Having read and contributed to several threads on the digital vs analog controversy I developed a nagging itch that suggested it is older people that prefer analog and younger people digital. If this is the case than there is most definitely a nostalgic element to that opinion. Perhaps we can answer that question. I will go first. Please do not ruminate on the differences. Age and preference, digital, analog or both! We'll tally the results at the end.
I don't know why you're doing this, we already have several digital vs vinyl threads going and they all read about the same.
If you want to know what's selling in the US, the RIAA reports it's about 95% digital (including streaming, which is about 80%) and 5% vinyl as of 2019.
65 yo. Digital only, since 5 years. No place for a TT and record collection in the living room.
Old 90th analogue system in basement waiting for my retirement in spring to setup and revive. Had a long period of no time and interest in audiophile stuff. Looking forward to play some of my old records again, but do not expect it to beat my digital setup.
My digital use is via Roon, Qobuz streaming for exploring, and download or CD ripped for keepers, no CD-Player. Invested into high quality digital components which make digital really sing.
My experience is, that high resolution media is not as important as really good gear. Ripped CDs can be fantastic. Of course, my DXD files (24bit 352.8 kHz) recorded with single stereo microphone are the best imaginable ... getting those at NativeDSD.com
In my opinion and experience, just comparing CDs played on a CD-Player to vinyl is not a valid comparison for digital versus analogue.
68 years old for another few weeks. I’m getting to prefer CD’s due to convenience, availability at reasonable cost, and the great sound of many jazz reissues and remasters. I’ve been wondering too how much being acclimated to the sound of vinyl plays into makes it sound so natural to me, and cd’s harsher sounding.
47 and I like both, but prefer vinyl for serious listening.
That being said, probably listen to digital 80% of the time due to circumstance and the fact that a lot of the music I like isn't even available on vinyl.
Also love streaming services for creating custom playlists and discovering new music.
I’m 69 — had a decent system in HS and college, that included home built Dynaco pre and power amps, Revox A77 R2R and Dual 1219 TT with a Stanton 681EEE. Then a LONG dry spell, during which my collection of ~1500 LPs was stolen. Got back into it four years ago, and bought a TT despite having only 50 albums left. I was, and still am, underwhelmed by the sound. Tried streaming, and haven’t looked back. I have heard excellent vinyl systems that are arguably better than comparable digital systems, but the vinyl systems were well over 100K, and the digital ones were 30K. If you have unlimited resources, vinyl may be worth it, IF you also have a large vinyl collection in very good shape. I am not willing to invest all that is needed for a comprehensive vinyl collection, high quality TT, phono amp and carts, when the upside is maybe a 1% improvement in SQ, and the downside is the frustration of getting the TT/cart properly set up and regularly maintained, constant disc cleaning, and having to get up at least every 15 minutes to flip or change the platter. Good digital is great sounding, easy to change with my iPad, endlessly varied in access to recordings, and affordable (thank God) for people of my means. I would never THINK of starting from scratch trying to rebuild my record collection, without more incentive and a lot bigger bank account.
This post is rather confusing because some contributors seem to be comparing CDs with "digital" alternatives, but a CD recording is digital isn't it? Anyway, I am now 64 and although I do play some vinyl records I prefer CDs because they are easier to handle. Typically I buy 10 or 12 new CDs every month. This has nothing to do with nostalgia or anything like that. It is simply that CDs are convenient and easy to play. I have tried streaming and downloading files but it always ends up being a battle of wits between me and the computer. By contrast CDs could not be simpler. I simply pop the CD in the player and press play.
Wherever possible I choose SACDs rather than CDs. CDs are adequate but I find that SACDs are much closer to the sound produced by vinyl records.
Eh, I don't think age matters. I've encountered as many analog lovers as there are digital and then those who DGAF and switch between both as necessary regardless of age. I don't think the format matters. Digital done well will sound better than analog done carelessly/poorly and vice-versa. My taste in music is all over the place as I enjoy a wide variety of music. There's a lot that just doesn't move me, so I enjoy lossless streaming when I'm not listening to content from my ripped collection. If the music doesn't move me, I switch tracks, and I'd get annoyed pretty quickly to have to keep getting up to switch tracks on a record. I can't listen to things that don't move me at length. I have to be able to FFWD.
One of these days I'll attempt to go down that road again. Need to research a good value setup that sounds great and won't break the bank, and a consistent source of vinyl for the music I like.
