Vinyl Vs. Digital

[ChrisP]

Ok 8-Track lovers I can understand if you've got em, but please for the benefit of everyone here, restrict your comments to Vinyl or CD/MP3.

I'd never owned an album on Vinyl until last week, when Lateralus by Tool arrived in the mail. There's different images on each side of the disc, and something was telling me not to take it out of it's plastic wrap but oh well... this is what it looks like.

One listen and I was hooked, grabbing all my dad's Beatles and his sole Santana LP (whilst avoiding the ABBA, Bee Gees, Beach Boys and copious quantities of poppy airiness. It's a wonder I've never wondered about him...) They were all so enjoyable to listen to!!!

Now, there is the crackle the pop and in some extreme cases the distortion in certain parts of the disc. Usually this is inaudible once the song really gets going, but during it's quieter moments this is a clear point to CD's.

MP3's have the same advantage's of CD, but with the ease of portability, size and the unlimited number of tracks you can listen to without changing a disc. Their drawback lies in their degraded soundquality, particularly in the area of "soundstage"

For me there's no going back now, I want it on Vinyl. The ambient noises just give it a nostalgic feel and to be honest make me pay more attention to the subtleties I would otherwise ignore.

So... for those of you who have the same album on Vinyl, CD Which do you prefer? And if you think MP3 is the way to go... Have your say!

 

[ChrisP]

Oh, and Soundstage is defined as - "How well can you tell where each individual sound in the music comes from. For example, you might hear a guitar on the left, a piano on the right, and the drums in the centre."

 

[NoahideHiker]

Dayum! That's a sweet album. That's probably my favorite Tool album too. My mom gave me all her albums, ones I grew up listening to and I love them. The turn table I have is total crap though. They are expensive now! I still love CDs but there some things meant for vinal.

 

[ChrisP]

Dayum! That's a sweet album. That's probably my favorite Tool album too. My mom gave me all her albums, ones I grew up listening to and I love them. The turn table I have is total crap though. They are expensive now! I still love CDs but there some things meant for vinal.

You can pick it up for around 50 US, but hurry, it only just came out and it's got a Limited run.

This is my fav. place for vinyl now...

http://www.musicstack.com/

Being from the US, you might like to try...

http://www.vinylhunt.com/

 

[NoahideHiker]

Oh, and Soundstage is defined as - "How well can you tell where each individual sound in the music comes from. For example, you might hear a guitar on the left, a piano on the right, and the drums in the centre."

Have you heard any of the Sony SACDs (super audio CD)? It's music CDs mastered for suround sound systems. Unfrickinbelievable! I got Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on SACD on it's amazing. One part where someone is running back and forth from left to right sounds like they're running around the room.

I heard an enterview with John Meloncamp and his latest album was recorded in digital, converted to vinal, mastered and then converted back to digital just to get that vinal sound. Sounds great.

 

[Booko]

I voted MP3, but only for extreme convenience and portability.

For sound quality, it's CDs all the way.

I had plenty of vinyl in my day. Sorry, but I've heard enough skips and pops for a lifetime, and then there's the warping.

Just to conserve the blasted thing, I'd take them out once -- just long enough to make a cassette tape. And then I'd play the tape. At least I could listen to something in the car that way. :areyoucra

Ah, and then there are other advantages of digital. My daughter dances, and it's just a lot easier for us to work up some dance music mucking about with music we have on hand.

 

[ChrisP]

Have you heard any of the Sony SACDs (super audio CD)? It's music CDs mastered for suround sound systems. Unfrickinbelievable! I got Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon on SACD on it's amazing. One part where someone is running back and forth from left to right sounds like they're running around the room.

Yeah I've got DSOTM on SACD too... it's frickin' amazing. Tool also created the Lateralus CD in HDCD ( I think that's what it's called). It's the same idea as SACD with a different name I think.

 

[Buttons*]

it's pretty Chris

 

[lilithu]

Yeah, I've heard a lot of audiophiles say that vinyl is superior but I think it basically is for the reason that you say, because of nostalgia. There's no objective reason to say that the subtle distortions of vinyl provide a more fulfilling listening experience than the pure (and thereby flat) digital tones of cds and mp3s.

Having said that, I am all for nostalgia.

I especially like the album art of vinyl.

But I dig the convenience and versatility of mp3s. No going back for me.

 

[NoahideHiker]

This is my one single prized posession that I got from my grandmother's estate. It's a 1921 Victor Victrola. It does NOT have great sound but it still works and I love cranking the thing up and playing it.

 

[RevOxley_501]

i loves my MP3's, but the vinyl sounds so rich...i had to go with MP3 though because i dont even own a record player anymore

 

[Tigress]

Vynil all the way, though I'm sure it's more because vynil is a bit of a novelty for my generation--a groovy bit of the past. My father, having grown up with vynil, prefers cds and mp3s.

