When is digital going to get the soul of music?

I like vinyl and digital.

I would agree that analog is more mature today than digital (its been a round a lot longer). But it also ain't going anywhere new at this point. It is what it is and is ever going to be anything much more. That's jut the reality of things for better or for worse.

I've done specific a/b tests between vinyl and CD releases of the same title (a couple of reviews posted here on Agon as well). I've found subtle differences both ways that might affect preference either way in specific cases.

Each recording had limitations compared to the ideal in that I have never heard a perfect recording. I suppose any limitation short of lifelike can be considered distortion. Noise was not an issue in any case. Signal in all cases far exceeded any noise.

Granted these were pop/rock titles, which are less demanding. I agree that large scale classical works on CD may typically lag behind their vinyl brethren in regards to being completely satisfying.

But I don't associate "soul" with classical music in general. For titles more in the "soul" genre, CDs generally work fine.

I can't stand CD players, save for the few non-oversamplers out there. They sound beautiful and natural. On the other hand, I will never suffer those vinyl anxiety fits ever again.

"Those of us who have open ears are the ones keeping analog alive"

Assuming we're talking about vinyl specifically, actually I think it is those of use with large existing record collections and those shopping for used vinyl that is keeping the equipment manufacturers alive at least.

It is nice to see a few new pressings in some of the stores these days though.

Mapman - we're not talkin about comparing CD to vinyl. I just reacted to statement that digital will never rival analog. LPs are made from digital recording last 20 years - how it can be better than its origin? I has to go from digital to analog thru the DAC and in addition thru LP, pickup, RIAA preamp. How LP can improve sound of original master tape I don't know. LP is pretty much dead - (about 1 million record total sold last year) and nothing new on the horizon. How anybody can know for certain that LP will never be surpassed by digital? The word "denial" comes to mind. As I said we're not talking about 44kHz CDs.

Muralmanl - pretty much everything is changing to oversamling (for better or worse). Analog Devices dropped almost all non-oversampling DACs, Class D amps are the same thing as sigma-delta modulator, SACD is oversampled recording and DDS studios started using for recording is like 4 channel SACD. I got first CD recorded from DDS and sound is beyond believe.