WBF Poll: Which Sounds Better, Digital or Analog?

[rbbert]

yes I understand...I guess I could have been more tactful.. Hasn't this issue been raised before (analog vs digital) ? I guess I was feeling a bit of..

Carry on...

It has certainly been frequently discussed (argued); I don't recall it being quantified?

 

[garylkoh]

And to bring more clarity, I have heard and own analog equipment. But I am a "digital guy." When you are discussing something with me, you should operate from that point of view. It doesn't mean I don't listen to analog any more than analog person voting such, doesn't listen to digital.

Sounds like for clarity, we should have our own versions of this statement in our signatures. That way, when we make comments on the forum, our bias is clear.

 

[Al M.]

Actually, almost all of the vinyl I buy these days is of new material. There is an insane amount of new talent out there, if you look a bit.

Fair enough. I listen mostly to classical music and classical avantgarde, and there is nothing new out on vinyl these days. And classical avantgarde these days is a strictly Redbook 16/44.1 affair only.

By the way, a few years ago the Frank Zappa Family Trust released new, great remasterings of Zappa material. The material was released on 16/44.1 CD only. Why? Obviously, relevance.

 

[rockitman]

Sounds like for clarity, we should have our own versions of this statement in our signatures. That way, when we make comments on the forum, our bias is clear.

My signature is pretty clear on my preference. Digital only applies when the recording I want to listen to is only available in digital.

 

[ddk]

I'm amazed how much confusion, resistance and justification there is for a simple poll like this, just click one and be done with it!

 

[c1ferrari]

1) reel to reel tape, 2) reel to reel tape, 3) reel to reel tape.

You have been absolved
BTW, I believe one may cast their franchise once, only.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I agree. And the other rather sad thing is that many believe you must have SOTA to truly enjoy it. It's not said in those words, but it's often implied.

I disagree. wholeheartedly.

either digital or analog can be completely satisfying at relatively modest levels of investment with good choices and set-up.

under $2k dacs can approach digital SOTA on dsd and $3k vinyl gets quite good while $4k to $8k vinyl can be very very good. particularly on the vinyl side of things some skill and care with modest gear can jump a few notches in performance beyond the actual investment. it's not all an issue of dollars.

neither of those neighborhoods are cheap but can fully engage a listener for the sweet spot of what the formats can do.

if you want digital that challenges better vinyl, or vinyl that challenges better tape, then one needs to push it for sure. but that's not necessary to completely enjoy the music.

and as always; the software trumps all. the best digital recordings, and best vinyl pressings take almost any gear to the sonic heights. you can't keep great music down. many people who are not really into gear, and instead are into original pressings, get great special sound.

as far as someone implying you need ultimate level SOTA gear to enjoy the music I don't see that happening. maybe you could point out where that has occurred. saying that ultimate SOTA gear is more enjoyable to a specific listener is a different idea than assigning exclusivity of enjoyment to SOTA gear. the objective concept of improved performance does result in some benefit to the consumer of that better gear. that applies to a wide variety of pursuits and is simply the way life is. but exactly what gear brings what level of enjoyment to specific people is not really definable.

certainly people might say; "you can't imagine how real that sounded"....or something like that. I can see from a particular perspective that the poster may be said to have claimed something unique to that experience. but I don't see that as invalidating others enjoyment to what they hear.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

I need to come back to your house to make that 673 to 1. I think we only played analog when I was there. Or wait. Is that what you did for the other 673???

the closest I've had someone come to choosing digital was saying that while they easily preferred my vinyl to my digital, for the dollars it might take to get to that level of vinyl they would stick with totally enjoyable digital. which then launched us into more modest vinyl that still would do the magic and they did go that route.

I've had more than one visitor come over to hear my digital player and end up getting into vinyl. I remember one couple in particular who loved piano music, and had a reference redbook piano cut that was their holy grail music. I played that for them and they loved my digital player. then I asked them if they might like to hear that recording in vinyl. they said yes. so I put on the RR pressing of Nojima Plays Listz. they were gobsmacked......and got into vinyl. that piano blew their mind. that was 6-7 years ago and I can still remember their faces as I played that record. the 1/4" 15ips Tape Project tape of that had not yet been released or that might have caused even more problems.

 

[JackD201]

Real junk then! I'm with you on that because $1000-$1500 Denon tt packages are hell of bang for the buck and already sound very good. Then again their $350 all in one CD mini systems hold their own against some high end systems too.

david

I'm not as harsh with my words. When I edited "entry level" to "commodity level" I should have edited both in the sentence.

