I have to agree with Cardinal. What other format has withstood the test of time like vinyl? Vinyl has actually improved over the years, with the release of some original artwork/gatefolds and ultra sleek album sleeves/covers built to last, and reprints from original masters are being cut out of 180+ gram vinyl.
I've been making mix tapes with albums and CD's for many years, and the sound repro is usually very similar between the two formats. I do however love to really push my system, and with vinyl, I am constantly amazed and blown away by the realism of the format. It has withstood the test of time.
If I were you Myoussif, I'd be finding a decent turntable and diving right in. I mean look at the sales of used turntables on the net. It's unreal how much some of the higher-end tables are commanding.
This hobby and format is far from over, and although the DJ and the audiophile have held on to the format for dear life, young buyers are starting to push up the sales of singles, and a new age of listener might actually be starting a trend that depends more on the ear and the art of listening, instead of simply wanting portability.
By the looks of the packed bins of new vinyl at my favorite record store, the format is doing just fine. For me, owning a CD is like owning a poster reproduction. Owning vinyl, is like having the original masterpiece! |
There's been decades of evolution in vinyl technology and it shows in the results. Doubtful anyone one this forum subjects their records to a 1930's steel needle marconi. Digital technology is still a neophyte. Once clocking stabilizes on AD/DA converters at sample rates that can reproduce at least a fourth level harmonic undistorted then I'll throw out the table. In the meantime I'll still enjoy the soundstage and tonal fullness that only analog can provide.
So the recommendation depends on your patience level. If you can hold out for at least another five years then wait. If not, I'd suggest it's worth buying a decent used rig |
Shall I make the move or just wait for the SACD/DVDA ? Isn't SACD dying? It seems like many new pieces of Audio gear do NOT support SACD. For example, I am hot to buy Nagra's high-end CD player and it does not support SACD. Plus many new recordings are not coming out on SACD. It looks like Redbook CD is here for a few more years. Regarding Vinyl, I just don't get it. I have heard a fancy system with really good vinyl and yes, it sounded great, but... Can you put up with the pops, and scratches? I am also thinking of what Peter Aczel wrote in the Audio Critic: "Digital audio has brought us flatter frequency response, deeper bass, wider dynamic range, lower THD, lower noise floor, safer storage, and greater editability than any other technology in the history of sound reproduction. It has every reason to sound better than analog, and it does the possible exception being 30-ips analog tape with Dolby SR, which is capable of sounding just as good
but which the tweaks arent even talking about. They talk about vinyl, for crying out loud; they say digital just doesnt have the same airiness, smoothness, front-to-back depth, dimensionality, tonal gradations, etc. etc. This is truly sickening drivel, without any foundation in logical thinking or accurate hands-on observation.
Vinyl is not a primary medium; it is nearly always a transfer from tape, sometimes even digital tape, except for the very few direct-to-disc recordings. The process of transferring tape-recorded material to vinyl entails measurable losses and distortions, not to mention mechanical ticks, pops and swishes. |
I've been reading Peter Aczel on and off since the mid-1970s. IMHO, he shouts to make his point of the day, but is as likely to flip-flop as a fish in the bottom of the boat. Yes, CDs can sound pretty darn good and digital can sound extremely good, but what we can order online is usually much better in vinyl. It has to do with the format first, but also the care with which the perveyors of vinyl put their offerings together.
Now it's getting harder and harder to buy a CD that's not seriously overcompressed. The SACDs are getting all screwed up trying to offer a surround version of a two-channel recording. With vinyl they're forced to stick to the basics and do a really good job of that.
I've got an incredible DSD recorder that'll give me 130dB of dynamic range and make better than vinyl 5.6MHz recordings, but there's no software available. We'll see what happens, but with the transition to downloads, all the momentum is toward mp3. There are some really good downloads, but they're few and far between.
Anyway, I wouldn't but a lot of stock in Mr. Aczel's rants.
Dave |
I personally think that vinyl will outlast all digital forms in the end. Certainly there is no doubt that it will outlast CD. SACD is a joke. Downloads will be the next thing, once they loose all compression and more easily can be played from a hard drive. Yeah, yeah, I know...lossless still sucks. Vinyl beats everything and probably always will. |
