2. digital
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When is digital going to get the soul of music?

I have to ask this(actually, I thought I mentioned this in another thread.). It's been at least 25 years of digital. The equivalent in vinyl is 1975. I am currently listening to a pre-1975 album. It conveys the soul of music. Although digital may be more detailed, and even gives more detail than analog does(in a way), when will it convey the soul of music. This has escaped digital, as far as I can tell.
mmakshak
nathansaudio
31 posts
 
Digital itself is not the problem. As a medium it is (for the most part) neutral. Digital has opened up the doors to more processing, and what affects soul the most- the ability to fix it later. This putting off of decisions has affected the recording process greatly.
It can be avoided by producers who know what they're doing and the musicians. Digital itself isn't to blame- if you think it is, take your LP and convert it properly to digital. Play back in a blind A/B test and report the findings:)
Analog processing certainly helps paint a prettier picture on digital's neutral canvas.
czarivey
5,946 posts
 
Neo from Matrix may have answers on how to digitally sample the spirit!
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Having just returned from the RMAF and again heard very musical reproduction of mono records, I think there is a clear difference between the best digital sound and the best vinyl sound. The first is very musical and the second can be very real sounding, as though you are there at the recording.

I bought my first cds in London in 1983. I had no cd player at the time. I can assure you that what I heard when I got my first Dual Audio toaster like cd player has been totally eclipsed today with my present double DSD playback system. Getting the digital filters well beyond 50 kHz has revealed much of the music that they previously obscured.
detlof
1,899 posts
 
"I think there is a clear difference between the best digital sound and the best vinyl sound. The first is very musical and the second can be very real sounding, as though you are there at the recording."

Tbg,
I really like that. It is certainly worth pondering about. If you equate "musical" with what we might hear at a live concert, especially when the music starts to really draw you into it, I think I must fully agree with your statement.
Happy listening to both sources!
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Vinyl can be excellent, but it has its limitations, including dynamic range and frequency response. These are not limiters for digital. Digital of course has its issues, including jitter, format, sample-rate, digital filtering and I/V conversion. The fortunate thing is that these digital issues can be continuously improved, whereas we have hit the wall on the vinyl limitations. Vinyl is going nowhere and digital continues to improve.

There area few digital systems that now challenge vinyl and even reel-to-reel tape. There will be more in the future. This is only the beginning of better things to come.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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