WBF Poll: Which Sounds Better, Digital or Analog?

[amirm]

But that is precisely the question it does NOT ask. According to the question asked I find analog superior to digital in sound, from the experiences I personally have, but that is irrelevant for how I identify myself. I'm a digital-only guy. There you have it. (I did vote for digital, because that's where all the music is.)

Good. So you voted correctly.

 

[Al M.]

Did you not read the Poll question? Here it is: Which sounds best to you: analog or digital.

It does NOT ask which is superior or better in one's opinion.

What is not to understand? Gheez!

But those two are identical, which sounds best to you, and which is superior in your opinion. What is not to understand? Gheez!

 

[PeterA]

If we had a poll of is this white or is this black?... we would have an argument.

Black or white?

View attachment 20943

Yes, I'm sure we would, LOL.

Suppose one persons sees it as white and the vast majority of others see it as black, the first person might not get what the others see and will often simply dig in and defend his original position, as we recently saw.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

I am one vote for each, I play both sides of the fence with equality and without malice!

I just want to be engaged in the music.

 

[TBone]

I am one vote for each, I play both sides of the fence with equality and without malice!

I just want to be engaged in the music.

LOL ... a bit like getting into a groove.

 

[Bruce B]

All I'm going to say is the recording determines what sounds best.... not the format!

 

[PeterA]

All I'm going to say is the recording determines what sounds best.... not the format!

Bruce, if you selected a superb recording in each format and played them all on your equipment, which would you prefer?

 

[NorthStar]

...The music recording quality from the music genre we love best. ...It happens with analog, and it happens too with digital.

Often called "Magic".

 

[Bruce B]

Bruce, if you selected a superb recording in each format and played them all on your equipment, which would you prefer?

That is not a format preference but an equipment/recording preference.

 

[rbbert]

That is not a format preference but an equipment/recording preference.

Sometimes the most diplomatic answer may also be the most truthful one

 

[ddk]

I'm not as harsh with my words. When I edited "entry level" to "commodity level" I should have edited both in the sentence.

When my daughter got her first LP and it was played on an SL-1200 M5G (w Ortofon Concorde Elliptical) which costs 2/3 a Denon package and compared to the UK CD played on a CDJ-2000 Nexus (about the price of the Denon package) feeding the same Nexus mixer over powered monitors, everyone that's heard it preferred the vinyl. A CDJ 2000 is not a commodity level CD player. It is a live performance industry standard. I don't like to bring price into the discussion because there are a lot of under and over performers on both sides of the divide. The topic is best vs best to us so that's why I voted analog. For every other situation my answer would be it depends. A moron with a SOTA table or one with a poorly selected and cared for LP collection will have his ass handed to him by a guy with a laptop and USB DAC. I sincerely believe that.

Don't know how much harsher you can get than using Crosley and Walmart together !

Entry level for me means just that, irrespective of cost the least you can spend and still get real long term satisfaction from it. I was curious to see what you'd pick from the current crop. As far as morons go, that's whole other story.

david

 

[ddk]

If we had a poll of is this white or is this black?... we would have an argument.

Black or white?

View attachment 20943

Neither! Its grey when you squint.

david

 

[esldude]

Don't know how much harsher you can get than using Crosley and Walmart together !

Entry level for me means just that, irrespective of cost the least you can spend and still get real long term satisfaction from it. I was curious to see what you'd pick from the current crop. As far as morons go, that's whole other story.

david

To continue with the contrarian tone of the whole thread................

Anything you could buy and get long term satisfaction isn't entry level. It is the final level. If you buy and upgrade due to dissatisfaction then that is entry level. So HA! Take that.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

What makes it not useful? We have 64 people voting so far with 39 voting for Analog. As it happens, that is exactly the number of votes we need to have 95% chance that the data is not random (i.e. p<.05). So if you mean from statistical point of view, I don't see what invalidates it.

It is not invalid but I do not see any use for it except to encourage discussion.

 

[NorthStar]

It is not invalid but I do not see any use for it except to encourage discussion.

I see the exact same as you Kal; to encourage discussion.

__________

* By the way, 60/40 is the general trend here (analog/digital respectively).

 

[ddk]

To continue with the contrarian tone of the whole thread................

Anything you could buy and get long term satisfaction isn't entry level. It is the final level. If you buy and upgrade due to dissatisfaction then that is entry level. So HA! Take that.

That's one way of looking at it if you have stunted mental growth. Most people I know want to grow and improve on what gives brings them enjoy. Dissatisfaction is the sign of entry into another place that you seem well acquainted with, why invest more in your misery?

david

 

[PeterA]

That is not a format preference but an equipment/recording preference.

I'll rephrase: Do you prefer listening to your turntable or to your digital source if the recording quality is the same?

Or are you saying that as long as the recording is of the highest quality, and for the sake of argument, say you have the best available recording in each format, and the best, in your opinion, of each possible equipment for the various sources, that is, your favorite recordings being played on your favorite equipment for each format, then you still don't have a preference for format? Do they all sound the same to you? Or do they sound different but one is not clearly preferable by you to any of the others?

 

[microstrip]

That is not a format preference but an equipment/recording preference.

Surely. It is why I would appreciate reading your comparative findings about the PD, the Vivaldi, the new Metronome C8+ and the Trinity.

 

[esldude]

Most people I know want to grow and improve on what gives brings them enjoy.

That is right, and that promise of growth and improvement will bring them more satisfaction. Yet those people upgrade on the idea of improving upon what they have in the short term. So how can you call it long term satisfaction? I think it is also true once people upgrade and experience the improvement, what was satisfactory in the past no longer would be. Quite often in fact one is satisfied with something, and gets to hear equipment a step or two up in quality. That then prompts them to upgrade.

 

[bonzo75]

Surely. It is why I would appreciate reading your comparative findings about the PD, the Vivaldi, the new Metronome C8+ and the Trinity.

Why, when people are finding the Lampi b7 better than all of them