"Variety is the spice of life!" I returned to vinyl after a 25+ year hiatus. It's fun
Moreover, I'm beguiled by R2R...life has its pleasant diversions 
Too Late For Analog?
- Thread starter BFlowers
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"Variety is the spice of life!" I returned to vinyl after a 25+ year hiatus. It's fun
Moreover, I'm beguiled by R2R...life has its pleasant diversions This is unfortunately somewhat system specific. My DAC and Pre amp have separate, very large powers supplies. I had them both plugged into an excellent power conditioner. Someone suggested that I plug them directly into the wall, which I did to glorious effect. My system has never sounded so liquid and alive. It's a long story why I didn't get to this place sooner.
"Variety is the spice of life!" I returned to vinyl after a 25+ year hiatus. It's fun
You know what's interesting Sam is that with all the advances in digital technology, people tend to overlook that analog playback has made many significant advances since the First Year of Perfect Sound. I think people would be shocked at just how "colored" cartridge of 10 years ago are compared to the present day transducers.
Now sure will get blasted on this one but if audiophiles ever heard a good 15 ips tape, they could never go back and listen to digital.
Myles
And you shall be!!
.. I have heard some good in the past and still find the best digital as good or better than the best analog ... Different and often better ... . I will accept that CD is not the equal of the best analog but 24/96 is IMHO superior .. I am NOT a fan of SACD, call it an engineer itch since I find the process wasteful and overly convoluted but, yes, I do find some SACDs superior to their LP counterparts, the Mercury SACD are to me superior to many if not most of the LP I have heard in very resolving systems ...Frantz
Frantz,
my position relative to your above 'very strong' statement is well documented....no need to repeat it here.
someday Frantz i hope you can visit me so we can both hear why i feel the way i do and you can show me what makes you say what you say about digital. for now we'll simply have to disagree.
respectfully,
Mike
I would go further: as a medium CD is superior to tape. In practice, that may not be (and regrettably quite often is not) the case due to, amongst other reasons, the mastering. And to those who would pose the irrelevant question of whether I personally have heard the best analog has to offer, I have, both tape and vinyl.
Hi Myles,
I believe your supposition correct regarding analogue playback progression as it pertains to vinyl, especially. I am so seduced by analogue tape that I am researching the purchase of another Studer and possibly a Nagra for location recording
I just ordered a kit from R.B. Annis that will allow me to measure magnetic field and provide me an idea of my demagnetizing technique...it's their "audiophile" package - LOL!Vbr,
Sam
Myles
And you shall be!!
Frantz
Well maybe someday we can do the Mercury LP/SACD at my place. I pretty much have all the original LPs eg. early pressings. I'll also be glad to play any of the XRCD jazz reissues vs. the 45 rpm reissues.
Ron,
You certainly have a point with the mastering process. As I've said, from personal experience more is lost in the mastering of CDs than LPs, for many reasons. People would be very surprised if they heard what was put down on the hard disc.
That said, it always seems like there's another excuse as to why digital doesn't cut the mustard, Miking. Mastering, Jitter. The list goes on. It's been 30 years and one would have thought the digital engineers would have gotten their act together.
And dont get me wrong. I'd love if digital was better than analog. I have no vested interest other than producing the best sound possible from my system. But right now that's R2R tape followed by analog.
Myles, I guess it depends upon which colored glasses you wear. To those wearing analog colored glasses - an appropriate metaphor basic on solid science - digital doesn't *cut the mustard*. To those who espouse the virtues of digital, analog doesn't cut the mustard, and the analog guys always come up with excuses, e.g., "have you ever heard high end analog?", but never offering solid science to back up their claims.
I posed this question to you before: how did you arrive at your stated preference for analog? This is not a trick question. I ask it only to understand how you arrived at your stated preference.
I posed this question to you before: how did you arrive at your stated preference for analog? This is not a trick question. I ask it only to understand how you arrived at your stated preference.
Hi
I do understand the notion of preferences. I can live with that. I can even understand the need for exaggeration to make a point but let us not repeat it with too much force, because the days when
I do agree with you however that the best analogue is R2R. I like the fact that with R2R, one does not have to pay an arm and a leg to get to the analog SOTA ... Not much software though ...
In the meantime, any PC with a sub 2K DAC can deliver SOTA sound with the right system... That does require some work but what doesn't?
Digital is there.., and not going anywhere but up ...
Frantz
I will take on your offers Mike and Myles .. 3 months form now ...
I do understand the notion of preferences. I can live with that. I can even understand the need for exaggeration to make a point but let us not repeat it with too much force, because the days when
are over. Engineers who don't know how to record properly predate digital. Multi Miking almost brought the fine art of recording to its death and the practice continue, EQ is overused and things are over processed .. That has nothing to do with the Digital process in itself. It is a recording/Mastering/Producer issue. Something they would have done in analog , something They HAVE done in analog when one remembers the quality of the late 70's LP...
I do agree with you however that the best analogue is R2R. I like the fact that with R2R, one does not have to pay an arm and a leg to get to the analog SOTA ... Not much software though ...
In the meantime, any PC with a sub 2K DAC can deliver SOTA sound with the right system... That does require some work but what doesn't?
Digital is there.., and not going anywhere but up ...
Frantz
I will take on your offers Mike and Myles .. 3 months form now ...
From many aspects, the most pertinant being kindly invited to some of David Chesky's recording sessions and being able to compare the tape with the digital recording. (and his digital recordings sound shockingly better than the final product; it's just not close!) Not quite like a live mike feed but the closest I can get.
To me, tubes sound more realistic than solid-state; to others solid-state sounds closer to the music. That's what keeps the industry going and sells magazines
Digital kind of reminds me of what the powers to be have wreaked upon the late, great Carnegie Hall. Carnegie's gone from a warm, dynamic hall that project sound to a cold, sterile place where the music just stays on the stage (if one really wants to experience music projecting into the hall, go to Boston Symphony hall; there aren't many like this old lady!) And you know what? All the acoustical experts are there to tell you the hall measures the same; but damn, it don't sound the same!
Nice!
You know, it's funny, because analog reminds me of coffee with cream and sugar, whereras digital is black coffee. Once you turn black you ..., oh, wait a sec, nevermind.
Uh Miles, aren't your R2R tapes analog? I think you meant to say R2R followed by LPs.
Nice!
You know, it's funny, because analog reminds me of coffee with cream and sugar, whereras digital is black coffee. Once you turn black you ..., oh, wait a sec, nevermind.
Ron-I like my coffee black and I have always said that people who use cream and sugar aren't real coffee drinkers. Don't even get me started on flavored coffees. Having said that, I don't like your analogy. Analog speaks the truth so it is black coffee using your terms. That would make digital like coffee made with some bitter beans. It's hard to swallow after you have tasted the good stuff.
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