Article: "Spin Me Round: Why Vinyl is Better Than Digital"

So, digital isn't a perfect representation of a sinewave. A sinewave isn't a perfect representation of a sound wave either but since its the only way to translate audio we'll leave that alone. Digital audio has quantization errors. It's just a fact. Nothing will change that fact. When you take an analog sinewave and collapse it into a binary structure of 1s and 0s, what results is an approximation of the original signal.  We use dithering to smooth over the quantization errors, but they're still errors. Can these tiny, minute steps cause a fundamental degradation of our ability to enjoy the sound? I don't know. Possibly. There is the theory that humans enjoy hi-res music because we're more sensitive to time domain errors than frequency errors, so just because the frequency curve in a 20-20kHz window is reproduced perfectly our brains will nevertheless pick up on these tiny timing errors introduced by digital conversion. It could be this is why vinyl records, loaded with distortion and noise, can still sound better. The fact is NO one knows why hi-res sounds better. NO one knows why vinyl can sound better. The time domain theory is just that -- a theory. It might end up being validated. Is it related to the studies out of Japan using MRI to show listeners exposed to high-frequency music experiencing different brain activity? Is there some kind of non-linearity or unknown high-frequency reception process in our ear-brain system? The listeners are picking something up and doing something with it. I really don't think anyone knows the answers to these questions yet.

The fact is NO one knows why hi-res sounds better. NO one knows why vinyl can sound better. The time domain theory is just that -- a theory.

Interesting post....The science behind conversion is complex...

But when we listen the music in our room, my point is there is many more powerful factors to improve de sound than the switching of digital to vinyl or vice versa...Anyway the 2 have their own limitations and flaws....

Vibrations and resonance controls, decreasing the noise floor not only of the audio system but of our house, the passive materials treatment and active non electronical control of the acoustic of the room, all these are way more powerful change in S.Q. than the comparison between a very good dac and a very good turntable....

But it seems people are fixate on the less important choices that divide us instead of the more important factors that can create a better high fi experience with ANy audio system, digital or vinyl, and that can unite us...

A last word: for me the apex of audio experience is natural instrumental timbre perception and imaging... A turntable can make it and a dac can make it.... But the 2 will make it even greater if the mechanical,electrical, and acoustical embeddings dimension of the audio system is treated and controlled.... All the rest is relative to taste or habit at best, or useless at worst.... :)

Happy new Year and thanks for your post....

Mahgister, it’s not about a DAC or a turntable.  The physical medium I am referring to are the groves of a record which generate vibrations or the orientation of iron particles (in a reel).  Those are a medium where music exists physically.  Digital is not.   Frankly, the best sounding music I have are 15 ips 1/4” two tracks recorded off the master tapes.  I have Vanessa Fernandez’s before the levy breaks in 2nd generation R2R, hirez digital, and vinyl.    With good reveling speakers, the differences are noticeable.   It’s about presence.    It’s less an issue of hearing it, it’s an issue of feeling it.  The way the sound waves surround you 

I like vinyl for the process.....that's why I shave with a brush and double edge razor

mahgister

My "Utter rubbish" comment was for the article, not your response.
Happy holidays :-)