2. analog
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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
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tdaudio
201 posts
 
Yes I am recomending current music. I am over 50 so naturally my golden age stuff falls into the so called golden age of music. Perhaps even a little more so if I was 5 or so years older.

To be straight up I am an old rocker. I like some jazz, country or what I like to call it American music.

One example, I found a nice expample of the Doors LA Womman a few years ago. The title song LA Woman is magical. Say what you want to about the subjuct matter. It sounds like you are in a small club with all the atmosphere. Its almost a jazz like feel.

Newer releases tend to be more dense but can still have a really nice sound stage feel. The one thing that kills it it a digitally compressed recording.

Here is an example of an old digital ricording that is damm good. Steve Earle "Guitar Town" I have it on LP and its too bad it was not analog all the way. I read where Steve said that him self.

TD
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,926 posts
 
Vinyl is pretty easy to find these days since the CD is dying.

Mapman, It sounds like you did not understand my posts from your responses! I suggest re-reading them, especially the one in which I mentioned the sweep tones (don't think for a second that that has no bearing on actual audio!).
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mapman
22,399 posts
 
Atmasphere,

No, i understood fine. You make a good case for strengths of vinyl. But when i hear good digital these days, that sounds good as well thugh often in a different way. So i do not conclude that digital is sk dire that one must turn to vinyl. I feel the same way abkut tube amps. I love picking up old cheap vinyl and getting tat vintage sound. I trust my ears! Digital is making them quite happy these days. And the facts speak for themselves. Vinyl is a niche market. Digital is not. No technical spins can deny that.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,399 posts
 
Atmasphere,

I did wnt to mention that I was at Capital Audiofest last weekend and finally got to hear your amps running the Classic Audio speakers with field coil drivers. I had expectations for benchmark sound and was not dissapointed. This was a very competitive offering in the price range for many that are looking to go in the tube amp/vintage look/big dynamic sound direction.

I would have liked to have heard some digital on that rig. Something modern, like the Green Day "American Idiot" I heard later in the DIY room the sound of which was nailed pretty well. There was a CD player I recall but the CAD gentleman was spinning only vinyl at the time and I could only stay for 20 minutes or so. THe gear in that room was definitely a work of art!
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rauliruegas
13,103 posts
 
Dear Atmasphere: +++++ " Raul was suggesting that the sound of the LP is distorted compared to an analog tape and that is not the case.... " +++++

IMHO this statement coming from you makes no sense to me, maybe I'm wrong.

So are you saying that what is in this link of what I posted is free of distortions?:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?eanlg&1340176293&openflup&45&4#45

and that is only part of the whole " distortions " created through the LP playback process, artifacts as you said it.

I think that subjectivity is not always enough to make judgements, I think you are a person technical oriented and through this thread dialogue I can read almost only your subjectivity in the subject.

IMHO you have all the skills and tools to make a great favor to the audio community if you take " the bull by its horns " making an objective analysis through measures of those LP playback generated distortions starting when the RIAA is generated in the recording process and compare it against that master tape before the RIAA eq. and in the other side makind the same at digital level not only with a CD but more specific with a DVDA ( 24/192 ). In both cases using the best hardaware and in both cases fulfilling each alternative needs.

What we hear on both mediums is not my point/subject but what in reality is appening " down there ".

I like both mediums but that's is not the point.

Regards and enjoy the music,
R.
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