My conclusion is that there is a bigger difference in sound between recordings than there is between the mediums we buy the recording on.
I have superb sounding LPs and CDs
I have poor sounding LPs and CDs.
That’s my experience too.
However, I think we of course, have to acknowledge that when CDs came out people dropped LP’s pretty quickly for CDs.
Some of this may be attributed to the marketing of CDs, And the various conveniences associated with CDs. But also most of us heard better quality with CDs. So there was definitely a “ better sound quality factor” associated with the format itself.
My own experience in getting back into records, and purchasing what seems to be a really good turntable, was to revisit those comparisons. As it turns out, at least in terms of my impressions through my own system, yeah CD maintains those well-known Sonic advantages.
But on revisiting the differences, I have found the gap closed from perhaps how I perceived it when CD first arose, and the Sonic experience was totally new.
It turns out that I actually enjoy some of the Sonic character of LPs for its own sake, even while acknowledging I can hear it’s not as accurate. And also, the reacquaintance has reminded me of just how fantastic vinyl can actually sound. Over the years I started to associate vinyl sound with old dusty moth-eaten records, not well taken care of, with all sorts of noise and pops and ticks.
But now I’m experiencing newly produced vinyl, as well as picking up plenty of used vinyl in good (“NM” or “M”) condition which I clean with an ultrasonic cleaner.
And the result is that I can enjoy fantastic sound from vinyl as well as fantastic sound from CD. And in the end, I find the quality of recordings themselves more prominent in establishing the sound quality than Weather. I happen to be playing a record or a ripped CD.
That’s how it’s worked in playing things through my own speakers in my own room.
If I were listening through really high-quality headphones, I might find a shortcomings of vinyl more pronounced. But it sure sounds great through my speakers!