The character of analog and digital
Having just obtained some high quality analogue components, I want make some comments on the character of both analog and digital.
First of all it’s very difficult to speak of analog in general. Records vary widely (indeed wildly) in sonic character and quality. Digital recordings are much more uniform. When you play a digital file you more or less know what your getting. Of course some sound better than others, but there is a consistency of character. With records, it’s the Wild West. Variation in SQ and character are rampant.
Therefore it becomes very difficult to make generalizations on which categorically sounds better.
I have DSD at the front end and tubes at the back end and open-baffle speakers, and I love my whole system. Not to say I won't change up when I hear better (and affordable) components, but it's the right path for me. And I keep a turntable and old records around for joy and nostalgia. Good set of posts! I'm happy we all care so much. |
Mike - good to see you weigh in with a more measured input… for those of us w fairly decent LP, Digital ( duh…CD aint it ) and high speed tape….a simple experiment of dumping a digital file on to 15 ips tape and watch the closed minded swoon….. i call it the homogenization machine…. There really are two camps…music lovers not stuck in 1950 - 1970 … and format religious zealots….. |
Someone could argue, but its very much about the mastering....
https://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-how-does-mastering-differ-vinyl-and-digital-releases
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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." I totally agree Charles. Back in August I visited Gestalt Audio in Nashville to audition some equipment. While there Colin (the owner of GA) set for me a listening baseline by cueing up some tracks on his TW Acustic vinyl rig, wonderful engaging sound. Then in the same system I listened to a Neodio Origine S2 CD player, and then the combination of Tron Electric's top of the line Atlantic GTT DAC and an Aurrender streamer (I don't recall the model number) as its source. Both of the digital setups were thoroughly engaging, tone, timber, resolution, etc in spades. I will honestly state that to my ears the vinyl edged both out, but it was very close. I'd be surprised if open minded folks, including significant others, listening to this very comparable/complimentary equipment would walk away stating that there was a significant difference between the sound; having a preference for whichever one over the other certainly. I now have the Neodio in my main system.
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