Sure most music recorded in the past 30 years are in digital format. But early Redbook digital sucks. That already rules out a large part of the catalogue. I don't think any manipulation today can salvage the problems caused by the awful sounding early digital tape machines, convertors, DAWs etc. And try getting Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin (bring Bonzo back to life !), the Beatles, Heifetz, Du Pre etc. to make a digital recording...... Not that there aren't great performers in the digital era, but these folks were unique. I agree original digital recordings are better off staying digital. But are old analogue recordings better converted to digital or cut into vinyl LPs ? For me, I try to get as close to the original as possible by getting hold of the master tapes. A 15 ips 1:1 copy of the master (production or safety) usually sounds better to me than any commercial LP release of the same recording. A close second is a high rate DSD (DSD128 minimum) transfer straight from the tape. I get annoyed by the surface noise of LPs, the distortion esp. towards the end of a side, the wow due to an off center spindle hole, the compression often applied during mastering etc. Vinyl lovers tend to overlook these imperfections, but they are really annoying once you get used to formats that don't have these problems.
Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
- Thread starter ScottK
- Start date
I'm a simple kind of guy when it comes to this I don't get caught up in all of the technical nuances of one versus the other, rather I listen and let what i hear decide. I stated this a while back either in this thread or another akin to this one that when I was at Gestalt Audio in Nashville a couple of years ago Colin played the same tracks via a TW Acustic TT (don't recall the model and didn't ask what arm and cartridge and phono stage) , aTron Electric Signature DAC and Aurrender N30 stream, and a Neodio Origine S2 CD player. The music via each sounded wonderful drawinging you in, and no matter the female vocalist i thougth she was singing right in front of me.. My assessment between the three was that the TW Acustic drew you in even more , not night and day more than the other two but it was there. I don't have an analogue rig primarily because there aren't enough vinyl releases within the sub-genre of jazz which is my main listening, hence I didn't enter the audition with an "analogue bias". I did leave with the Neodio as I spin CDs. I could have easily purchased the Tron DAC and fed it with either the SimAudio 260DT transport that's now in my 2nd system or another , but the Neodio has a slightly smoother sound that I prefer. Net net, my point of all of this if you haven't already maybe consider taking the time to do a listening compare and let that answer your question vs the techical production in and outs. JMTC.
Since the topic of streaming has already been raised...One advantage is ease of sharing the music with others in the household (that is, using one system vs. distributing music throughout the house which is a different topic).
It makes me curious about whether vinyl lovers allow other folks in the home to put on a record. When my father introduced us to classical music via a TT, tubes and mono-speaker, putting a record on was verboten. Records were sacred objects only handled with the greatest of care, and washed with water and a soft sponge, but actually placing it and playing it was one man's domain.
I am reminded of the time when I went to visit someone for the first time to hear his system. I brought about 10 records with me. After talking and becoming acquainted and maybe having a bit of food, he took me down to his large listening room. He then simply said, “You brought some records, why don’t you pick one out and play it for us?“
This was an utterly unique request. There was no sense of caution or need for control. He did not say anything about the system or condition me to what I was about to experience. His collection of turntables was the most exotic and rare I had ever seen and he had an unusual array of cartridges and multiple arms.
I put on one of my records and and instantly knew this system was different and very special. It is the best system I have ever heard. The owner was incredibly casual and I noted a sense of confidence and pride in what he had created. The discussion that followed was about the music and not the sound.
I sure am glad I didn’t break anything.
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your facts are incorrect. Al masters are not digital. Check Analogue Productions, Classic Records, fone’, Audio Nautes, Vinyl me Please, Electric Recording Company, Reference Recordings, Deutsche Gramophone Original Source, Speakers Corner, Blue Note Tone Poet, etc. etc. For the past 40 years vinyl (if from well-mastered minimally processed pure analogue master tapes) always sounded much more real than any digitally processed version of the same cut to vinyl. Adding the extra step of converting to digital then back to analogue before cutting to vinyl only worsened the sound, it most certainly never improved the sound. If what you are claiming is that all vinyl during the past 30 years was mastered to digital reel to reel, not analogue, I would argue that a great deal may have but not all. I would also argue that it was a wicked thing to do (never marked as such on the covers, no doubt an effort to saturate the small but devoted vinyl market with sub-quality digital-to-vinyl products in order to confuse and disillusion until the entire market of all formats was theirs (and all digital).
This will not change the facts, but if it makes you feel better then go ahead and bury your head in the sand. It will make no difference to me but it will cheat you of learning opportunities.
Wife's are definitely not allowed near the TT, they are destroyers of cartridges !Since the topic of streaming has already been raised...One advantage is ease of sharing the music with others in the household (that is, using one system vs. distributing music throughout the house which is a different topic).
It makes me curious about whether vinyl lovers allow other folks in the home to put on a record. When my father introduced us to classical music via a TT, tubes and mono-speaker, putting a record on was verboten. Records were sacred objects only handled with the greatest of care, and washed with water and a soft sponge, but actually placing it and playing it was one man's domain.
Lost expensive cartridges to both of my wife's dusting fetishes ! Had preemptively placed TT in separate equipment room that was of limits because of experience with first wife. She went in and liftet TT so she could dust under it anyway. Goodbye second cartridge !
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Rega Planar 10 Turntable Review - The Absolute Sound
British turntable specialist Rega thinks way outside the box with the new RP10. Stephen Scharf reports.
www.theabsolutesound.com
YesRega Planar 10 Turntable Review - The Absolute Sound
British turntable specialist Rega thinks way outside the box with the new RP10. Stephen Scharf reports.
I was wondering if it's up to the WBF standards or is it low end ?
Very setup dependent , with the right cart, Phono pre and LP’s , Yes ...!
If you purchase an IC based phono pre , maybe not and will sound similar to your digital ..!
Regards
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
Why would you really ask a question other than to be a provocateur? What is the WBF standard? Better yet the question is would it meet your standard? What is your kit?Yes
I was wondering if it's up to the WBF standards or is it low end ?
Okay, thanks for the follow-up. When I see claims about access to new music as a benefit of streaming, I don't take them in the sense that you describe, which is more about 'undiscovered music' or new-to-me music. I grant that what you describe does obtain but in that way there is nothing unique or special about streamings' access to new music. The sense I get about the access-to-new-music claim by streamers is that it is access to music that is not, or not yet, available on other formats and thus an argument for the format.
I'm asking because even a $100K turntable feels kind of low end around here
I wouldn't have asked that on some other budget audiophile forum
Republicoftexas69
Well-Known Member
My turntable was built in 1978 in Germany. So here is the question what is your kit? And you seem to be bit troubled by what other people have or what you do not have in your system. This is a highly personal hobby and I know I am not here for affirmation but rather to learn from others.
If I follow you correctly I agree there are other means to uncover new to me/undiscovered music. I use several all the time including the WBF thread What's Spinning Tonight.
I honestly have never gotten the sense that not yet available music can be accessed via streaming, but that's just my sense as I have no direct knowledge if you can since I don't stream
why dont you just enjoy your source of preference instead of being a horses a55, what does it matter what one prefers or spends on there source
Depends on what WBF standards (music centric or gear centric) you are referring to.Yes
I was wondering if it's up to the WBF standards or is it low end ?
Back when he was Audiogod, he was between systems, now with his new fictive name, he might have a fictive system too !
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