Dipstick on the Analogue/Digital Flavour in our forum

[arj]

I have been wondering on how the flavour in our forum has changed in the last couple of years so posting a poll on understanding the current listening culture among us. Mine has definitely changed and i can see many others in that change as well

Here
Digital : CD/SACD etc and not yet Hi rez (althought there will be very few listening excusively to Hi rez)
Vinyl: LP (of all types..including Shellac)

do drop in a line on your reasons/comments and try to keep it limited to your own decision but request you not to get into a discussion on anyone elses view/comments..we have another thread for that

http://www.hifivision.com/surround-amplifiers-receivers/4122-true-audiophile.html

Option 4 to read as
I have heard only Digital based sources and prefer it although I understand why people choose Vinyl

 

[sud98]

To me a vinyl is like a SACD, nice when I hear it, but so difficult to get them and practically, the music I like will always be digital. I have a Dire Straits album in CD, SACD and BD formats and there is improvement as we go along.

 

[Asit]

Option 3 to read as
I have heard High Quality Vinyl and Digital and prefer both based on recording/pressing

I think I choose option 3 as described in the quote.

The high quality vinyls I heard was a really long time ago (when I lived abroad from 1981 to 1994), so I do not know if I can qualify in this category. I have not heard a good dose of SACDs either. But if the mastering and the pressing are good, I can enjoy both digital and analogue. Good vinyls produce a more flowing and natural kind of sound compared to the redbook CD format (but I cannot compare with SACDs because of my limited exposure). I have done a few comparisons of the CD and the vinyl of the same music, most notably one of the Water Lilly productions. At least in the last example, the vinyl beat the CD hands down in my system. But then I have neither a high quality digital or analogue player, they are at best mid-fi or lower (not entry level though). All said, I end up listening to more CDs than vinyls because I have many more CDs than just over a hundred vinyls.

Regards.

 

[santhosh]

Hi Arj,
I am looking for the option below, but it is not available in the poll:

"I have heard High Quality Vinyl and Digital based setups and prefer Analogue"

Typo?

 

[Gerry_the_Merry]

The best digital music that I have is not available in Vinyl, and Vinyl has an unbeatable charm. So both for me.

 

[arj]

Hi Arj,
I am looking for the option below, but it is not available in the poll:

"I have heard High Quality Vinyl and Digital based setups and prefer Analogue"

Typo?

i fluffed it all on copy paste and putting up a poll in in the shortest time between meetings.. Vinyl was supposed to be option 1 .

MOD..any idea on how i can correct the Poll Q ? sent u a PM

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I really have not heard any high-end decks in decades. Wait 'till after I visit Dr.Bass soon!

After a few years with Shellac, vinyl carried the music that I loved, and that had profound effects on my life. The whole LP experience is precious and treasured, and, even if they seldom leave the box, I could never get rid of my records, not even the completely-unplayable, budget light-classics of my early teens. I guess I destroyed them with jammy fingers and worn sapphire styli --- even though my Dynatron mono record player was respectable in its day. I actually wish my mum hadn't chucked out the shellac.

CDs never had one iota of the emotional appeal, but, in all practical terms, they are what I'll be playing until hdd-based digital files take over, which is happening fast.

 

[jls001]

Option C for me too.

 

[arj]

thanks to the Mod, the options are correct in wording/intent now.
Personally for myself I have chosen 3. the reason being Ihave a lot of CDs I love for which one never even get an LP But I also love a lot of old Hindi Film music from the 60's to the 70s which suck on CD. i have found some music is simply better on an LP and some better on a CD , although from a setup point of view my CD setup has an edge over myAnalogue setup

Apparently many music companies Digitised all their content at a time when digitisation was not really understood very well (jitter etc) and now the new CDs (even reissued) are all suboptimal...any music where Lata Screetches is definitely wrong !!
Since some of the newer LPs are nothing more than creation of a LP from the CD master which does not really make sense either ..id rather keep the LP
Eg I prefer Dire straits on LPs same about Billy joel..they are far far better. But something like a Gary Kerr OR a pink Martini i would not even buy an LP (even if available) since the CD is pretty good in itself.
Ditto about the Vande Mataram album by AR Rehman ..i prefer it on the CD although i have both.

 

[santhosh]

I too have opted for Option 3. Like Asit and arj mentioned, some recordings clearly sound better on one format than other due to the quality of recordings. I plan to pursue both Analogue and digital sources but have no plans on upgrading my current digital source(CDP), will only spend my energy on getting my PC to sound better.

 

[stevieboy]

Option 1. Not one CD I've heard has the presence and body that LPs have. Experimented with a good DAC, found it did not match up, moved to vinyl exclusively and have not looked back since

Digital playback is Internet radio through Apple Airport Express.

 

[arj]

But then I have neither a high quality digital or analogue player, they are at best mid-fi or lower (not entry level though).
Regards.

you are being too modest. the question is around high Quality setup..not Hi priced setup. yours definitely is there !

 

[malvai]

vinyl all the way for me!

 

[arj]

the current breakup of the 18 votes are along the line of


I have heard High Quality Vinyl and Digital based setups and prefer Vinyl 3 16.67%
I have heard High Quality Vinyl and Digital based setups and prefer Digital 2 11.11%
I have heard High Quality Vinyl and Digital and prefer both based on recording/pressing 10 55.56%
I have heard only <Digital> sources and prefer it although I understand why people choose Vinyl 2 11.11%
I have heard only Digital but think Vinyls are history and sentimental value only 1 5.56%


I guess a sample of 18 people do not give any trend, but I would have expected a lot more of options 4 and 5

 

[Hiten]

arj,
I have (1) heard high end vinyl and digital setup but I prefer vinyls. But I know (3) Recording and pressing is most important and (5) Vinyls does have sentimental value and it greatly affects one's subjective view on listening experience. so Iam little confused

but I will go for 3 because for me music is more important than equipments.
Regards

 

[Shivam]

How a recording is mastered plays a very big role.
I have heard good masterings on compact disc sounding better than poorly mastered vinyls, SACDs and high definition flacs.

When the mastering is equal, I find vinyls the best, closely followed by high definition flac.

 

[arj]

arj,
I have (1) heard high end vinyl and digital setup but I prefer vinyls. But I know (3) Recording and pressing is most important and (5) Vinyls does have sentimental value and it greatly affects one's subjective view on listening experience. so Iam little confused

but I will go for 3 because for me music is more important than equipments.
Regards

good choice

 

[arj]

Option 1. Not one CD I've heard has the presence and body that LPs have. Experimented with a good DAC, found it did not match up, moved to vinyl exclusively and have not looked back since

Digital playback is Internet radio through Apple Airport Express.

stevieboy..loved your new signature..is it an original steven creation ?

 

[iaudio]

^ I think so! Altec yor breath away... Just loved it! Hats off Steven!

On topic, I have not heard many vinyl based set ups. But what I have heard, I really enjoyed. But if you ask me if I would shift entirely to vinyl, I dont think so. Not exactly practical. But setting up a vinyl rig is definitely something I want to do in the near future.

I am quite happy with flacs, wavs through the DAC and Cds and Wav on my cd player. But after listening to high res digital, I know it can get a lot better IF your set up can do justice to the source!

 

[stevieboy]

stevieboy..loved your new signature..is it an original steven creation ?

Yup Arj, as guessed by iaudio its vintage steve. Pun intended hehe thanks