I think if care had been taken during the mastering process (and possibly recording in general) during the early stages of digital, this would be much less of a conversation. I find that even for music that may not be exactly my cup of tea, stuff recorded back in the 60s and 70s just sounded better. But the arguments back then were definitely valid.
If I still had my vinyl I'd certainly have the playback ability sorted out, but I'm happy with the convenience digital offers, and I certainly don't hear "digital" sound during playback (thanks SparkOS!).
Now I just need to be cool and take care of me hearing so I can keep enjoying my music into and well past my 70s (god willing).
I' am 70, listen to hifi for the beginning of the seventies and practise vocal jazz within a musician and chorus ' group 2hours per week ( prior confinement...) My hifi system is 30 years old in average ,analogic thorens td 124 ,sme 3012, at 33 ptg cartridge, Conrad johnson tube and solid state gears, focal loudspeakers..
Digital is shared between A730 Studer cd and streaming through Qobuz hi res... As a results I got the best of the two world....old analogic gears are lovely and the streaming in 24bits 96khz is fantastic to reproduce the master studio in term of dynamic!
Audiophiles people should go to the concert to hear that the reality is also not perfect....
Now that's more like it (FZ). I would assume that if you are an Agoner that you have at least some passing interest in sound quality. Lewm, I would assume your stats are from the public at large. This is not the public at large. If you do not like answering the question, go elsewhere. There are at least a few who are and there are plenty of other threads to respond to. What I am seeing so far is a rather profound inversion. It appears that the Older folks prefer digital because of it's convenience and younger Agoners are more into vinyl. I have a few hypotheses as to why this might be. Keep the answers coming! I got my first dose of COVID vaccine yesterday. All you guys over 65 pay attention. It will be coming to your neighborhood soon!
I am 67 and I prefer digital (streaming & CDs). For streaming I use Qobuz HIFI while family also uses Spotify. In addition, I use Roon as music library management system (integrating Qobuz HIFI and my music library of ripped CDs/flac files). Roon also enables me and my wife (separate Roon profile) to listen to streaming/music library everywhere in the house over all types of Roon compatible devices (even a Google Nest Mini).
I'm 71 and listen to vinyl and CDs. It's not the format but the music that determines what I feel like listening to on any given day. I haven't yet switched over to streaming, something I know very little about. I'll stick with vinyl and CDs and FM radio.
It is stunning to me to see how many elders are giving up on vinyl because of the physicality required to operate it. I hope I will have the physicality and drive to keep spinning vinyl well past my young age of 66. I am not about to throw in the towel to be able to spend more time sitting on my rear end. Just me.
ok, 69 years old, bought my first CDs in the early 80’s when I practically gave away my very good analog system because I decided to live on my sailboat. Now I’m headed back to analog because I like the sound. I have some very good digital sources though, mostly for convenience, while I’m working. If I’m doing paperwork or drawings I might spin some vinyl, or cds, if I’m doing programming, it’s all streaming so I don’t have to jump up and swap even cds.
Oh, and my next door neighbor, just a couple years younger, is all digital, mostly streaming. Very high end tube electronics but doesn’t even own a TT...
I’m 69. I’m still involved with pro level audio production and editing. I like both A and D My favorite creative advertising work was done with a Harrison audio console and a Studer multi-track. Fond memories.
What I can do with digital audio editing today was impossible with the multi-track set up.
I put some money into a mid-fi TT and cartridge to listen to and transfer vinyl to digital. Good investment. My records never sounded better. And I have digital transfers that are convenient to listen to.
I’ve recently subscribed to Qobuz. I’ve never explored more music in my life.
I wouldn’t trade the albums and reel to reel tapes I have for anything, especially the material that belonged to my dad.
A or D, they co-exist in my universe. It all comes down to the music.
74 and vinyl. I had my affair with CD's when my phono preamp died in 86 and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I bought a CD player and started buying CD's. After several years I found a new phono preamp that I could afford and sounded pretty good. I've been vinyl ever since. CD's are convenient and vinyl is a pain in the ass, but sounds so good. I'm taking advantage of the vinyl "fad" while it lasts to acquire new music. I have and old Revox B77 R2R somewhere in a box and a display of 8-track tapes in my listening room just for decoration and laughs. I also have a box of old 45's somewhere, so I've done them all over the years.
