CDs sound demonstrably better than vinyl

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]
[quote user="JohnDuncan"]So anyway. Despite the fact that I was being devil's advocate (based on comments in another thread) for comic effect........[/quote]

's , you say???
[/quote]

Don't please. Too early and one too many whiskey's last night. Cheapo Irish stuff. Bad idea.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JohnDuncan"]So anyway. Despite the fact that I was being devil's advocate (based on comments in another thread) for comic effect........

The best sound I have *personally* heard is from a CD system, but that had an eight grand pair of speakers on the end of it. My vinyl and CD systems sound pretty much the same (primarily because I am amplificatorily challenged at the mo), apart from the inherent disadvantages of vinyl (I have some pretty ropey records, no matter how much I clean them with my Knosti Disco Antistat©), and currently my 'table is not set up to perform its best (not enough isolation, I could feel it throbbing to the beat last night, so to speak).

But its biggest advantage to my mind is that I now have 500+ *more* LPs to play, since I don't have them on CD..........[/quote]

Yus, let's at least attempt to be serious, if only briefly. I'm coming from the other end of the hi fi spectrum, as my entire set up weighs in at around £1000. I find that the sound quality I get off vinyl varies a lot. I'm not sure if that has to do with the particular copy of a given record which I have (i.e. another copy might sound better) or whether it's to do with the way the album was engineered, i.e. they'd all be like that.

However, a good sounding record on my system will blow my CD sound out of the water. Cost of my CD player, £200. Cost of my turntable and phono amp, £200. So more sounds per pound.

At the risk of going off at a tangent, I'm amazed at how bad some of my CDs sound now that I've got a proper set of (budget) separates. I got Foo Fighters One by One last week, listened to it through my phones, and thought something in my system must have bust, it sounded so bad. Apparently though it's notorious for being one of the worst engineered albums of all time.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="jimwall"]
Don't please. Too early and one too many whiskey's last night. Cheapo Irish stuff. Bad idea.[/quote]
Not just me then...

 

[John Duncan]

[quote user="tractorboy"]At the risk of going off at a tangent, I'm amazed at how bad some of my CDs sound now that I've got a proper set of (budget) separates. I got Foo Fighters One by One last week, listened to it through my phones, and thought something in my system must have bust, it sounded so bad. Apparently though it's notorious for being one of the worst engineered albums of all time.[/quote]

Not tangential at all, and perhaps the nub of the matter. I think music production has changed quite a bit in th etransition from vinyl to CD, so that some albums have been mastered to sound good on your iPod, but sound atrocious anywhere else. A case in point is Kelly Clarkson's Breakaway (hey, it was all I could find on the Free Disc list at the record company I was working for) - unlistenable (can we eschew the obvious comebacks please?)

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="Mr_Poletski"]

My rear end after 4 days of vindaloo, copious lager and bar olives sounds better than oasis on CD.[/quote]

How pleasant! Thanks for sharing, but I think you'll find the words 'on CD' are superfluous in that observation.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="tractorboy"]I got Foo Fighters One by One last week, listened to it through my phones, and thought something in my system must have bust, it sounded so bad. Apparently though it's notorious for being one of the worst engineered albums of all time.[/quote]

they may get round to re-mastering it like they did for the tenth anniversary of 'The Colour and the Shape', or is that just a way of the record companies extracting more cash from the punters?

 

[Anonymous]

It seems to me we're not really comparing apples for apples here, seeing as most people who believe vinyl sounds better have referred to terribly produced cds. A well produced cd through a good system sounds outstanding. A poorly produced one sounds gash. I think its that simple really. I have two cds which i simply can't listen to through my hifi: klaxons-myths of the near future and Pulp-Different Class, which is a shame as Different Class is a classic.

 

[Anonymous]

Also you said any cd before 1990, Stone Roses Stone Roses (1989) sounds fine, little light for bass for some reason but atleast its not all compressed and unlistenable

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="joeparnell"]
It seems to me we're not really comparing apples for apples here, seeing as most people who believe vinyl sounds better have referred to terribly produced cds.
[/quote]

Sorry, I was a bit unclear. What I meant was... "a good sounding record on my system will blow my CD sound out of the water..." ...including really well-produced CDs. So for my set up, and to my ears, vinyl wins hands down.

However, if I can pick up something for £5 on CD as opposed to £12 on vinyl, I'm afraid that's stretching my loyalty to the vinyl cause a bit too far.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]
[quote user="Mr_Poletski"] My rear end after 4 days of vindaloo, copious lager and bar olives sounds better than oasis on CD.[/quote]

How pleasant! Thanks for sharing, but I think you'll find the words 'on CD' are superfluous in that observation.
[/quote]

Not a fan of oasis but what's the story? has some very good stuff.Wonderwall, don't look back in anger, some might say.Thats about it though.Not much for a career. Mind you, at least they don't support Man U. That's something in their favour.

 

[nads]

OH my, the first bit of Brand new on my system.

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone for U2? Pretty awful recordings if you ask me!!! I would have to say that their vinyls are better but they are just sooo bad anyway it makes pretty much no difference!

 

[MiddleMan]

Has anyone found a system that can play the White Stripes- Icky Thump? If so, can I bring my copy round to your house cos my hifi,car audio, i-pod just can't handle it.

 

[nads]

Loving it loving it. New vinyl is great. Need to find a local dealer, sorry supplier, sorry retailer that stocks it. as shipping from the UK is a bit high but manageable.

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

[quote user="fr0g"]However petty irrelevant music taste arguements aside[/quote]

And these are bad things? The pettier and more irrelevant the better, I say. Even room for a dash of irreverence too, on a good day.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="fr0g"]Quite like Oasis, among much other stuff. Not great quality CD's, but pretty good music for the most part...but then that's purely subjective...

However petty irrelevant music taste arguements aside, properly ripped lossless music played from HDD or even better still SSD beats both CD and vinyl IMO.
Discuss...[/quote]

Ok, 2 questions:
1) What do you mean by "properly ripped"? Does it make a difference what kit you use?
2) Someone else I think on this thread voiced the opinion that HDD would sound better than CD. Why would that be?
(N.B. genuine questions, not trying to be contentious)

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

[quote user="fr0g"]Can't argue.

(The missus told me not to)
[/quote]

I agree to agree. (My inner derelict dog advised me to). Peace etc. . .

 

[Anonymous]

You should try listening to Madonna, Confessions of a dance floor, its not mine its the wifes but it sounds awful, its so harsh i cant listen to eat with out wincing. Then again that goes for all her albums

 

[Anonymous]

I think that vinyl being able to produce sounds below 20Hz and above 20.05kHz is what makes it sound better. In reality you dont have a device removing the sounds outside the 20Hz to 20kHz window. You feel the music, althought you could argue that you don't get hissing or pops from a live performance.