Well if they are much older, then it is an even worse problem as old tape machines had seriously limited top-ends, as did the cutting machines, etc. etc.
Vinyl / Digital / and can you have too much information.
I am copying this from a thread of digital vs. analog spending, but thought it may be an interesting --- Discussion ---, not to pick which is better, but to have a conversation about an aspect of why some may prefer vinyl.
FIRST - A bit of an example to set the "mood"
A CD is 1411 bkps to achieve 44100 samples/second at 16 bits and 2 channels. What if we had an uncompressed signal at 128kbps? ... That would allow us to do say 2 channels, 10 bits, 6400 samples/sec or 3.2KHz. We could do 8 bits, at get up to 4KHz. Not too terribly impressive huh?
How do you think 8 bits at 8ksps would sound compared to a 128kbps MP3 or AAC? It would sound awful by comparison even though technically both have the same amount of information. Why does the MP3 sound better for the same raw information? Because the MP3 concentrates the information into areas in which the brain can make use of it.
Let's consider vinyl: Perhaps due to dynamic compression during the mixing/mastering process, other intentional choices made during mixing and mastering, even what we consider limitations during playback, we are maximizing the audio information that the brain can take in. Perhaps that inherent "filtering" that a turntable does maximizes the useful audio information that the brain can take in my minimizing extraneous information that can cause information overload. I am more of a digital guy, but even I feel this happens at times.
That information limit will be different for different people. That could even explain why some love vinyl, and some, not so much. I think it could also speak to the listening fatigue that some claim to experience when listening to digital. It is simply information overload, especially when coupled with "loudness wars" information levels which could be considered extreme.
I can certainly make arguments against this:
There is no right and wrong answer and this is not a topic of which is better, it is about understanding perception.
FIRST - A bit of an example to set the "mood"
A CD is 1411 bkps to achieve 44100 samples/second at 16 bits and 2 channels. What if we had an uncompressed signal at 128kbps? ... That would allow us to do say 2 channels, 10 bits, 6400 samples/sec or 3.2KHz. We could do 8 bits, at get up to 4KHz. Not too terribly impressive huh?
How do you think 8 bits at 8ksps would sound compared to a 128kbps MP3 or AAC? It would sound awful by comparison even though technically both have the same amount of information. Why does the MP3 sound better for the same raw information? Because the MP3 concentrates the information into areas in which the brain can make use of it.
Let's consider vinyl: Perhaps due to dynamic compression during the mixing/mastering process, other intentional choices made during mixing and mastering, even what we consider limitations during playback, we are maximizing the audio information that the brain can take in. Perhaps that inherent "filtering" that a turntable does maximizes the useful audio information that the brain can take in my minimizing extraneous information that can cause information overload. I am more of a digital guy, but even I feel this happens at times.
That information limit will be different for different people. That could even explain why some love vinyl, and some, not so much. I think it could also speak to the listening fatigue that some claim to experience when listening to digital. It is simply information overload, especially when coupled with "loudness wars" information levels which could be considered extreme.
I can certainly make arguments against this:
- Why are high end DACs" then viewed as being closer to vinyl? A counter is who is making those statements and why is their brain telling them that? Why do some of those DACs measure so poorly? Are those DACs even being "voiced"
- Why do non-OS R2R DACs sounds
better (only to some). A counter is perhaps the high frequency artifacts that
modulate into the audio band mask additional information allowing the
brain to concentrate on what it most wants to hear?
- Why do many then claim that analog tapes are the ultimate? A counter is, again, some claim that. I can also find many people that claim that digital sounds much closer to what the real instruments they hear, play and record sound like. 1/4" tape formats have "information limits" as well.
There is no right and wrong answer and this is not a topic of which is better, it is about understanding perception.
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- 22 posts total
- 22 posts total