Is New Vinyl Exempt from Loudness Wars?

Hello, it was actually the dude from Hydrogen Audio that intimated that the dynamic range is system dependent, which is a TRUE statement but irrelevant to the topic at hand.  Now that I think about it and I hope your don't feel like I'm jumping down your throat too much so are the differences among cartridges.  That's kind of the same argument the dude from Hydrogen was attempting to make.  

Cheerios

I discussed the differences in cartridges/tonearm/wiring, etc... in the last post. The articles are linked for reference to those interested as I found them interesting. I only browsed the articles over coffee.  Maybe coffee hadn't kicked in yet and I interpreted differently. 
As I said in my last post. System dependent references as far DR ratings are concerned, to me, would mean everything in front of the meter.  

What's your take on the video from the digital engineer ?

I suspect the real life situation with respect to dynamic range of vinyl and CD is well presented in the Dynamic Range Database.  If in fact it's true that CDs are overly compressed for playing in cars, which I'm actually not convinced is true, that might explain why vinyl tends to have higher dynamic range generally speaking than ITS CD COUNTERPART since LPs are not played in cars.  But I agree with the author of the video that one needs to listen and make up ones mind whether it sounds good or not.

I thought it was a well produced video, and after all the Dynamic Range DR numbers thrown out on this thread, very welcome to see a visual "actual wave form" of this in action - real time. Key parts at the 4:50 and 7:12 minutes marks. The first "time mark" he explains file differences; and what he actually hears (and anyone else here can too with good headphones) on the second mark.

You could see how things went from 8 DR with digital to12 DR for vinyl whenever he toggled between the two. I have seen, as I'm sure others here have as well, many analog wave forms. They vary greatly with the turntable setup. We could be talking drive system differences between idler, direct drive, belt or string. A really interesting one is on a same turntable that is able to keep consistent speed, and seeing the different wave forms for a linear and pivot tonearm. Significant wave form differences based on the different forces being put on the cartridges' cantilever/stylus against the groove. That's another thread/discussion.

The other part of the video I liked was that as the engineer who created the digital master file being used, he confirmed nothing special had been done to the vinyl rip - other than the vinyl rip. It was done using a band member's turntable which he said was "good' but not exceptional. He then discussed differences. I found the comment about image shift with the vinyl very interesting and in the first comment of the actual youtube is this.
  

the dynamics you can "see" on the vinyl aren't real, they're the result of something called "phase rotation" caused by the analogue signal path cutting the vinyl, which I can reproduce digitally.

hmm..interesting.. Would any sound engineers here like to comment on this one ? Looking to learn.

He described his digital file as more crisp with more top, the vinyl sound he called warmer. This crisp versus warmer analogy has to be the most used term in Audiophilia. You can apply those two words when comparing speakers, DAC's , amplifiers, etc... you name it. Just the mention of these two words gives anyone in this audio hobby a good idea of what is going on with the listener - in their head.

here's a more direct link to the you tube for those interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-AE9dL5FG8&feature=youtu.be

not associated with the video and I also liked the music being sampled.
Cheers

there is still the problem that very few people have the playback equipment needed to track it well much less not have the stylus jump the groove.   So it only makes sense to produce such a product at higher cost and profit margin since only a few will be able to benefit.

The rule of thumb I use is a Grado Gold mounted on a Technics SL1200. If you can't track it perfectly with that then you have a mastering problem. No-one is cutting in such a way that only a top-end arm/cartridge combo will work!! Lacquers for mastering are 14" in diameter; if we want to test something we will often cut a test track outside the 12" diameter and then play it back on our SL1200 to see how well it works. That way we know we are getting a good cut when we proceed with the recording.

At extremely large/fast cutting head excursions, the cutting head coils may physically burn up, much like how a speaker's voice coils may be destroyed by an excessive current. Also, the diamond cutting head stylus may prematurely wear or break. This places important constraints on the maximum levels that can be recorded to a record.

This is another example of a statement made by someone that has no clue as to how the mastering process occurs.

In actual real life, this won't happen. You can't burn up the cutterhead by cutting a trackable groove! Anyone who thinks that hasn't been around one.

Further, the stylus typically has about a 10-hour service life before it has to be replaced. **Diamond** is usually used for dub plates (which are plastic custom one-offs made for DJs and the like, being harder than lacquers you need a different stylus). So most styli are actually sapphire, not diamond!! Additionally, they are heated so they can make the cut without noise. The reason they only go about 10 hours is they start to make noisy cuts. At 5 hours its often a good practice to check and see if you need to raise the stylus temperature slightly to compensate for wear to the stylus. 

The stylus isn't going to break or wear prematurely without abuse- that is pretty much just bunk.