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Digital vs Analog experiment

Here is an experiment I did. I own the same recording as

  • CD
  • High rez file from HD Tracks
  • High rez stream from Tidal
  • LP
  • Exactly same LP recorded by me into 24/96

LP and 24/96 recording sound identical to me. Both sound better than any of the first three. Now, HD Tracks file sounds better than CD, but not by much. Which gives me feeling that what they sell or stream is a studio master before it was downsampled to 16/44 for CD production.

So basically the LP is simply mastered better. CD is mastered to be played in cars and on consumer equipment. LPs tend to be mastered for more advanced listeners, or at least is as compressed.

The issue is not that analog is inherently better. The recording is actually different.

mikhailark

Showing 1 response by gregm

gregm
3,415 posts
 

The issue is not that analog is inherently better. The recording is actually different.

Agreed - although I would suggest "the source material is better". That said, may people actually like the analogue sound, in and of itself (I do too).

No matter how high resolution your digital rig, if the file being played is squashed down to 6dB dynamic range it's not going to sound good.

 

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