Analogue from Digital

Yes, there is. or should i way, there are.For one thing, and some will rail at this, it will have analog colorations that many may like.


Second,it will have had its digital-to-analog conversion done in a professional studio, in theory with very good and well set up (grounding , powering, proper impedances, whatever) rather than whatever you bought and hooked up.

Third, its not inconceivable that it will have been re-equalized somewhat. Vinyl these days are specialty products, aimed to two groups - the "retro" group and audiophiles who are not happy with digital for whatever reason.

So sure. Whether it is more accurate (but what measure we could fill many pages) is a totally different question, but not one you asked.

Even with digital recordings and/or mastering, vinyl CAN sound much more analog than the same recording / mastering. And just because a record was "mastered from the original analog tapes" doesn't mean that it will sound more natural (can we agree that that's what "more analog" basically means?).

I recently reviewed a recent reissue of Big Star's debut, remastered from the OG tapes right in Memphis, and I compared it to my 80's European digitally remastered. The 80's digitally remastered version was head and shoulders better (although still not great). So much for 2 of the biggest "rules" in vinyl (that would be the country of origin rule and the "must be from an analog tape source" rule).

If you're interested you can check out the review here.

Oh and to more directly answer your question, it's possible that the same recording / mastering played on vinyl could best a high-rez stream or CD, but it depends on many of the things already mentioned here. IOW - IT DEPENDS!

millercarbon. You're doing yerself as disservice with your modern pressing avoidance.

One specifically is Music Matters Jazz 2x45 rpm. That is if you like jazz. 

with respect to others, i think that many newer recordings can sound great on vinyl, in some cases superior to the digital master. there are so many factors (the master, the remaster in some cases, who cut it, this or that piece in your setup etc) that sometimes it's hard to pin down what, exactly, might be "off" about a given recording. but when it sounds really good, you don't think about source too much. it just works. only my .02c