2. digital
  3. 1279418837

CD vs. Vinyl

I've personally had to opportunity to listen to identical music on vinyl and CD on an extremely high end system, possibly a seven figure system, and certainly recognized the stark difference between the vinyl sound and a CD.

What makes this difference? Here are three situation to consider assuming the same piece of music:

(1) An original analogue recording on a vinyl vs. an A/D CD

(2) An original analogue recording on vinyl vs. an original digital recording on CD

(3) An original digial recording on CD vs. a D/A recording on vinyl

I wonder if the sound of vinyl is in some ways similar to the "color" of speakers? It's not so much of an information difference, just the sound of the medium?

Any thoughts?
mceljo
grinnell
1,099 posts
 
7 figure system!

Damn.
clarets2
34 posts
 
Whoah......a 7 figure system...let's hear about that!
mceljo OP
1,357 posts
 
I was just thinking about the cost of the system and has to be over $500,000, but likely not an actual seven figures. It's at a local audio store and is anchored by the Focal Utopia Grande speakers. Thankfully, they are always happy to sit down and listen. It's strange to listen to Focal 706v speakers that retail for about $650 on this system, at least I know what they are fully capable of under perfect conditions. They just changed a bunch of the equipment out so I think the Krell amplifiers are now Asthetics.

Honestly, the equipment is so far beyond my means that I just enjoy listening to it and leave it at that. I've listened to several different speakers on the system ranging from $650 to $180,000.

Sorry for the exaggeration...and misspelling.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
dbphd
1,628 posts
 
When you think about the physical compromises required of the stylus and arm along with RIAA contouring you might expect vinyl reproduction to introduce its own coloration. As with tubes, some prefer the resulting sound, a sound they can more or less manipulate with cartridge selection, tracking parameters, and phono stage selection. An original analog recording is more likely to be on tape rather than vinyl.

With digital, you have sampling decisions, but those are quantified. Unpacking digital requires another conversion process, and again quantified decisions.

db
More to discover