Ever listened to something on vinyl you knew better/first on a digital format and been more impressed with the vinyl ?
Question goes beyond analogue vs digital sound I suppose as I know I prefer vinyl as a source to CD/streaming.
I guess it may partly boil down to the mastering for the given format, but I keep being amazed how much ‘more’ there is to hear from a humble LP, and how it involves me more than the flawless sounds of digital media.
There would be no point in them all sounding the same. Vinyl IMO is more organic and real. CD is good for mainstream listening and as Stuart says streaming to me is cold and soulless.
for absolute sound quality i prefer vinyl. But i don’t want to listen to always the same albums. So i am listening mostly to digital files and enjoy new music. Lps are more from time to time…
I think vinyl has to sound different because there are so many variables involved, but it’s remarkable when you think about it that after nearly 4 decades of digital audio we can still see differences in how the same data is delivered, especially on high-end equipment.
The next poll ought to be about the best sounding colour for the plastic!
I generally hate anything but standard vinyl, but just happen to be playing A-ha on clear vinyl for Mrs Cat and it looks fantastic, in a way colourful vinyl looks tacky. Can’t say it sounds any better for it though
Vinyl is my preference but the ND555 is good enough that if I had to start from scratch with no software in hand I’m not sure I’d be including vinyl in my plans. This is the first time I could say that about any digital source including the CD555 with either number of power supplies. This is somewhat influenced by the sound quality of a lot of the recent vinyl reissues however.
Definitely vinyl for me. It is the SQ but also the “theatre”around it. Getting it out of the sleeve, quick clean etc. The anticipation as the needle hits is something special and I don’t get that from cd.
Vinyl has a certain charm and wot not and I still have shedloads of records, but it’s a bit of a faff to be honest and bleeding expensive to do it really well. Don’t even get me started on the quality control of “new” pressings!. I’ve just gotten into streaming in a big way and presently that’s the only source setup at home.
I do have an old Denon DP-47f I’m currently restoring that will probably find it’s way into the setup at some point. Not sure how much use it’ll actually get, but looks pretty cool.
Had a lovely LP12 a few years back and my word it was special. Sadly the cost of records now is just just daft. I’d rather spend £20 on a monthly Tidal sub and get all the music I can shake faeces covered stick at.
Perversely I service and restore turntables for a living. Go figure!
Recently got back into vinyl since by teens/early 20s and I’m amazed how good it sounds. lossless downloads and CD rips are great, too. Vinyl s somehow more engaging to me .
Vinyl for me. I had a CDS3/555PS sitting gathering dust - finally sold it all off a few years back. I am the type of person who enjoys hunting down LP’s , cleaning them, collecting them. Not for everyone. I have not heard digital playback come close to vinyl to my ears but then again, I have not been looking that hard either
ATB,
Mark
My response is similar to @jude. Got back into hifi in 2011, with only digital lossless-or-better files. Bought a tt (Rega RP8/Apheta2/Aria) very recently and have had a few vinyl listening sessions now. Digital source is ND555.
Look, the ND555 is fantastic. Totally fantastic.
The RP8 is pretty fantastic too. They sound “different” in a different way; it’s not like comparing an ND5XS to an ND555 for example.
With a good record, I can really enjoy the RP8, both the sound and the ‘psychological engagement’ that comes from the record playing process. And I really think that there is something about knowing the music is coming from, as someone else wrote, ‘a rock being dragged along a groove in a vinyl disk’ – that alone brings forth a certain satisfaction that is unique. Also, the record playing process brings me back to the music listening of my youth; now it’s both the music itself AND the record playing process.
So I think that this “engagement” factor with vinyl is real. I “feel” is as much or more than I “hear” it.
As you’ve asked; no, vinyl doesn’t interest me. I’ve tried it again but the cost and the faff reminded me why I was so pleased when CDs arrived. And now that streaming is here that’s even better - an evening can amble past in utter joy picking next tracks to play as the mood swings & changes all whilst staying in the comfy chair with a bottle of wine & a decent book.
I’ve never bought into the business of enjoying the physical act of slipping a record out of the sleeve, cleaning it and waiting for the bump as needle hits plastic. But each to their own…
I re-engaged in audio in 2018. Went digital all the way, ND555/PSU, Unit Core, TIDAL, no vinyl. No regrets. May do Roon, Nucleus, and Qobuz this year. Kind of letting the dust settle on all that.
It now makes sense why Naim did not include native TIDAL nor Qobuz but did Roon Ready in the ND555.
Bailyhill