I am 83 years old and I love both analog that I never wanted to leave as everyone deluded that digital sounds better they threw everything in the trash both digital, I hate streaming!
Age is 66. I have always been vinyl, first and foremost. I use very little CD in my home but do rely on it for music in the car. I have had very big car audio systems for the past 35 years and the SQ from CD has been great. SXM or any streaming service into the vehicle doesn't even come close. I do plan on investing into a high-end CD player with exceptional DAC (Luxman D05-U) next year which also provides the ability to bring a streamer into the system and utilize the great DAC on board the D05-U. That should provide the digital front end to satisfy my needs.
I just don't believe that digital will ever overtake my preference for vinyl. The nostalgia of my musical life is part of that. More importantly, though, is the analogue sound quality. I can fall into the music, become enveloped into it, so much better than with digital.
72. Digital only: it has no wow and flutter, no pops and ticks, excellent sound (like LP, not necessarily, but just as possible), and a MUCH larger repertoire. My tastes far exceed what’s available on LP, and I long ago tired of the fussing with VTA and so on.
I choose the recording or performance, but I don't stream. So, if the recording or performance I want to hear is on vinyl, I play that; if on CD, then I play that; if SACD, then that; sometimes I even put on an old cassette of something I don't have on any other medium (which can happen for any of several reasons; in general, my cassettes sometimes are showing their age).
Bottom line: for sound quality, by far the most important element is the quality of the original recording/mastering. For impact (emotional, intellectual), the performance is even more important. Thus, for instance, a 1950s mono Furtwängler performance of Wagner's "Tristan" with Kirstin Flagstad is simply unique--even though its sound quality is extremely problematic. Radiohead sounds great on CD, but the 180 gram vinyl pressing of "Junta" by Phish (from analog masters) sounds better than the well-mastered CD. IMO, this question--like the perennial question "Which is better, analog or digital?"--shows an interest in cataloging fetish preferences, not objective criteria.
I'm 64, and have been listening and collecting most of my life. I have thousands of LPs and even more CDs, all of which are "curated"--I've listened to all of them, and have opinions (and memories) associated with most of them.
Frankly, I enjoy the ritual of spinning vinyl. But most of the recordings/performances I want to hear are either exclusively digital or just sound better that way. Most, but not all. With apologies to McLuhan, in audio, the medium is NOT the message.
51 and 100% digital. In fact 100% streaming tidal for the last two years. I really like the guy’s comment who said he was 50 but preferred 25. I get it buddy.
This thread is winding down so here are the results. There were 52 meaningful responses. Of the 52 75% were over 60 and 25% under 60. Both groups had almost identical distributions 40% preferred digital, 40% analog and 20% both. The analog people were more likely to say they preferred it because of the sound, the digital because of convenience although some felt digital sounded better. Some felt analog was too expensive. Make of this what you will as it is biased in many ways. As an example, what were digital fans doing on an analog thread? What would I have gotten if I posted this as a Digital thread. The were no respondents in their 20's. All respondents were male. Why is that? I know women like music but having a high quality music system is not one of their priorities. I'm proud to say my mother had an NAD based system and worked in a Music/Book store. She also drove a manual Honda.
Its all men because women are smarter than men. They get us to do all the work of researching, buying, and setting up. Then they just come by and listen whenever they feel like. She's smarter than the man in every way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y2N-fufYLE
My wife doesn't care at all about my hi-fi. She shows zero attention to any new component. She likes music a lot but is totally satisfied with her OEM car audio system and a small Sony sound bar when in the bathroom. 98% of the time that I am listening to my system she goes to another room to read a book. So at least for me, I'll have to disagree with MC comment, above. I wish that my wife would sit down and listen with me. Oh well, I'll just keep enjoying my rig and spin vinyl to my hearts content.
Does age matter? Mostly not, as it is all about personal preference. But, age probably matters if you are old enough (say 60+) to have been thru at least 5 format changes (vinyl - reel to reel - 8 track - cassette - CD's - MP3's & now streaming). How many times do you have to buy the album before you decide to draw a line in the sand?
At 42, I, too, regard the mastering and quality of the source material to influence what I will listen to. For instance, some of my favorite Jazz albums include Bill Evans’ Waltz for Debby, which IMO is best on the Japanese SHM SACD, and a John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman 45 RPM ORG pressing. I won’t listen to them any other way.
