Well I can't agree with a blanket statement that CDs 'just don't sound right'.
If CDs are mixed properly & do not utilize compression, they can & do sound fabulous. Take just about any TELARC label CDs/SACDs - I have a bunch from decades back. When those guys engineered an album, they knew what they were doing & I've rarely ever heard a disparaging remark about their work. They mixed the content properly using minimal micing techniques & never used compression. Unfortunately Concord bought them out & basically disbanded that crew but their stuff is still widely available.
Other examples include Eric Clapton's more recent CDs that are characterized by outstanding dynamic, crisp, full sound that are most enjoyable. Just contrast them to some of his older digital recordings - the differences are dramatic. Compressed & thin describes those offerings as is all too common.
Mediocrity throughout the music recording industry abounds & I don't know why the artists put up with this situation because it can make them sound like crap. It is not the fault of the digital medium but those who adversely manipulate it.
For me, the advantages of the CD/SACD format (when they are properly produced) far outweigh going back to vinyl. Furthermore, SACDs generally appear to me to be superior to CDs, not as much due to the medium, but because more care seems to be taken during the entire production process...
TAM
