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

Thanks audio2design,
It is nice to get a more detailled analysis. As I said this problem might not occur today. It was more thought as an example because at that period people that 16 bit is perfect. It could be there is still more we do not know today even we have 24bit.

My digital side ist reasonable modern and cost around 3500 Euro; my analog side is double as expensive. Listenimg to the latest CDs of known HighFidelity manufacturer I feel there are lots of dynamic, details, name it. I love it, but after a few songs it still does not touch me. My analog records are ordinary, most of them, some bought new, some came as gift, some found on the flee market. Cheap recording sound defenitely cheap. But most records, even still not in the HiFi league of the best CDs, catch my interest in a way digital does not.
Again I believe everything is right with digital from a pure mathematical point, but why than it is still wrong for some? It must not be in the many calculatons, it must be what goes in the calculatens and what changes between calculations over time. There is a difference even the difference is only perceived by some unlucky people like me.
Additional there is that filtering thing which does or had once the effect of preringing of 16 bit CDs. It might be a thing of the past as 96KHz does shift things to a frequence area where it should not be perceivable. Or is it not? We know so much about matahmatics, but so less about our hearing. But what worries me is that people invented the CD format knowing of that problem, which is an uncertainty, as knowbody can be sure how listener reacts on an complete unnatural behavior. All we end up is that we know a lot but still not all.

From a mathematical standpoint(Nyquist) it is a universal facts that there is no mathematical difference between the translation digital/ analog or analog/digital....Nobody can argue against that...But anybody can interrogate himself about this fascinating fact indeed...(Fourier analysis is one of the crowning jewel of mathematic)Like the mathematician woman in the article i cited above....

But from the recording engineer making a set series of choices alternatives linked to the choices and location of many kind of microphones which are different analog complex devices with different properties, and the engineer that makes his own choices in mixing, trying to create and compensate for what is the "artistic" perspective of the artist, the information of the instrumental timbre from the "live" original event is lost partially...

Then the perceived differences coming from vinyl or digital format are linked not so much to these mathematically equivalent medium itself but way more to the implementation of their specific format in specific gear of variable qualities and not only that, but in specific audio system which are diversely embedded, more rightfully or more wrongfully in their mechanical , electrical, and acoustical dimensions...

Then a comparison cannot UNIVERSALLY validate the superiority of any format...

And arguing the superiority of digital by Nyquist is ignoring the initial lost of the information about timbre perception because of the 2 sets of choices at the recording(microphones) and at the mixing moment...If someone understand what timbre is it is clear that it is a complex acoustical event easy to distort...

Musical timbre concrete perception is the BEST way to assess the quality of a hi-fi system, and is related not only to a source but to the mechanical, electrical and acoustical conditions pertaining to the listeners room and to the chosen qualities of his audio system for the RECREATION, and not only a reproduction, of the original timbre event in the listener room....

Nobody is in error claiming that he prefer vinyl or digital.... The only one in error are those who promote their obsession or ignorance as universal claims ....

@wuwulf ,


You are making the classic mistake, no offence, of assuming that because something is preferred (by some), that it must be inherently more accurate. That could not be farther from the truth, and would be true for most forms of human perception whether that the sound reproduction, image reproduction, lighting, etc.

Most people will prefer a slightly over-saturated unnatural photograph to one that reveals the most accurate colors. People, on average, when they are looking at faces, prefer lighting that is unnaturally "warm".  Why should we expect any different for audio?  Many people crank their bass up a bit if they can. Many soften the treble (if they can). Vinyl introduces a whole host of colorations, the end result obviously being favorable to a large group of people.  There is no need to try to make up arguments about some unknown property that makes it more accurate. It is simply pleasant colorations that appeal to a group of people, sometimes coupled with a mix/master that is superior to the digital one.

There is no pure reproduction of an original event witout lost of information...There exist only a recreation...An analog one and/or a digital one.

Accuracy of the digital format has nothing to do with the accurate perception of timbre by the ears...

What some call subjective, almost useless, or inessential delusion, or at best only "pleasant coloration", is a specific mathematical acoustical concept and a definite concrete event in the acoustic domain and in the musical domain ; timbre. and timbre can be judged only by the human ears for the time being.... 😁

Perhaps then some people prefering vinyl live through an experience that is not so much a delusion, or even a taste, but a better timbre evaluation with the right audio system rightfully embedded...

Generalization about group of people are not always enlightening...Sometimes divisive...

As humans we are organic/analogue - digital is not that. I just accept the advantages of each format although I was in the larger group that preferred vinyl.

Are you aware of any DACs that output "digital". Last time I checked they all outputted analog. They just happen to output analog far better than the vinyl. Funny that huh?