Vinyl's Noise Floor

PBB, let me say once again I prefer digital to analog. But, AlbertPorter is absoultly correct. Despite all the technological hurdles analog has to leap(it's amazing it works at all!).I have never heard any digital source sound as good as a carefully set up, money no object, top flight turntable playing well maintained vinyl. It takes passion to make it all work. If you haven't heard a really good set up in twenty years, your long over due. Leave your prejudices at the door. Relax and listen. Again, I still prefer digital for a multitude of reasons. Just don't dismiss analog out of hand with out a fair audition.

Pbb- I don't know where or how you had gotten the impression that "the best tt/arm/cart makes the recording more silent". Clearly, any playback medium cannot change the actual recording in any way as a noisy recording is a noisy recording. A playback system can't go back in time to re-do the master tape, record mold or pressing to make the recording more silent. What a higher quality playback system (analog or digital) can do is be more faithful to the existing recording. Vis a vis noise and noise floor, a better quality table/arm/cart will be able to drop the noise floor very significantly as extraneous vibrations during playback will generally be minimized so as not to be introduced by the table as noise. This results in a much quieter background and much greater clarity in transciption. (I suppose that some might mis-interpret this to the RECORDING sounding quieter, but it's really the equipment playing what's on the LP more accurately.) Also, a better quality cartridge will better track the groove sides (where the music is) and minimize contact with the bottom of the groove where there is more LP surface noise and not much, if any, music.

And yes, Formula One, there may be some slight noise on the quietest passages. But, like most things in life, it's a trade-off. As TWL pretty much said above- if you want dead silence in the background, don't mind strings sounding like synthesizers and want convenience, go with CDs. If you don't mind a little effort, some slight noise (which most folks cancel out psycho-acoustically) and enjoy a more natural sound, then go analog.

Lastly, to Pbb- There have been many, many threads giving suggestions for the best analog rigs at various price points so I can't imagine why you would have any trouble settling in on something to try in your price range. From your comments, though, I'm sensing that your priority is dead silence and convenience, so your best bet might be to just stick with CDs. I don't think anyone on this analog forum believes analog is for everyone all of the time, just as CDs aren't for everyone all of the time.

Regards
Jim

Loves music - you have noticed something that has been noticeable since 1970. The vinyl used in US made records is re-cycled vinyl. This is due to the Clean Air Act that makes vinyl manufacturing in this country nearly impossible. the re-cycled vinyl has impurities in it that show up as noise and pops. Import records generally(not always) use virgin vinyl and sound much quieter. Also, records made in the US prior to the Clean Air Act MAY have also used virgin vinyl.

To Twl; You ar dead on with regards to earlier US pressings. I seem to remember some old Columbia SAX and early RCA's sounding pretty good. Please give LATE 70's English pressings a try...some of the best viynl sound ever is there.

Interesting thread. Viridian's correct about CD "silence".

One caveat is that one has to be very careful with cartridge selection. I find that some cartridges diminish surface noise, or don't pick it up. The experts tell me this has to do with stylus shape, polish, record condition, and of course setup. I also find on some of the very best clasical records with wide dynamic range (say Chopin) the artifacts one hears in the pianissimo passages are that of the recording venue and the recording electronics, not the record itself. A good "front end' will clearly delineate this for you so you can "bracket it" as you become a more perceiving listener. So there is another factor to throw in in your search for perfection. Accepting the journey with its singularity is the end in itself.