/playback, but these aren’t relevant to the central issue of whether the absence of my t/t’s nostalgic aura from atop my rack will make me depressed!

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Why just buy a DAC when you could buy an ADAC and have the best of both worlds? More than half of my prized digital music collection is captured at high quality from my vinyl. Its extremely convenient to play without wear and tear on my turntable.

Thanks. I’d never heard of an ADAC, so I’ve learned something today and that’s a well worthy bit of information. But I’ve already got digi versions of most of my small collection of vinyl albums that I’d listen to, these days; so converting them is not really an issue. However, a quality DAC is a priority and I can’t see an ADAC that would operate at the level of the likes of Mola Mola, Metronome, Weiss, Bricasti etc.

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I completely agree with this. An old, well fettled LP12 with mundane quality arm and cartridge through a valve preamp (£2000 total around 5 years ago) trounced an £8,500 DAC in musical enjoyment. When I managed to find a decent pressing and clean it effectively. The DAC was the most musical I could find at the time, at almost any price, so that’s saying something. This was to my ears though, and doesn’t mean the vinyl was ‘better’ than the DAC, just more enjoyable. But you either love trying to find decent old pressings and investing in cleaning equipment these days or you don’t…

I heard Mola Mola Tambaqui recently and thought it was frankly awful. Clinical and very uninvolving.

The only audiophile DACs I personally know about which have ADC are Meridian and Mytek, might be worth a look.

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How about a Denafrips Terminator! Chord Hugo TT?

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Yes, which DAC is the next mission…

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Good one Frenchrooster. As I have limited experience with DACs, I can’t comment much. I guess everyone knows that the selection will be dependent on the system and personal preferences as usual. Your current system may sound lean and bright and you need something more lush and organic, or the system currently sounds neutral to warm and you want something which sounds more open with better clarity and detail.

The Chord and Denafrips would get my vote. I only have experience with Chord QBD76 and I like the sound presentation. The signature house sound of Chord is light, airy, 3-dimensional and detailed. The Hugo TT2 and DAVE (used) should be the one to look at. I nearly bought a Denafrips to complement my Chord QBD76 but got something else instead. Denafrips Venus II and Terminator do look interesting.

Eagle3333 - I just looked at your system. Very nice, all quality components and speakers which certainly warrant a quality DAC.

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Thanks Ryder. I tested several DACs with my old speakers. The system needed some ‘warmth’ and the top end was too hot. After the speaker change that’s all gone into reverse - a good thing for my ears. So all my previous testing is a bit out the window. I found a Dave a bit thin-sounding previously but that might work in the new context. Never heard any Denafrips. Break-in should be largely finished in 2 wks; then the demo’s will kick off again :+1:

I’ve listed the t/t rig but I know I’m going to miss seeing it there. I expect to change my mind back and forth several times over next days!

Not my experience with the Dave far from it.

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Sure. We all interpret sounds differently. Anyway, the dac conversation is one for another time :slight_smile: