I have compared writable CDs and DVDs but not with new vinyl recordings. To my ears it sounds a whole lot better than standard CDs.
I rip used vinyl recordings to my hard drive and then to writable DVDs at a high bit rate. The higher the bit rate the longer it takes. There is tons of space for multiple albums.
I dont know of a business that performs that service but with newer computer and right software its easy to do at home.
In my experience, vinyl ripped to 24bit/192kHz completely captures the original vinyl (the quality of turntable, ripper and digital playback electronics being equal).
I don't know about vinyl to DVD-A, but i can tell you that vinyl to redbook CD produces a copy that is noticeably inferior to the original. Having said that, the vinyl to burned redbook disc typically still sounds superior to buying the same pre-recorded disc off the shelf.
This is one of the reasons why i've refused to duplicate my vinyl collection on CD, as i can burn the vinyl onto CD and come out both cheaper and with better results. Having said that, i simply don't know how long burned copies last as compared to store-bought versions, so we'll have to wait and see.
I would have to assume that the higher sampling frequency and bit rate would drastically improve things, especially if one were actually to achieve ( at least ) a full 20 bits worth of data. Most 24 bit machines don't actually operate at capacity due to internal losses and noise.
I do have one question about this though. How do you propose to play a burned DVD-A in a typical car stereo installation or portable radio? Sean >
"How do you propose to play a burned DVD-A in a typical car stereo installation or portable radio?" I plan to play the DVD-A through the DAC in my audio system. It can accept a 24/192 signal. I'm currently looking for a 'transport' that can read a 24/192 singal and then send it to my DAC.
Exlibris: Thanks for clearing that up. I was just curious if these would be "single purpose" discs for use on one system or discs that you would want to use universally, wherever you went. Sean >
I am using a Power Mac G5 with no outboard hardware other than tt and phono stage. The program is Toast and Jam 6. Recording is a pain. I have to take my TT and phono stage into another room and plug in into the computer. The software is programmable by minutes. You end up with two files, side one and two. I could separate the songs into separate files but Im lazy. After album is ripped I can filter out the pops and stuff but I think it degrades the quality. I have an Esoteric DV-50 in my main system for playback. I write the files to CDR's for the car.
If you happen to see any of the treads I answer it appears like Im forever praising Macs. Recording DVD-A is just one of the many reasons I love the product.
Vegasears, Do you know if the Esoteric DV-50 is capable of outputting a 24/192 digital signal? As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't want to use the internal DAC of the DVD-A player that is reading the disc.
Any comparison of the Mac G5's ADC with an outboard Apogee, Benchmark or similar quality products will readily show the deficiencies of the Apple's converters.
You could write the files to DVD-R in DVD-V format which supports 24/96 with a few different softwares out there. Make's a "DAD" disk like Chesky's did for a while.
I recorded an MFSL UHQR LP (probably the best there is) through my USB Audiophile 24/96. I then burned it to DVD-Audio via Discwelder Bronze and played it back on my same system on a univerasal player. The DVD-Audio was good, but not as good as the original vinyl. There was a loss of ambient retrieval and dynamics. However, it's still the best way I know to record LPs.
You must have a verified phone number and physical address in order to post in the Audiogon Forums. Please return to Audiogon.com and complete this step. If you have any questions please contact Support.