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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
glupson
7,842 posts
 
geoffkait,

At least I have one funny post. Guess what, all mine. Not stolen from someone else.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
That one was less funny. 
roberttdid OP
534 posts
 
Wikipedia doesn't have much in the way of jokes. You should be less hard on Mr. Pebbles.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Fortunately Wikipedia has a lot of science stuff that everyone’s favorite wiki scientist, roberttdid, roberttcan, whoever can pretend to know. He just can’t remember what thread he’s supposed to be on or who he’s talking to, that’s all. I don’t have to squeeze his head any more, it comes out of his mouth all by itself now. Plooooop!
glupson
7,842 posts
 
geoffkait,

You should have learned by now that honorable retreat is better than dishonorable defeat. You need to know when to stop.

For example, roberttdid did make a very clear mistake, got "caught", acknowledged it was a mistake and that he was incorrect, and saved his face. He did not claim it was a Nigerian hacker who got into his account and falsely wrote whatever there was.

Trying to ridicule others while you are obviously making the facts up is finally a joke you have not been looking for. It is ok, you can use my lines any time you want, but stay polite. By the way, I was serious about that money you should be getting back from your school. It was not even a joke.
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