And you never had a lousy analog recording or a bad pressing?
Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?
- Thread starter ScottK
- Start date
The problem here, which has already been pointed out, is generalizations. What would be your advice to someone starting from scratch? Listen to vinyl only?
Then you would miss out on a ton of great new music, as well as great new interpretations of classical music by outstanding young artists.
*Some* of that music you could get on digitally sourced vinyl, but what's the point of that?
Yeah, plenty, can't do anything about those either.
An example I would offer (one of many) is Robbie Robertson’s eponymous album released in 1987.
I have used the second cut on side 2, which is track 6 on the CD (Somewhere Down The Crazy River), as a test track since the first time I heard it. But at the beginning, the other cuts seemed congested and poorly resolved on both vinyl and CD.
As my system has improved over the past 36 years, Somewhere Down The Crazy River gets better and better in both formats. But so do the cuts that seemed poorly recorded. My present system deals well with the record, the CD, and the Qobuz stream … and ALL the cuts/tracks are really solid. I am especially surprised by the stream.
The better my system gets, the fewer crummy recordings I run into. In fact, I like to use cuts that don’t sound all that great for evaluation. If a great cut sounds great, that’s GREAT. But if a heretofore mediocre cut wakes up and shows new things inching it closer to great, that’s miraculous and a worthy performance from the gear under test.
I have used the second cut on side 2, which is track 6 on the CD (Somewhere Down The Crazy River), as a test track since the first time I heard it. But at the beginning, the other cuts seemed congested and poorly resolved on both vinyl and CD.
As my system has improved over the past 36 years, Somewhere Down The Crazy River gets better and better in both formats. But so do the cuts that seemed poorly recorded. My present system deals well with the record, the CD, and the Qobuz stream … and ALL the cuts/tracks are really solid. I am especially surprised by the stream.
The better my system gets, the fewer crummy recordings I run into. In fact, I like to use cuts that don’t sound all that great for evaluation. If a great cut sounds great, that’s GREAT. But if a heretofore mediocre cut wakes up and shows new things inching it closer to great, that’s miraculous and a worthy performance from the gear under test.
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Just for fun, I did an unscientific test. I finally opened and played my 45rpm, Direct to Disc, Lyn Stanley, Live at Bernie's London With a Twist, The Challenge LP. At the same time I played the hybrid SACD of the same title. I purchased both from Ms. Stanley at her 2019 live concert event held at Capital Records Studio in LA. The record was recorded live at Bernie Grundman's studio. The SACD has DSD files created from the test pressing of the metal lacquer master recording's test pressings. The vinyl and the SACD were from the same analog master.
The vinyl and the SACD sound terrific -- and virtually identical. Vinyl can be a hi res format since the SACD did not beat the LP. But digital playback of the SACD equaled the LP, so yes digital can get to vinyl sound. I will repeat the test when I get back from Capital Audio Fest.
Vinyl rig: Reed 3C/3P, Airtight Opus 1, Boulder 1008. Digital: Playback Designs MPT8 and MPD8. Speakers: YG Sonja XVi with Boulder 1110/3060.
The vinyl and the SACD sound terrific -- and virtually identical. Vinyl can be a hi res format since the SACD did not beat the LP. But digital playback of the SACD equaled the LP, so yes digital can get to vinyl sound. I will repeat the test when I get back from Capital Audio Fest.
Vinyl rig: Reed 3C/3P, Airtight Opus 1, Boulder 1008. Digital: Playback Designs MPT8 and MPD8. Speakers: YG Sonja XVi with Boulder 1110/3060.
Likewise.
I would add that some of the old Culshaw recordings on Decca sound outstanding as well, despite their age!
Could you offer an example of "outstanding"? Thanks
(Not doubting, just genuinely interested.)
Yes, this 2016 remaster:
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2016 CD release of "Black Sabbath" on Discogs.
www.discogs.com
Rhino/Warner 081227946746
I originally bought it from Amazon, but unfortunately they don't list the code, and I cannot be sure that the link I have in my order history would give the exact same remaster. Thus if you want to make sure you get that same remaster, the above Discogs link is your best bet.
The voice quality is mixed, it's great on the iconic first track, but less so on some others. I assume that's the recording itself. In the last combined track, A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/The Warning, the instrumental band (bass, drums, guitar) is recorded outrageously well and sounds as such on this remaster. But on most tracks the band sounds really good. The recording, made in 2 days (recording on day 1, mixing on day 2), is famous for that.
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You need good records. You don’t need high priced vinyl gear, at least not high priced in WBF terms.
Thank you AlYes, this 2016 remaster:
Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath
View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2016 CD release of "Black Sabbath" on Discogs.
Rhino/Warner 081227946746
(...)
I have listened to Potions on Amazon Prime. It does have an audiophile feeling about it. I am going to explore her other albums. Potions is a ‘50s style. I like her voice, and the arrangements are pleasing to my ear. Sax, piano, bass, drums … traditional approach to jazz. Recognizable songs, but not super overworked choices.
I heard a track from this album, 'Love Potion #9' sound ok at a show once, haven't heard it sound great since. I wonder what @chuck thinks of the streaming version?
I listened to that track and it sounds good. Not as good as the SACD. But this is a YG Sonja XVi system. It is very hard to make music sound bad on this system, I have not been able to do it. For example, I like John Mellencamp's American Fool but it does not really sound good on most rigs. On this system, it is great.
I think that actually depends on how high end the digital rig is. No budget vinyl rig that I have ever heard will beat this digital rig, no matter what vinyl pressing you have.
I doubt I would hear it the same but your Playback Designs is top of my list to audition. OCD Mike is showing the DAC at CAF if anyone's interested:
your analog is reasonably priced in WBF terms. The matching and quality can be debated forever, bit at the price if well set up and using good records you should be able to beat digital easily. If your records are not good you will not be able to even spending higher, unless your digital sucks
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