That said, I’ve found the preferred medium also depends on the quality of each person’s setup. Before I was an audiophile, I played MP3s because I didn’t know better. When I got my first turntable, a B&O Beogram, it changed the way I perceived music, but not the way I listened to it. It was a joy because it didn’t have the jitter, but neither the turntable or MP3s provided the fidelity that is in my setup today. The turntable drove me to invest in a starter DAC and explore lossless files, which drove me to better turntables and cartridges, which drove me to better DACs, streamers, signal regenerators, and linear power supplies, which drove me to even better turntables and multi-thousand-dollar phono carts... you get the pattern here. It’s gotten to the point that my digital and vinyl rig are now of fairly equivalent caliber, where the digital can sound 100% analog and refined, and where it truly comes down to the source material.
That said, to have a truly analog-sounding holographic experience, it is easier to get there with vinyl for less money. I’ve found many DACs and streamers, while often able to be resolving for lower prices, are not able to reproduce the presentation of the music unless significant investment is made. There’s a lot in the digital chain that contributes to this, from noise in the wifi and Ethernet signals, noise in the power line that cause jitter, cheap noisy chipsets in cheap streamers, DACs that don’t have a great clock, digital cables that alter the information, etc. Many folks don’t realize what all of these amount to - they may not hear the noise or jitter, but it just prohibits the end experience for as good as it ought to be.
The funny thing is that most people who get into the hobby look at vinyl setups as a steep investment (and it sure can be), as it’s easy to get a cheap DAC and start streaming to get started. But if a friend came to me and said they had $2-3K to spend either on a used mid-fi analog setup (TT, cart, stage, cables) or a used mid-fi digital setup (streamer, DAC, digital cables), I would point them the analog route in a heartbeat.
Reading the average age of audiogon posters I am not surprised, this is what I expected before.
Actually, it explains a lot to me when a conversation with some other audiogon members is like a conversation with a dad (because of the 25 years difference in age).
I am more surprised why my generation don’t use audiogon, but maybe the answer is what I wrote above?
Anyway, can you imagine that at the age of 70 you are not able to chat with 95 y.o. person here (to feel what I’m feeling). At this age it’s too late to arguing about something, people will never change their opinion.
I also realized why some great contributors disappeared from audiogon, maybe they are already dead :(
It looks like the audiogon is a place for pensioners? What am I doing here ?
P.S. Stay strong and be healthy, I miss my dad who passed away 5 years ago (he was 71).
The age grouping here shouldn't be a surprise. Very young people can't afford it and middle aged people are trying to raise children. During those decades I only spent a drop on audio when something broke or my house got hit by lightening. Now with the kids on their own I finally have some money to burn. Thankfully I'm not completely deaf yet. I realized last night, when talking to the fellow who is buying my old Sota that it is the ritual of playing a record that is special. Loading a file is not. Coming home with three or four new records and playing them hoping to hear something special. It is tradition, nostalgia, special. Younger people playing vinyl is wonderful. Some think they are joining a special club. In our day everyone played vinyl. Only R2R offered competitive sound quality and the selection of software was limited. I recorded my records thinking I could limit their wear and I thought I was going to leave the records and turntable home instead of schlepping them to collage. Did not turn out that way. 8 track was a bad joke and cassettes did not get reasonable until the late 70's. The only reason I had one was to record cassettes for the car (and other people.) Personally, I think this argument over sound quality is silly as it is frightfully subjective. Do we argue about food preferences? I play records because I like to play records. My new table will not be built until April as Sota is overloaded with orders. I'm going through withdrawal just thinking about it. I take the Schroder out of it's box once in a while to just stare at it. My right arm is in a frigging cast and I'm getting fat because I can't exercise. This is going to be a very depressing Winter.
Anyway, can you imagine that at the age of 70 you are not able to chat with 95 y.o. person here (to feel what I’m feeling). At this age it’s too late to arguing about something, people will never change their opinion.
Not at all.... I am ready to change anything in my beliefs.... Not so much in my experience.... For sure the frontiers between these 2 is not clear but i was always open mind to any sound clear and good arguments, indices, new elements....
More than that if your beliefs are not permeated by your own doubting machine you are insecure in your vulnerable fortress, the ennemy can cut your water and you are waiting in a siege without end...Or you are proud, strong, and blind to all the world...
The city of my beliefs is open to all exhange with the world, and no doubts or no others faith has crossed the city of my soul without making me think...
I reign without fear over my realm with no blinding proudness....
