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Are you recording your vinyl?

The vinyl vs. digital debates go on ad nauseum. These debates almost always concern the question of commercial recordings on digital media vs. vinyl.

Another aspect of the question narrows the topic to only what digital recording & playback (as opposed to mastering, etc.) is capable of: that is, the context of recording one's vinyl digitally and playing it back.

My question for those who are doing this is: Is the quality of the digital reproduction indistinguishable or close enough that you keep your vinyl setup only for archiving? And, either way, what analog and digital equipment are you using?

I know of one regular member here that uses a Korg to make DSD recordings who says that they are in fact indistinguishable from the vinyl playback. Another prolific poster here & elsewhere (with very expensive equipment) claims that not even 2x DSD recording can fully capture the vinyl experience.

My own experience is confined to using a Masterlink recorder to make recordings of my vinyl setup at 24/96 a couple years ago, and playing them back on my Audio Note DAC which was capable of only 18/48 playback. Those recordings were very good (free from all the common "digititus" and thus better than a great many professional RBCD recordings) but it was relatively easy to tell them from the "real thing" (at least once I knew what to listen for).

What are your experiences?
paulfolbrecht
paulfolbrecht OP
603 posts
 
Stevecham, recording vinyl would have purpose if the playback is as good as the original (or tolerably close) - as some say it is.

I'm not saying it is or can be - in my experience it's not - my experience is limited.
manitunc
795 posts
 
My experience has been that recording vinyl to cd results in a better sounding experience that the commericial CD in most cases. I havent bought a CD this century, but I record my vinyl onto it, then to my Ipod in Apple lossless format. just sounds better to me, and anyone else who has listened in the car and asked where I got a certain album because it sounds different than what they have.
ghasley
2,535 posts
 
I'm still experimenting but a good vinyl album, recorded in 5.6mhz 1 bit (double the sample rate of SACD's) and then played back either in native 5.6mhz DSD or even downsampled to 24/384 or 24/192 is spooky good. I can say in my experience that the 5 or 6 vinyl albums i have recorded where i also own the redbook CD it easily surpasses the redbook. In fact, the double DSD playback is so close to the vinyl that I believe it would be hard for most people to discern the difference. Now i know there are those out there who will insist that their $200,000 vinyl setup sounds better.....they are probably right. For most of us, i believe this is a terrific solution and the sound quality on par with better vinyl setups. YMMV
paulfolbrecht OP
603 posts
 
Ghasley, please list your equipment, if you wouldn't mind.

Certainly the quality of one's vinyl playback chain has a large bearing on whether or not digital recording (even at 2x DSD or 24/192 PCM) can fully capture it. I don't doubt, say, MikeL, who I believe has stated that 2x DSD doesn't fully capture his vinyl playback. But, no, most of us don't have rigs like that. So it becomes a practical matter to some extent.
ghasley
2,535 posts
 
Paul, certainly I agree and the usual disclaimers apply, including, I reserve the right to do something stupid, swap in or out a perfectly excellent component with one that screws up all synergy! LOL!

As of this date:
Vinyl: Rega P5, Exact 2 Cartridge, TTPSU
(Okki Nokki record cleaner prior to recording)
Integrated: VAC Sigma 160i with phono(Shunyata BM PC)
DAC: Playback Designs MPD-3(Shunyata Taipan PC)
Digital Recorder: Korg MR2000S(Cardas GR PC)
Computer: 2010 Mac Mini, 4TB firewire HD, 4mb RAM, Pure Music
Speakers: Wilson Audio Duettes (in blue....it could affect the sound!)
Speaker cables: Cardas Clear light
Interconnects: Cardas Clear light
Power: Running Springs Jaco with 20a Running Springs Mongoose
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