Digital Or Analog; How Do You Get Your Fix?

How Do You Get Your Audio Fix

  • Analog

    Votes: 13 16.7%
  • Digital

    Votes: 26 33.3%
  • Both-mostly analog

    Votes: 26 33.3%
  • Both-mostly digital

    Votes: 13 16.7%

  • Total voters
    78

Mosin

[Industry Expert]
Mar 11, 2012
895
13
930
I marked both in the poll, but I don't even have any digital in my main system. This computer has a pro soundcard, and it is connected to CJ electronics and KEF speakers. I call it the YouTube machine. :D

That cobbled together computer system probably gets more use than the big setup because I like seeing and hearing the videos of live performances that I find online. A lot of artists' music has been added to my vinyl collection because of my online wanderings.

So, low bitrate digital is for finding out about musicians, and analog is to escape the pressures of the day through its more accurate presentation. I don't think I could do without either of them.


Win
 

JackD201

WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
12,303
1,420
1,820
Manila, Philippines
I think what's holding back higher resolution content is connection speed and cost of memory. When I did my first round of ripping, iPods had a measly 5Gs of RAM! No surprise I had to do it at 128 which I believe was where the itunes store started at as well.

I can imagine them doing high rez eventually if customers have connections fast enough to give that quick fix. The memory? I think providing Hi-rez content can actually push hardware sales of which faster processing and more memory has always been a driver (at least for me).

That said, when I want to treat myself........I still go analog. :)
 

Johnny Vinyl

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
May 16, 2010
8,570
51
38
Calgary, AB
So, low bitrate digital is for finding out about musicians, and analog is to escape the pressures of the day through its more accurate presentation. I don't think I could do without either of them.

Well said and pretty much on par with how I listen to digital, although I have a fairly decent .flac collection. YouTube videos are a great way to discover new artists and content I've never heard from established ones.
 

theophile

Well-Known Member
99.999999999999% records.

I have some music DVDs, but that's Audiovisual. For pure music it's 100% records.

And, loving it.
 

NorthStar

Member
Feb 8, 2011
24,305
1,323
435
Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
---Hi theophile, and Welcome!
 

iamtimbabb

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
223
59
935
Itasca, Illinois, USA
I voted mostly analog. I would like to play more digital, but my digital setup is far behind my analog front end so it does not provide nearly the musical enjoyment. Perhaps if I had a better digital front end, things might be different.
 

Shaffer

New Member
Nov 2, 2012
583
3
0
NYS
95% analog. I do play CDs: some I like, some music (like ambient) is served better by the silver disc, no need to flip sides for background listening.
 

Garth

Member Sponsor
Feb 23, 2014
299
0
0
Don't anyone use this line but I am too lazy for analog. :D So voted all digital. Our R2R being a small exception.

Let's get more members voting. The poll is anonymous. Would be good to know what our members uses. So please vote!

Analog for President vote early vote often.
 

Ronm1

Member Sponsor
Feb 21, 2011
1,745
4
0
wtOMitMutb NH
I think the vast majority of us here became audiophiles even before the advent of CD, which is why the current poll stats seem surprising to me. Although some may not be willing to admit
'68 with Sansui AU/TU, Elac/Miracord 50h/Shure v15 typeII on med cruise while in USN. On return added AR 2ax then AR3's. Things progressed from there, Carver Cube, Carver Receiver, diff tables then in early 80's a Nak OM5. On a later med cruise an Akai deck. Later a Nak cassette not the Dragon one just below.
 
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f1eng

Well-Known Member
Jul 24, 2014
128
9
248
Oxfordshire
I mainly listen to digital, usually CD but some computer files too. I play LPs on my Goldmund Reference TT every now and again, when the music I want to listen to next is on LP.
IMHO there is a much bigger difference in recording quality between recordings than there is between the media they are distributed on.
I have many fabulous sounding CDs, some from the birth of the medium, and some awful ones.
I have some superb sounding LPs and some dire ones.

IME the quality of the original recording is massively more important than the difference between CD and LP.

And also music one enjoys is great even on a poor quality recording, whereas music that is not to one's taste is unsupportable even at superlative recording quality. Certainly it is this way for me.
 

treitz3

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 25, 2011
5,455
949
1,290
The tube lair in beautiful Rock Hill, SC
*clears throat* :)

Tom
 

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