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

As the author states.

"My aim is (1) to highlight what is absent in the aesthetic experience of listening to music through digital formats and equipment, and (2) to refute the idea that vinyl enthusiasts are mere snobs using outdated technology just for the sake of being cool."

In the end he fails to prove his premise and struggles to highlight either of his declared aims. Neither of which really needed highlighting.




@millercarbon, rvpiano,

"There is no trout. Maybe never was."


Yes that captures it.

As biologically constructed interpretation machines we rely upon sensation, stimulation, memory, imagination and emotion.

As long as we remain human there doesn’t seem to be any way of getting away from that, does there?

Some might prefer impressionism some like photo realism.



@mahgister,

"Timbre perception was and is the key to listening experiments about audio system and his not only speakers dependent but room dependent...."


Could not agree more.

I’ve felt that way about audio for decades.



@whart ,

"I don’t have the energy or inclination to argue analog v digital at this point, though I was a dyed-in-the-wool analog guy for many years. Now, I’m agnostic.
A recording sounds "right" to me or it doesn’t."


Me too. I think it has to be a case by case comparison. There’s far too many examples of one being better than the other.

What happens on the production side of music often has very little relation to what happens on the interpretation side of music.

Cue to half remembered recollections of drunken parties where you thought the music was the best thing you ever heard...

@mahgister I enjoyed your post about how the many factors combine to incline us one way or another, depending on variables that are not usually taken into account -- especially the room. And, we can agree that a good comparison should try to exclude using magic words like "physical" (or "analog" or "natural") and it should also avoid the "fetishism" of touch. (Though some might argue that since music is a total experience, why should we exclude any other senses participating in the experience?)

Yet despite all that you said, I’d only point out there are people here who have tried both formats *in their rooms, keeping variables constant and avoiding the prejudices of magic words and fetishes* -- and yet they still testify to a difference. As much as you want to direct us to the many factors which are in common and to create "peace" between the "camps," there is a difference here which is not borne of obstinacy or anger, but of listening experiences. Personally, I have not had these experiences -- but that’s because I don’t have a turntable now.

@madavid0 Thank you for your excellent post. I think you push toward at least a plausible answer as to what the difference is. In some of the better videos by P.S. Audio’s Paul McGowan (and other folks), I’ve hear discussions about timing that make this seem to be a key element. And you’re right that we don’t have very firm answers to these questions, as far as I understand it.

@stringreen I like your analogy with shaving. It’s a good point about whether "the process" can ever really be separated into "pure listening" and the "overall experience of listening," which is broader. When I listen critically, am I listening in the same way as when I just sink into the music -- as Steve Guttenberg continually urges us to do in his videos? (cf. Is a job interview like any other conversation?)

@lastperfectdaymusic I recommend to everyone here a short piece by former Librarian of Congress entitled "Making Experience Repeatable," the second half deals with the conversion of music as a unique and unrepeatable experience into one which could be switched on at will. See: https://erenow.net/modern/the-democratic-experience/42.php

mahgister

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

I deeply apologize and wish you the the best from my heart.....

better for who?  fine if you like to play with record speed , Cantaleavers,  record cleaners ,  moving coil ,  nice tube head amp ,
a  interconnect,   not drinking at a 6 ft. distance from the TT . crazy vibrations.   10 other things i forgot about  .
 5 years ago and today is totally different    

Yet despite all that you said, I’d only point out there are people here who have tried both formats *in their rooms, keeping variables constant and avoiding the prejudices of magic words and fetishes* -- and yet they still testify to a difference. As much as you want to direct us to the many factors which are in common and to create "peace" between the "camps," there is a difference here which is not borne of obstinacy or anger, but of listening experiences. Personally, I have not had these experiences -- but that’s because I don’t have a turntable now

Thanks for your generous and kind words first...

I never negate that there can be "ultimately" a winner,vinyl, for some very few people,able to afford the comparison in the same optimal rightfully embed conditions with some masters files and mastervinyls... A trustful et honest audiophile like Mike Lavigne is an example.... He said that vinyl is better and i trust him...

My point of view is not about to negate vinyl positive points at all....

But for most of us with ordinary vinyl and files, the difference is not what seems it would been in the Mike Lavigne room or any very high acoustically designed room...

In ordinary room there is plenty of people who vouch for cd or digital losless files with reason also...

My point is if your digital sound harsh, not organic, with a veil, dont look for a come back to vinyl, change for a better dac and treat and implement some controls on the mechanical, electrical and acoustical embeddings...

When this is done, if there subsist a superiority of a medium against another, it takes exceptional vinyl and master files to hear a clear winner and a room like Mark Lavigne....Otherwise each one has his superiotity and negatives...

Then ordinary mortals must embed rightfully their system and vinyl and digital will be relatively on par with each other with their own advantages and inconvenience to pound over but not  a complete superiority in the S.Q. ....


Thanks for your kindness and i wish you an iron health this year.... 🙃😊