2. analog
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HD Down Load compared to Analog.


Lately, I've been comparing HD Down loads to "analog". The obvious first advantage is no pops and ticks, but that's just for old records. Another advantage for me personally is that I don't have class "A" analog, I have class "B", which is very good. I still use Stereophile magazine's ratings of equipment as a way of conveying how good a piece of equipment is. While folks here put that method of conveying how good a piece of equipment is, they still concur with it, and they don't even know it.

Class "A" analog is the best, and it's always very expensive. You have to have 100% class "A" in the chain to yield class "A" sound, which is why I have Class "B".

In my comparison evaluation, I used Santana "Abraxas" as the test LP. Since I've worn out 5 copies of this album, to say I'm familiar with it is an understatement. "Singing Winds And Crying Beasts" is the first cut, it has "tinkly" sounding chimes that test definition on all equipment. After listening to a new LP, I gave it an "A" rating. This meant the HD Download would have to be some kind of fantastic to top the LP.

As soon as the music began, it became apparent the HD Download was superior; there was a "jet black" background. This is something I had never heard before. I'm fully aware of the fact that's an "oxymoron". "How can you hear what you don't hear, and you have never heard before". Only an audiophile can understand that, consequently, I won't try to explain it. After only two cuts, I gave the HD Download an "A+" rating.

While I have Class "B" analog, if you have Class "A" analog, it might be better than the Download, I don't know. These are the results from my comparison, I would like to hear yours.
orpheus10
petepappp
37 posts
 
Tonywinsc, I am currently using an Audioquest Dragonfly, which is an USB thumb drive. The thumb drive bypasses my laptop's internal music processor to its ESS Sabre DAC. The thumb drive has a female mini jack in the back. Plug the thumb drive into usb port on my laptop, plug a mini to RCA cable into the back of the drive and plug RCAs into preamp. The Dragonfly is $249. With the cable I've got less than $400 in the rig and get very good performance. I also plug my headphones directly into the thumb drive with a mini adaptor. I have no connection to Audioquest, just a solution that works well for me you might want to check out.
rsimms
150 posts
 
Digital can sound totally natural. Digital seems to sound cleaner and clearer than my Analog. I have a feeling of awe sometimes at how great the sound is, at times, with Digital. Still, many of my Analog albums can give me the chills when I play the pressings at realistic levels. I don’t get chills with Digital. That could be just my own bias, but that is what happens.

Bob
petepappp
37 posts
 
If I restrict myself to analog recordings only, there is a whole slew of new music I'll be missing out on. There just aren't that many artists putting out new analog recordings. I also find the variety interesting mixing up tape, vinyl and digital in a listening session. It will be interesting to see if Digital source recordings catch on. Going to be tough with current pricing and availability.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

As everyone knows, there is no more bias on any forum than on the "analog" forum, which is why I posted digital here. Even with all the bias, those who tried HD Downloads have given them a positive response.

Cartridges have personalities which transcend to the music. DigitaL has no personality, it's totally neutral.

Raul, when you get to the highest echelon of the "high end", you've gone beyond anything, and everything technical that I know of. We've gone into the realm of "pure music", therefore only explanations that relate to music can suffice.

I stated on one of my posts that I heard "nuance" on a Download, that I had been in search of since the early 60's. The CD didn't even come close, my LP was sadly lacking but at least it hinted at this "nuance" I was in search of. Here is something almost no one knows; those "jukeboxes" we fed quarters in the 60's, were "high end", and 45's gave the ultimate results, that's why we couldn't stop feeding them quarters. That's where I heard this nuance I had been in search of, and since rediscovered it on a Download.

After I completed electronics school ages ago, and SS ruled, we debated "audiophiles" who didn't even know ohms law. They gave musical explanations, while we gave "technical" explanations. There was no way their antiquated tube amplifiers could be better than our up to date SS amplifiers, all you had to do was compare the specs of our SS amps to their antiquated tube amps.

I no longer bother with technical explanations to explain anything musical, because as an "audiophile", that's all that's relevant. I've been listening to these HD Downloads since posting this thread, and they only get better. They deliver that intangible aspect of the music which the artist intended to deliver. These intangible aspects involve us emotionally and give great satisfaction, they are why we spend so much on this equipment, and these "intangible" aspects are the absolute bottom line, they're what it's all about.


Enjoy the music.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Raul, I can't find any difference in reference to your specific question. HD Downloads are direct from master tapes, which could explain the high quality, but technically I don't see any difference between the two since both are 24/192.
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