What albums, in your opinion, sound unquestionably better on Vinyl rather than Digital?


So this is not an effort to start a medium-war thread, rather in my view some records just seem to be mastered better on the vinyl record version than the digital version. Three that spring to mind from my record collection:

  • Henri Texier - Varech
  • Tom Misch - Geography
  • JLin - Black Origami (this very surprisingly to me)


I know everyone’s system is different, everyone’s ears are different and everyone’s tastes are different, but for the purposes of this discussion let us assume that YOU are the final arbiter of objective reality!
corvaldt
From a practical point of view it can be useful to know which albums sound better on which format, especially if those are your favourites. But surely even the most diehard vinyl aficionado (Michael Fremer excepted) wouldn't argue that vinyl always sounds better, or vice versa, digital is superior technically so must always sound better.

Perhaps it's more helpful to acknowledge that all formats have potential, yes all the way from the original wax cylinders, 78s, LPs, Cassettes, FM radio, CDs, Minidisc, DAT, DAB, SACD, HD, streaming etc.

All we really need is a change in attitude trickling down all the way from the artists themselves to the suppliers. It would be nice to think that this is starting to increasingly happen. Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Dire Straits, Kate Bush amongst others have expressed a desire to have their work issued in as high quality as possible.

Sure they all have to also pay the bills, but it is difficult, at least for me, to respect a recording artist that seems to pay little regard as to how their work is presented. But of course it's the performance that counts, and as that line from Pulp Fiction once said, "personality goes a long way".





Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Welcome to the Pleasuredome’ (1984). Had the double LP, and the title track inhabited on whole side. Absolute sonic blast of a vinyl, and at least the CD’s I know of sounded malnourished, dynamically flat and bleached by comparison. What a letdown.
Rumors by Fleetwood Mac
A Swingin’ Safari by Bert Kaempfert
A Kind of Blue (MOFI pressing) by Miles Davis 
Obviously it depends on the relative quality of the analog and digital signal chains, but here's a few that sound better in my system. Dire Straits-Brothers in Arms(even though it is a digital master), Rob Wasserman-Duets, Jefferson Airplane-Surrealistic Pillow(mono version), Anita Baker-Rapture, Tanita tikaram-Ancient Heart. Have fun.