Merrill Audio Jens Phono Stage

What most non-audiophiles say when they see my system for the first time — after “Wow, those speakers are huge!” — is this: “You still listen to records?” By which they mean vinyl LPs, their implication being digital playback formats are of course superior to analog, and that I should get with the times. As politely and non-condescendingly as I can, I try to explain that, in my opinion, the very best analog rigs reproduce recorded music with higher fidelity than the very best digital rigs. Their response is usually skeptical — until I prove my point with a demonstration. Most doubters then become converts — or at least feign agreement.