When is digital going to get the soul of music?

As a part time recording engineer whose focus is live, on locations recordings, I'd say digital gets the soul very well indeed!

Go buy Frank Vignola Trio (Standards Live) or Felipe Salles (Timeline) an example of shows that I recorded and were released by the artist. I think they capture the live event well.

For the Frank show I was unaware that he was going to release it until it was pressed. Certainly there are things I would have edited out between songs but, hey, it was a live event and that is how it was.

Of course these were recorded in high rez format but sre only available as CD's. I listen to the 24/96. The CD's are very close to the high rez. and you are hardly missing anything.

I have hundreds of other shows that I've done by artists such as Spyro Gyra, David Bromberg, Bill Evans, Arlo Guthrie, Marty Ehrlich, Ivo Papasov, Duke Robillard and others that capture the events nicely. As a matter of fact, I'm just finishing a Kenny Neal show that "takes you there". You can sit back and listen until your spouse divorces you for abandonment, it is that engaging.

Also, I have an large LP collection and enjoy listening to it too........but, IMO, analog's best is done through tape not LP.

As I recuperate from a bout with the flu, it enables me to catch up with this thread :-)

Many provocative positions presented...I just wanted to recognize this post, 12-18-10: Learsfool.

Much appreciated.

Regards,

Sam

I just purchased a Nad 565bee cd player.
Mozart never sounded so good!

May be it has. I was on the threshold of purchasing an EAR tube or Modwright Sony 5400 player and happened to hear a PS Audio DAC/bridge setup through reference full range speakers. I am a vinyl lover (Rega Planar 9/EAR phono preamp) and was very favorably impressed. I read the website and learned that part of the reason for the excellent sound is error free reading of the disc, which generally doesn't happen even with expensive CD players. Furthermore, it uses a Wolfson DAC, which is the same manufacturer as in the EAR acute CD player I was considering. I have been reluctant to consider computer audio because of a learning curve and the amount of time involved. I now believe that it may be worthwhile. Opinions?

Hello my old friends,
I've been away from the 'gon and this thread for about three years (but not from music) and see that not much has changed in the way of mostly valid arguments defending the one medium from the other.
I have not bothered to read my old diatribes which seem ages ago, but my ears have probably not changed, nor has my gear. Digital is still the Zanden chain or the "Spoiler" USB DAC, analog is WAVAC and a heavily modified Goldmund REF and I still cannot stand big orchestral classical music via digital. There is too much missing on ambience and air, but love small combos, Jazz and voices and here I prefer digital mostly over analog. Not to forget old R2Rs properly dished out by my Studer A810. Here many prerecorded classical tapes will clobber digital any day - to my old ears at least.
Cheers to you all and happy listening,
Detlof