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Vinyl / High qual analog tape / High-res digital -- One of these is not like the other

One common theme I read on forums here and elsewhere is the view by many that there is a pecking order in quality:

Top - High Quality Analog TapeNext - VinylBottom - Digital

I will go out on a limb and say that most, probably approaching almost all those making the claim have never heard a really good analog tape machine and high resolution digital side by side, and have certainly never heard what comes out the other end when it goes to vinyl, i.e. heard the tape/file that went to the cutter, then compared that to the resultant record?

High quality analog tape and high quality digital sound very similar. Add a bit of hiss (noise) to digital, and it would be very difficult to tell which is which. It is not digital, especially high resolution digital that is the outlier, it is vinyl. It is different from the other two.  Perhaps if more people actually experienced this, they would have a different approach to analog/vinyl?

This post has nothing to do with personal taste. If you prefer vinyl, then stick with it and enjoy it. There are reasons why the analog processing that occurs in the vinyl "process" can result in a sound that pleases someone. However, knowledge is good, and if you are set in your ways, you may be preventing the next leap.
roberttdid
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b_limo's avatar
b_limo
2,276 posts
 
Looscannon, I’m speechless
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
If only. 
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,043 posts
 
What is an audiophile in concrete day to day experience?

I was coming back home today.... I was in a hurry to listen my music....I opened up the system and I listen my favorite music (Bach organ and some jazz) lost in the music.... BUT I was slightly semi consciously annoyed, without  my normal enjoyment and awareness of the sound, I was a bit disappointed by my system but the music was great....Suddenly after some hours, I discover why?

9 of my 10 Schuman modified generators and 3 modified lamps were off....To open up my system I must open up 8 switches, and sometimes I forgot some....The sound makes me coming back to my sense after sometime....


I open them up, and WOW, like a miracle the sound was enlightened with the music this time....


For those who think that all tweaks are placebo effects, dont count in them my Schumann Generators…. :)
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rauliruegas
13,064 posts
 
Dear @mikelavigne : I’m a little late in this thread, anyway:

"" so for me and my system.......i’d say that the best vinyl sounds really the same as tape. when you play the best pressings, including 45rpm and direct to disc on vinyl, then play tape, it’s doing the same things. ""

Mike I don’t know if I’m missing something on your statement so please tell me if it’s that way:

Your statement really " disturb " me in the way we can read it because for me you are in reality telling that the vinyl experiences is better than tape.
Let me explain about:

in the recorded tape normally does not exist the RIAA eq. that one way or the other makes a signal heavy degradation in the vinyl pressed LPs and in the recorded tape the bass range comes in stereo and in the LPs comes in mono. Additional the recorded tape during system playback does not pass through ( again. ) that inverse eq. RIAA as all the LPs.

Those tape recorder characteristics makes a huge differences. So, common sense to me says the tape recorder is an inferior medium than the LP because even with all those signal twice RIAA eq. degradation and mono bass even the tape recorder experiences.
Again what am I missing here. Is it an absolute misunderstanding to your statement?

Thank’s in advance and your answer appreciated.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.
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