When my daughter got her first LP and it was played on an SL-1200 M5G (w Ortofon Concorde Elliptical) which costs 2/3 a Denon package and compared to the UK CD played on a CDJ-2000 Nexus (about the price of the Denon package) feeding the same Nexus mixer over powered monitors, everyone that's heard it preferred the vinyl. A CDJ 2000 is not a commodity level CD player. It is a live performance industry standard. I don't like to bring price into the discussion because there are a lot of under and over performers on both sides of the divide. The topic is best vs best to us so that's why I voted analog. For every other situation my answer would be it depends. A moron with a SOTA table or one with a poorly selected and cared for LP collection will have his ass handed to him by a guy with a laptop and USB DAC. I sincerely believe that.

 

[rockitman]

I'm amazed how much confusion, resistance and justification there is for a simple poll like this, just click one and be done with it!

I did that too.

 

[NorthStar]

But then, it'll be boring without having a conversation. :b

Oh by the way, can I change my vote? ...Today I feel different; I think I heard the cello with more intimacy, digitally. ...On the r.a.d.i.o.

 

[amirm]

either digital or analog can be completely satisfying at relatively modest levels of investment with good choices and set-up.

under $2k dacs can approach digital SOTA on dsd and $3k vinyl gets quite good while $4k to $8k vinyl can be very very good. particularly on the vinyl side of things some skill and care with modest gear can jump a few notches in performance beyond the actual investment. it's not all an issue of dollars.

Mike, how about creating a thread and listing equipment in these price categories? I think they will be hugely valuable for many members. Good place to put them is in their respective forums. I know I like to know how an LP system could be put together in those price classes as I can't even spell a single brand of turntables these days .

 

[stehno]

...., my analog will take on all comers, ...., but this thread is about which sounds better.

You're right there, Mike. It's all about which sounds better. That sounds like a challenge.

I've got a very simple 2-ch. 2-component digital system that including speakers retails for only $10k, excluding cabling, line conditioners, rack, etc.

As I recall, you're only a few hours north of me. Is there any value that either or both of us could benefit if I were able to demonstrate a level of musicality that clearly exceeds what you're able to achieve via your analog (or digital) system? And in virtually every category, except perhaps an overly expansive soundstage since my smallish room does not allow my speakers to breathe as they should.

 

[Al M.]

The poll has meaning to us. We like to know the makeup of our membership better. That way we can tailor our forum for the audience. If for example 80% of you were analog heads, we would be inviting more analog experts to join us. And vice versa. It also helps with the organization of the forum and ordering of subforums.

It is also useful if you are a member and walk into a discussion on these topics. Again, if the site was 80% analog, you would know that there would be some mass hanging if you were to say analog sucks.

I was very clear at the start that this is a simple poll to find out which side of the fence you are. The numbers will be what the numbers will be and should not create any tension.

Thanks for clarifying. Why didn't you then simply ask the question instead, what is more important to you, analog or digital? Then for me digital wins hands down, I am a digital-only guy with no vinyl set-up. So my qualified vote for digital was the right one in the first place. While the best analog I have heard beats the best digital I have heard, this is of no personal relevance for me and my system which will never feature a turntable until I die. Guaranteed.

 

[microstrip]

My interpretation of "Which Sounds Better, Digital or Analog?" was not of which you listen mostly or own, but which has your preference in terms of sound reproduction, exclusively in stereo format.

Perhaps we could have a thread where we could list with some detail what each of us feels was the best analog and the best digital system he has ever experienced.

 

[Al M.]

I thought the question was self explanatory. Guess I'm simple minded.

No you're not. But apparently, given the real purpose of the poll, another question should have been asked instead.

 

[PeterA]

The problem I have with vinyl is that there have not been any new releases of interest in 2 decades.

Apparently, that is about to change. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is preparing to release some new recordings on vinyl for the first time in twenty or so years. I don't know if they will be recorded in both analog and digital, but there will be LPs of these performances. I hope they are recorded in analog.

 

[PeterA]

I thought the question was self explanatory. Guess I'm simple minded.

The poll question is very straight forward. Which format sounds best to you: analog or digital.

Post #1 is less straight forward.

 

[ack]

Wow, the meaningless poll is getting close. Clearly the majority of digital voters have not heard/experienced well sorted analog and vote their only choice.

Right, entirely meaningless, because we don't know what exposure to both formats voters have. I voted and bowed out. Amir, what analog equipment do you own?

 

[rbbert]

Right, entirely meaningless, because we don't know what exposure to both formats voters have. I voted and bowed out. Amir, what analog equipment do you own?

I think the point of the poll was more to suggest the overall tenor of the forum rather than establish which format is "best" (good luck with that)