The character of analog and digital

Don’t expect to change any minds. Like I said, people listen for different attributes. Audiophiles love to justify music appreciation in technical terms. What I have seen, over and over again, digital just ain’t all that.

And yet digital can be all of that. If the listeners were not engage or interested in listening to the CDs, could simply reflect the digital hardware not up to the task. Fortunately I haven’t experienced this let down with digital sourced audio components if there’re up to snuff.

Both analog and digital are subject to the same range/spectrum of poor to sublime. Either is dependent on quality of the recordings and quality of the respective hardware. I’d take a deeper examination of what is being utilized and seek to improve. Digital is absolutely capable of delivering natural, captivating and exquisite sound quality if one has assembled a proper set up.

Charles

It suddenly occurs to me - suppose analog preference is simply an aversion to the digital sound, and nothing more? Going on and on about how analog is superior this way and that way would merely be a mirror image of your aversion to digital recording. I think there’s a real distinction to be made here. There are things about digital that displease some people, and when this kind of person is introduced to analog never having having heard it seriously it’s a revelation to them. I tend to prefer the digital sound, but I have no aversion to the analog sound so there's nothing to keep me from enjoying my LPs when I listen to him.

Second thing that just occurred to me: One comparison you could make to preferring analog to digital is preferring driving with a stick to driving with an automatic transmission. Automatic is easier and more convenient, but you might find driving standard shift is more enjoyable to you.

ghdprentice: “The late 50’s / early 60’s vinyl really stand out as jaw droppingly good.”

Agree wholeheartedly 

How much does the difference between 50s/early 60s and later discs have to do with the quality of the material, do you suppose? There was a dramatic increase in the number of records pressed in the late 60s and onwards, and that probably led to compromises in material.

Add my voice to the chorus, welcome back Millercarbon!