2. analog
  3. 1340176293

Is a vinyl rig only worth it for oldies?

I have always been curious about vinyl and its touted superiority over digital, so I decided to try it for myself. Over the course of the past several years I bought a few turntables, phono stages, and a bunch of new albums. They sounded fine I thought, but didn't stomp all over digital like some would tend to believe.

It wasn't until I popped on some old disk that I picked up used from a garage sale somewhere that I heard what vinyl was really about: it was the smoothest, most organic, and 3d sound that ever came out of my speakers. I had never heard anything quite like it. All of the digital I had, no matter how high the resolution, did not really come close to approaching that type of sound.

Out of the handful of albums I have from the 70s-80s, most of them have this type of sound. Problem is, most of my music and preferences are new releases (not necessarily in an audiophile genre) or stuff from the past decade and these albums sounded like music from a CD player but with the added noise, pops, clicks, higher price, and inconveniences inherent with vinyl. Of all the new albums I bought recently, only two sounded like they were mastered in the analog domain.

It seems that almost anything released after the 2000's (except audiophile reissues) sounded like music from a CD player of some sort, only worse due to the added noise making the CD version superior. I have experienced this on a variety of turntables, and this was even true in a friend's setup with a high end TT/cart.

So my question is, is vinyl only good for older pre-80s music when mastering was still analog and not all digital?
solman989
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,930 posts
 
"Before saying that vinyl is so distorted, especially in the bass, how about compare it and the resulting digital to the original master tape??!"

I have heard this done once at United Home Audio in Md but tape/vinyl/CD recordings were not the same, so validity of the comparison is not clear.

Master tape won followed by vinyl then CD. Bass, dynamics, organic fullness of the recordings top to bottom was where I heard the difference.

However, since this was not an apples/apples test of the BEST of each format, I am not convinced that the CD could not have been mastered in a way that closed the gap with the vinyl.

Neither came close to the reference tape recording.

In lieu of the perfect test/comparison, nothing I have heard day to day since with either format causes me any real concern.

CD will never match top dynamics possible with tape or vinyl, that much is clear to me. Other digital formats might.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,930 posts
 
"CD will never match top dynamics possible with tape or vinyl, that much is clear to me. Other digital formats might."

I should qualify that to refer to macro-dynamics/overall dynamic range.

In regards to microdynamics and transient response, there I think the book is still way open and I do not expect it to ever close on digital.
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rauliruegas
12,877 posts
 
Dear Atmasphere: You are talking of recording process and I'm talking of LP pkayback process: two different subjects.

I have not experience on the recording process, I'm ignorant down there and I have no reason to have doubts on what are your experiences in the same way I have no doubts on what Mapman posted in the same subject and where his experiences are not exactly as yours.

I can continue this dialogue with you or any other member if we can concentrate in the LP. playback process. Till today no one post nothing against what I posted in that specific subject. I can be wrong on what I posted and as always I'm willing to learn willing to low my ignorance level.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
mapman's avatar
mapman
21,930 posts
 
At Capital Audio Fest, I got to finally hear high end Atmasphere amps driving the Classic Audio field coil speakers, which has been on my to do list for a long time. Two Words: very nice!

Everything I heard was sourced from vinyl, mostly acoustic music. What was there not to like? Nothing really.

I also heard the high end Tidal system sourced from a music server. Tidal gets a lot of buzz on this site so I had to hear!

Similar music types playing there.

What was there not to like? Nothing.

The two sounded as different as night and day. Room acoustics were different but not radically so.

SO what accounts for how two high end rigs could both sound so good yet so different?

I'll attribute to each doing a good job and choosing their distortions wisely.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,644 posts
 
I'm sorry Raul, maybe its a language thing. I think I stated it several times in this thread but let's be clear:

1) Make a good recording; a good master tape
2) release it on LP and CD
3) compare what you hear to the master tape

Now you should know that there is a 'test' of some sort that is part of the LP or CD release process. This 'test' (as in 'test pressing') is used to see how well the ***LP PLAYBACK*** is able to meet the sound of the master tape!

I emphasized the words 'LP playback' to prevent further misunderstanding.

I have to assume that you must have at least one test pressing somewhere in your collection... if not its something to work on. Test pressings are the first off of the stamper and so can sound better.

Anyway, if the test is approved then the mass production begins. Having been through this process a number of times (and mind you, I am not talking about listening to the lathe cut, instead we are talking about playback of an actual LP) I can tell you that unequivocally, the LP is:

1) not distorted, rather it should sound nearly identical to the master tape and
2) it will have better bass than the digital as well as smoother, more detailed and more dimensional highs.

So I am indeed talking about **playback**! If you are not experiencing the same advantages of vinyl, then adjustment or upgrading of your playback apparatus is indicated.
More to discover