When is digital going to get the soul of music?

Folks have been saying that digital is poor-sounding compared to their old vinyl. I'm wondering if the big problem isn't that digital sounds bad, per se, but maybe a a lot of the problem is that most recordings are mixed and mastered by engineers who don't care about the sounds of the end result, and only want to mix it really loud and get it out the door.

I have also read that mastering of recordings has changed, for the worse, since the days of vinyl, before CD. I listen to rock, jazz, jazz/fusion a lot and I am finding that practically every CD in these genres that comes out these days are heavily compressed and in general sound like crap.

So maybe a lot of the problem is in the mastering for CD?

I am getting disheartened. So maybe CDs in my favorite genres sounds like crap that I'm almost thinking of getting out of the game.

Muralman1,

One of my all-time favorites and system test disc is the Reference Recordings "Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances".

If you hear the difference between this excellent CD and the RR 176.4Khz/24bit HRx disc made from the original analog master, you will change your mind, forever! :-)

Simply, half of the info is missing on the CD and there is no transport or DAC available to make up for it!

Best,
Alex Peychev

Albertporter, nothing would make me happier to have you living close by.

Aplhifi, I have, "Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances." We just have to agree to disagree. I happen to love record playing and all it's rituals.

Remastered CDs sound derived from master tapes are the best too!

Muralman1, I think we have a misunderstanding; I am talking about digital not analog. Here is a description of the Reference Recordings HRx discs And here is the Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances HRx disc

I have converted this to Linear PCM 176.4/24 DVD-A using HD-Audio Solo Ultra by Cirlinca so I can play it in my NWO-M.

As nice as the CD is, the HRx/DVD-A is light years better. Both came from the same master tape.

Best,
Alex Peychev