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:
  • 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.
atdavid
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.
 Mine were mostly bought from the late 40s to the 80s range. I don't doubt you are right but lack of overtones is one of a host of problems sound assembled from samples has.

 I have not that many records left, gave most of them to my son when he manifested an interest and I was not really in a position to play them well. Now I have a modest record capacity and regret giving them away.

 My Digital setup is much nicer than what I had before and I am getting great results from it, playing files from an NVMe SSD. They are even nicer from a RAM Disk but that;s another can of wriggly things.

My system consists of the following:
ANALOG- Pro-Ject 2Experiance turntable with a Sumiko Blue Point #2 cartridge, Pro-Ject Phono Box S and the Pro-Ject Speed Box S (about $1700) to a Sherbourn PT-7030 Analog input.
DIGITAL- Bluesound Vault 2 (optical out) to Oppo 105 (digital in) Balanced Outputs to the Sherbourn Balanced inputs. (about $1800 for a  Music Direct demo Vault and new Oppo).
All run through an Emotiva UPA-700 power amp to AV123 Strata Mini front speakers (I probably need more power to my front speakers).
I have a couple of albums/CD's, where I own the album (some new in great condition, some 30 to 40 years old still in pretty good condition) and the cd burned to my Vault music server as well as a HD downloaded to the Vault.
I have had friends come over and ask about the turntable and how it sounds. Before I got the Oppo the turntable just blew away my digital setup, once I added the Oppo the demo became a lot closer. It was really close with the HD downloads. But no one has EVER thought the digital system sounded better than the analog system. Most can’t really but into words what exactly the difference is it just sounds better. All that being said it’s hard to beat the connivence of using the digital system. Hit the Bluesound icon on the harmony remote and about 60 seconds later you’re up and running. BUT when I just want to listen to GREAT sounding music I default to the analog system.
Give a listen to modern MSB R2R dacs and you might find that digital can sound natural and real; Sure surprised me. The engineers designed these dacs with a laser focus on technical accuracy (ie measures superbly) and the sonic results that follow are stunning; purely neutral, natural, and plainly real sounds. Percussion rings true...on and on. 
Go have a listen!