Am I old? I prefer to speak to young people under 40 and i am 70 in few months....Then something in what you say must be true...
Old people who stick to their belief or ideas, do that by habits most of the times not because they look fresh for some truth....I stick also to my idea but i keep an open mind reading, conversing like at 20 but with more ressources indeed...
Personally, I think this argument over sound quality is silly as it is frightfully subjective. Do we argue about food preferences?
You are right the audiophile experience is not so much about REPRODUCING some original live event lost in the many choices of the recording engineer anyway, it is to RECREATE the natural TIMBRE musical experience in the best acoustical room possible, and with the best embedded system possible with analog or /and digital....Evaluation of acoustical and musical TIMBRE is subjective experience....
By the way TIMBRE is not only a pure musical phenomena it is also an acoustical phenomena, which is to say thet the perception of timbre by the recording engineer will determine his mutiple microphones choices and locations, same thing for the mixing process; and at the end it is your choices about the rightful embeddings of your audio system, and not only the choice of the format and system, that will make you able to evaluate and experience the perception of timbre....
You are right but it is not only subjective, the objective part is the way and methods to implement or install the right solutions that will be asked by the system, the room and the house, mechanically, electrically, and acoustically....
I realized last night, when talking to the fellow who is buying my old Sota that it is the ritual of playing a record that is special. Loading a file is not.
I can sit down with my tablet and my Roon and Qobuz subscriptions, start with something I know or just start listening to new-to-me albums. I can browse or search and get recommendations from there. When I hear something I like, I set the tablet down and listen. I then get more recommendations based on the fact that I liked that album. I can switch choices in seconds, till I have the perfect album for that moment.
I can listen to albums I might want to hear once or twice but don't want to own. I have access to millions of albums. No more bringing home 3 or 4 records and finding out I don't like any of them.
I will say, I don't get the ritual thing. Sliding a piece of plastic out of a cardboard sleeve and brushing the dust off of it isn't much of a ritual to me. I can think of many better rituals to use to prepare for a listening session if someone needs that. I'm able to enjoy music without a little bit of fussing before hand, but if others enjoy that, more power to you.
I don't expect anyone else to share my preferences, and I don't think mine are better than anyone else's. Enjoy the music in whatever way works for you!
How about the ritual of being able to listen 2 hours of music, contemplating infinity in the dark , without having the trouble to dust the vinyl, and turn it like a slave at all 25 minutes...Anticipating to do so after 20 minutes and calling that pure joy is out of my world...
How about the ritual of listening all quartets of Haydn for 5 hours in the background traveling in your mind and dreams? Am i the only one who listen music attentively, but very often as background for my soul also? Ok i am old and i have plenty of time to listen to 12 continuous hours of organ music without bother myself to think about changing face of vinyl like under the spell of a robotical habit...Not a problem tough when someone listen 2 or 3 tunes and decided to go with another vinyl at each 15 minutes exploring short pieces...I dont do that...
I will understand if someone say to me that analog sound better no problem , i accept that completely and trust him completely because the recreation of TIMBRE is a pure human ears phenomenon....Then i will understand someone who will say to me that this 25 minutes of work for changing the vinyl’s face is only a small price to pay for a better sound....But dont say that you miss that if you think about going digital....😁
But the non sense habits has no meaning except for the conditioned decades old mania in a compulsive mind...Sorry....
I apologize if i offend someone, i speak my mind without back thinking....😌
63 and digital, whereas my answer would have been vinyl 5 years ago. Since then the advent of audiophile streamers and better clocks on the DAC have meant big leaps in SQ for digital. In particular streaming is big progress over mechanical disc drives of yore.
Shoot Mahgister, I have to get up and pee every 25 minutes. I might as well turn the record over. I am all in for digital. I stream from my own 6 TB hard drive. I'm doing it right now. But it still does not have the panache of handling a record. It has no history, no memories of youth and invincibility. It is still wonderful music and sounds great but, as FZ would say, It just smells funny.
That is not quite so true. I am 63 and prefer digital. The soundstage is better, dynamic response is better, no background noise whatsoever, convenience is off the charts. What is not to like ?
54 and just getting back into analog in the last couple of years. But, what MC said hits the nail on the head. Analog preferred (usually) for “listening”. Digital for discovery and hanging out around the house. I often download something that sounds intriguing before I buy the vinyl. I really don’t need a bunch of one-hit-wonder albums taking up space.
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