Half-Speed Masters - are they worth double dipping?

@inagroove 

I listen primarily to classical.  There may be compression used on some recordings but I haven’t encountered it.

  CDs will always beat LPs for dynamic range because they eliminate the noise floor.  This isn’t just opinion, it’s been validated constantly.

  Dynamic Range is only one variable in audio appreciation and it is perfectly valid to appreciate listening to vinyl for other reasons but if compression isn’t used there simply is no comparison re digital vs. analog for that parameter

mahler123

CDs will always beat LPs for dynamic range because they eliminate the noise floor.

CDs have a noise floor too, and most are compressed. Some are compressed more than an LP counterpart and I offered two documented examples of that earlier in this thread.

mahler123

While your logic is correct-CDs have a very low 'noise floor', your premise may not be correct. 

Please consider that if a CDs 'sound ceiling' is dramatically lowered - via compression (even more than the noise floor) - the Dynamic Range will be smaller on CDs, often much smaller.  Afterall, we are discussing a Range, and not just the noise floor value.

Best,

P.S. - going full circle, many Half-Speed Mastered, uber-vinyl pressed LPs have a noise-floor that is below (my) hearing at elevated SP levels.  This could/should also be considered when comparing CDs to LPs.

Best,

I repeat, at least in Classical, I don’t know of any compression in my several thousand CD collection.  I’ve had some recordings bump up against the ceiling of the filter on a DAC, but that hasn’t been an issue for a couple of decades.

  And isn’t the RIAA curve the ultimate example of compression?