I have not heard an LP since around 1979 when the motor in my Dual 1218 went out, and being an impercunious student, I didn't get it fixed. I guess I just listened to FM until mid-1983 when my wife gave me a Philips CD player. I think it was 14-bit. I was so entralled with being able to turn up the volume without turning up the hiss, click, crackle and pop I donated my LPs to the public library for a tax deduction and began down the CD path. Point is, I have never heard a "shaded dog" or whatever on a state of the art analog set up. I am not about to go down that road now. I would rather listen to music that scrounge around garage sales for prized LPs.

With that introduction, I have always wondered whether audiophiles think LPs sound more life-like than CDs because of the subtle background noise. It is never dead silent at a concert. I'm wondering if it is the background noise you hear when playing an LP triggers the memory of the subtle background noise at a live event, and recreates that feeling of being there.

Just a thought.

561, DSP5500s, DSP5000C, analog sides and rears