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
Unfortunately Mr. Pebbles, there is no round hole, for your square peg in this topic. Try to find another topic to troll with your off-topic obsessions.

Mike, I will try to take you up on that offer to come listen after this whole Covid thing dies down which unfortunately looks like it won't be any time soon. I may even bring my own digital source. I would be interested in your thoughts compared to your reference unit.
Some may prefer vinyl but it can’t hold the information that a digital file can it’s impossible. If a square wave won’t play then something is wrong. No such thing as " all analog".
i completely understand your reluctance to allow actual listening to intrude on your nice neat world view. it does require a bit of effort.
Robberrttddidd is a pseudo scientist. He is the very definition of one. Notice he doesn’t debate the subject, apparently he would rather pretend to have all the answers and call names. 

Wasn’t it Niels Bohr who said never think you have all the answers?

An ordinary man has no means of deliverance.
Dear @mahgister and friends : """  In this debate there is so much factors implicated that it is impossible to solve the question for me once and for all, except theoretically with all the engineering facts about the higher noise level all along the chain in the analog processing or by listening analog and hearing his alleged superiority on a very refine Hi-Fi system... """

In reality here it's not a debate what exist is a misunderstood by almost all of us:

if we read the @mikelavigne  posts all those speak not about facts but what he listened ( yes, it's a fact but only means what he like it and can't prove nothing but what he likes/prefers it. ) and how his brain is reacting to the LP kind of sound where the premise inside the brain is biased of what he is accustomed to for almost all his audio life.

His subjective posts says digital is " missing " something and that can't performs as good as the LPs and he is rigth: IT CAN'T PERFORMS NEAR THE LP QUALITY LEVELS because not only both mediums are way way different but because the recorded information in the LPs is way different to the recorded information in CDs.
Due to that: why digital should be to performs near LPs for we can be satisfied with? there is no single reason for that could happens NEVER in the life.

Facts, true facts explained in different ways in this thread and attest ( no matters what Mike listen it or lprefers. ) that that missing digital information that Mike is talking in reality is the other way around by a wide margin . That Mike and other LP lovers disagree with is important for them but not for the main subject/issue here where we are talking of what is happenning in true/reality.

The facts says with out single doubt ( coming from everywhere whom can questioning about. ) that digital alternative not only is not missing subjective signal information but that digital is truer to the recording than LP alternative.
Digital not only has more true MUSIC recorded signal ( because is missing almost nothing. ) but the MUSIC signal is really " clean " with out all the huge/high dirty signal full of distortions/colorations that facts dictates are developed during the recording and playback process in all LPs and that no one can't avoid it does not matters the room/system qualirty levels. Digital does not develops that high distortions and missing true information that always happens in the LP alternative.

We can't compare orange with apples, are different.

Cd has no warmth or sweet or peace king of sound because nerafield live MUSIC has not either.
CD has the natural agresiveness, brigthness, power, even sometimes hars/stridency and the like that has the live MUSIC.

So why want we that CD sounds in different way only because we are accustomed to the wrong high colored/distorted LP experiences?, again this never can happens ever an I'm an analog lover.

So where is the debate? it just can't exist.

The facts can't bechanged by subjectivity and from this subjective premise as foundation Mike is talking about: no single fact.

His last post he invites to listen that LP and compare against CD: There is no way to compare it.

The foundation of the facts are not subjective but are the ones that proves that digital is truer to the recording. That we prefers LP sound means only that but can't prove the LP superior alternative because those facts impedes that can be true/real.

Now and for all LP lovers that support what Mike posted, please give us a single fact why the objective facts are wrong and a single fact why the subjective " ilussion " is rigth.

R.


@roberttdid
Mike, I will try to take you up on that offer to come listen after this whole Covid thing dies down which unfortunately looks like it won’t be any time soon. I may even bring my own digital source. I would be interested in your thoughts compared to your reference unit.
i would enjoy it if you can. anytime, i’m in the Seattle area.

and you would be welcome to bring your own digital source....happy to compare it to the MSB Select II <-> Extreme server.