Vinyl and Digital: How does the sound or listening experience differ?

[M2M]

Rather than argue or debate about which format is better, I would be much more interested in a discussion about how they sound different and why. Many of the analog versus digital discussions are about how one format sounds more and more like the other as it improves, but that does not begin to explain what I consider to be a much more fascinating discussion about their individual sounds. I am not talking about pops and clicks and poor pressings or convenience and access to unlimited streaming. I am also not interested in why people choose what they do. Their choices are theirs and their systems are for them to enjoy.

I would like to know how someone who has both vinyl and digital in the same system would describe the different listening experiences or presentations, and what might cause those differences. I want to avoid a debate about which format individuals think is better. I would like to learn what people actually hear as differences between the formats. We seem to be able to discuss differences between speaker types and amplifier types by pointing out strengths and weaknesses of each without getting into arguments. Some even prefer some speaker types for some genres of music. For amplifiers, it usually comes down to ability to drive speakers, but in both cases, people describe what they actually hear from specific typologies.

I used to visit a good friend who had both high-level vinyl and digital in his system and we would sit around, listen and compare the two formats, often with the same recording on one then on the other and then discuss what we heard. It was always fun and we learned some things for ourselves and from each other. These gatherings were never argumentative or combative.

I would like to try to have such a discussion with the members here and see where it leads us. What differences do we hear, and how do they affect the listening experience?

I have both top units.

Digital Pros: accurate, sound spread equally and perfectly from bottom to the top, not localized at a particular place same as nature sound production, modern, superior resolution, clear no muffle, great definition, able to define frequencies (low, mid, high, …), superior dynamic range and dynamics, accurate timing, composed, musical, potential produce perfect sound production or music instruments like real, able produce thunder bass like explosions, never boring, can be very athletic, very long listening sessions, can be relaxing

Cons: tonal is either complex or out of natural, less complete, slightly difficult to understand or digest or weird and may require some adaptation (but once adapted to its sound, it can be addictive afterward). Sizes and scales are strangely small, either shrinking or compressed like being manipulated. Things nudge together, brightly nosier, can be fatiguing or tiresome. Might cause a person to become a lonely personality. While the best CD remasters sound spectacular in everyway, it's never jaw-dropping! Not all CDs sound to an acceptable level, a poor master will likely be very unenjoyable and many out there. It may require re-mastering in order to bring the sound to an acceptable level and most of my CD collection has gone to this root, but there are very old CDs that sound great without needing a remaster.

Vinyl Pro: a humble experience like down earth, large size and scale, highly musical, immediately engaging, lot air, easy to understand and digest, not complicated or tricky or sophistically manipulated, natural, complete, non-fatigue. Many copies, either old or new, digital or analog, when well pressed they will make a very jaw drop or incredibly impressive. Can make a person more social, open, and happier. All records sound equally good. It's rare to find a copy that sounds bad or requires re-mastering. In fact, even new vinyl remasters which have made great improvements over pre-copies but do not necessarily fix any previous problem, Its unworthy process, can live with un-remastered copies perfectly.

- Cons: less accurate sound production. Most sounds are located in the middle midrange, which gives a warm, pleasing sound but not the same nature sound production, can affect the clarity and definitions. Some LPs don't sound right in terms of differentials between high and low, like there is separation or being equalized electronically, which slightly sounds unappropriated or complex. Moderate dynamics (but it's healthy vs explosive in CDs, which can be very distracting sometimes), less likely able to produce thunder bass like explosion sounds, horrid, sluggish or less athletic, not modern. Old sound production, and many LPs feel “really” outdated, can be inappropriate to listen in these days. May struggle bring music instrument as real life. It can be boring, toward the muffled side, few listening sessions.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Vinyl Pro: a humble experience like down earth, large size and scale, highly musical, immediately engaging, lot air, easy to understand and digest, not complicated or tricky or sophistically manipulated, natural, complete, non-fatigue.

This is what I hear as the sonic advantages of vinyl. These attributes support my personal sonic cues and my personal high-end audio objectives, and so this is why I prefer vinyl over digital.

 

[Atmasphere]

less accurate sound production. Most sounds are located in the middle midrange, which gives a warm, pleasing sound but not the same nature sound production, can affect the clarity and definitions.

How less accurate depends almost entirely on the playback apparatus!

The LPs themselves are remarkably low distortion. This is because for decades, LP recorders (cutting head and associated electronics) employed more feedback than most audio amplifiers did until sometime in the 2000s. This is because the mastering amps had their own feedback and then the cutter head has a feedback output and usually an additional 30dB (that is how much in my rig anyway) of feedback then wrapped around it and the cutter amps. The resulting distortion is exceedingly low, easily rivaling digital systems. With wider bandwidth as well...

Most of what is 'measured' is simply errors occurring in playback.

Based on what you have said about what you hear (so, anecdotal) it sounds as if your playback setup needs some kind of attention. You might want to look into it!