Why is vinyl so much better than digital?

[KT66]

It's not - no source is better than any other - it's all to do with the mastering

go to Steve Hoffman site to find out more

 

[basshead]

just out of interest... does anyone know what kind of market share of turntable sales is taken up by 'dj' decks? the sl-1210 ect ect? and what share is for simple playback? the only people i know who have bought vinyl decks use them for djing.

i guess it doesnt matter but would be interesting to know, partly as these dj decks are usually bought as a pair, so the sales figures could be a little scewed by this

thanks

 

[chandra]

Ease of use, not easily damaged and no need to turnover to hear all the available tracks. Of course if one has not had the privilage of having listened to a vinyl then there is nothing to compare with. just like FM and DAB

:cheers:

 

[laughing boy]

Why is vinyl so much better than digital?

Because it is not accurate would be an unkind way of saying it and you would not catch me saying that here, no sir!

A kinder way would be to explain it in this fashion.

I recorded a concert at St Johns, Smith Square, a simple rig was all that was allowed and I went for a slung stereo pair in what I thought to be the right place. It sounded OK but not exceptional. Lots of close up detail, not too much reverberation, clean, almost squeaky clean.

Walking into the auditorium, I was enveloped in the most glorious sound, less seperation, more reverberation, less detail and I loved it.

I was stuck with the rig and produced a result but was deeply unimpressed with it and have never listened to the recording since. I have another recording to do there later in the year and I want to capture the sound I heard in row 12 but I digress.

Modern recording techniques have encouraged lots of fatiguing detail whereas vinyl distorts the sound in a way that is pleasing to the ear just by chance. For example when a setup is praised for its "warm bass", we are sidestepping the truth that it is inaccurate, it is unlikely that the same track played on the studio monitors at the original recording sounded "warm". A consumer product will tend to be made to please the consumer and there are ways of making bass warm for example which saves the manufacturer money. Hey presto! another 5 star review.

This is not a full answer and there many exceptions to this explanation or analogy but it is how I explain the differences to myself and thought to share.

By the way, I recorded the concert digitally and could hear no differences between what was going in to the recorder and what was coming off it, that is not the point of the previous paragraphs

 

[Tear Drop]

lots of fatiguing detail

How can detail be fatiguing? We're talking about music and musical sounds, not a cacophony of noise. I thought that 'listening fatigue' was caused by a lack of detail, at least it has been in my experience.

 

[cheeseboy]

holy thread resurection batman. Is that a new record, a 4 year old thread?

 

[laughing boy]

Hi Cheeseboy, I did not spot the date, it seemed to float up in the Hi Fi thread and it amused me because the question was so obvoiusly loaded.

As to fatiguing sound, OK perhaps I phrased my thoughts badly, Mia culpa. In your face technicolour etched sounds due to close micing. All the individual sounds clamouring for your attention rather than an organic whole, would be a better couple of sentences instead of Fatiguing. I have sat through some mixes, trying to make the several sources combine into a reasonable whole and have had to take a break after an hour because I knew from experience that any decision I made I would regret when I listened again with fresh ears. That is fatigue.

A consumer hearing the same thing may be delighted at the result but those close miced strings get to you after a bit!

 

[english mustard]

sorry i don t agree . just upgraded me cyrus cdse8/2 with the dac signature . along with 2 psx r . audeze lcd3 / blackcube linear amp . this combo sounds simply awesome . no regrets going digital.

 

[Tear Drop]

As to fatiguing sound, OK perhaps I phrased my thoughts badly, Mia culpa. In your face technicolour etched sounds due to close micing. All the individual sounds clamouring for your attention rather than an organic whole, would be a better couple of sentences instead of Fatiguing. I have sat through some mixes, trying to make the several sources combine into a reasonable whole and have had to take a break after an hour because I knew from experience that any decision I made I would regret when I listened again with fresh ears. That is fatigue.

A consumer hearing the same thing may be delighted at the result but those close miced strings get to you after a bit!

Ok, that makes a lot more sense. Thanks.

 

[laughing boy]

Nor do I EM. (agree vinyl is better than digits and I have no backward glance at vinyl either) As a sound pro I last recorded in Analogue in the late '80s. Vinyl for me is so old hat I do not listen to it for the Hi-Fi experience because I think I know what is going on. The distortions I mentioned earlier which we have been led to accept, are gross and we have mostly moved on now. I can appreciate that people see or rather hear things differently in the same way I would not dream of getting body piercings or a tattoo but notice others think they are wonderful.

I have a mixture of old school Hi-Fi and analytical monitoring at home and use the two versions of what is right at different times. Each to their own but I have to have both!