 

[ChrisP]

Yeah, I've heard a lot of audiophiles say that vinyl is superior but I think it basically is for the reason that you say, because of nostalgia. There's no objective reason to say that the subtle distortions of vinyl provide a more fulfilling listening experience than the pure (and thereby flat) digital tones of cds and mp3s.

Having said that, I am all for nostalgia.

I especially like the album art of vinyl.

But I dig the convenience and versatility of mp3s. No going back for me.

Yeah if I'm out and about MP3's all the way. If I'm wandering round the house, CD's with my portable amp, and if I'm really in the mood for some great sounding tunes... Vinyl.

I don't think it IS just nostalgia. The instrumental sounds that come from Vinyl, especially drums the lower end of guitar and bass, are much truer to a real instruments sound than the crispness of an MP3/CD. I think it has more to do with the frequencies not being represented well digitally.

Vinyl is so much more "fun" for your ears... imo anyway

 

[Withdrawnmist]

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY !!

Well...me chose Cd's.


I have to say first that for eight years I owned two Specialist Hi fi stores in London and so my passion for music and the equipment is based on a music loving family and many many thousands of listening hours on all manner of wide and varied eclectic and very esoteric equipment.

I have put a lot of investment into my Hi Fi.....it frightens me just how much the interconnects and speaker cables cost !!..far too embarrassed to reveal it here...it almost seems obscene !!..but then I paid trade and if they wanted me to sell their stuff ?.LOL

I went with cds for their portability, their functionality and their detail...though..if pushed...I would have to probably say vinyl too !!...Analogue is the key....even a digital source like MP3 and CD have to be converted to analogue in the final stage so that we can actually hear them !...Vinyl dispense with the need to convert it and thus what you hear is far more natural..but....the transfer onto CDs and the CD Players themselves are getting better and better !!

MP3s..well..I love my ipod and it does sound great but MP3 on a good Hi Fi system sounds lifeless and staid....the reason why ?..a loss of frequency..

The reason why MP3s can store so much in such a small place is because of not just the compression used in recording the data but also the fact that the sounds that are deemed inaudible are not recorded ..in other words information is left out because the human ear does not hear it anyway..BUT..and the big BUT is ..although these frequencies are not heard they DO have an effect on the frequencies you do hear !!..and this is where the richness and tone of a vinyl LP and a CD win hands down...but...to the casual listener...MP3s rule...to the kids of today...I suspect it will all go digital......even today...right now...their phones do it all !

SACD and DVDA do sound great !!....but they will always be a minority medium....they will never really take off because progress in the main sectors of revenue goes towards less is more...who wants to own 5,7 or 9+ speaker systems ? and pay for it.. ?.and all the amplification that it needs ?

Also, we have two ears...stereo....when you go to a concert..the band are in front...not all around...

It IS an amazing sonic experience but believe me...with the right equipment and placement of just two speakers then the imagery is almost just as good...you can obtain a three dimensional sound from two speakers....the sound stage..the imagery...it's all there...

YAYYYYYYYYYYYY !!..me luffs music..can ewe tell ?

 

[ChrisP]

Thanks effeminate sheep-man.

I should point out I only use headphone for listening to music. I even have different headphones depending on the source. That's why soundstage is so important.

Grado SR-80s for Vinyl, Audio Technica ATH-A900's for Digital.

 

[Withdrawnmist]

Thanks effeminate sheep-man.

I should point out I only use headphone for listening to music. I even have different headphones depending on the source. That's why soundstage is so important.

Grado SR-80s for Vinyl, Audio Technica ATH-A900's for Digital.

respect !!..the Grados are excellent !!..I've been very lucky to own some RS1s and Rs2's...not any more... Me sold them !!......I just have some Sennheisers now...although about 4 different pairs ..LOL

The ATs are really good too ....of course....you could go all silly and buy a headphone amplifier....then your sound stage will take a dramatic leap !!..YAYYYYYYY !!!..and those Grados especially will really open up !! YAYYYYYYY !!!

 

[lizskid]

I voted mp3 for versatility, quality and all around use. But, you just can't forget (if you knew them) the real thing....not memorex, but vinyl. It has(d) a character all it's own. I miss it. Have not even owned a turntable for more than 15 years.

 

[nutshell]

What's the word on blue laser? Anyone know?

 

[YmirGF]

Like Booko, I put up with the pure hiss, crackle and pop from vinyl for many years. Give me a pretty silver CD any day. Oh, the good old days when the tape deck ate your favorite tape and it took and hour to extract the little devil. No thanks... never going back to either format.

 

[Withdrawnmist]

What's the word on blue laser? Anyone know?

Somys PS3 is a blue Ray player..as well as an SACD /DVD player

They also launched a dedictaed Blue Ray player in the US just recently...

..actually...wiki has a good article on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_ray