2. analog
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HD Down Load compared to Analog.


Lately, I've been comparing HD Down loads to "analog". The obvious first advantage is no pops and ticks, but that's just for old records. Another advantage for me personally is that I don't have class "A" analog, I have class "B", which is very good. I still use Stereophile magazine's ratings of equipment as a way of conveying how good a piece of equipment is. While folks here put that method of conveying how good a piece of equipment is, they still concur with it, and they don't even know it.

Class "A" analog is the best, and it's always very expensive. You have to have 100% class "A" in the chain to yield class "A" sound, which is why I have Class "B".

In my comparison evaluation, I used Santana "Abraxas" as the test LP. Since I've worn out 5 copies of this album, to say I'm familiar with it is an understatement. "Singing Winds And Crying Beasts" is the first cut, it has "tinkly" sounding chimes that test definition on all equipment. After listening to a new LP, I gave it an "A" rating. This meant the HD Download would have to be some kind of fantastic to top the LP.

As soon as the music began, it became apparent the HD Download was superior; there was a "jet black" background. This is something I had never heard before. I'm fully aware of the fact that's an "oxymoron". "How can you hear what you don't hear, and you have never heard before". Only an audiophile can understand that, consequently, I won't try to explain it. After only two cuts, I gave the HD Download an "A+" rating.

While I have Class "B" analog, if you have Class "A" analog, it might be better than the Download, I don't know. These are the results from my comparison, I would like to hear yours.
orpheus10

Showing 8 responses by petepappp

petepappp
37 posts
 
Tonywinsc, I am currently using an Audioquest Dragonfly, which is an USB thumb drive. The thumb drive bypasses my laptop's internal music processor to its ESS Sabre DAC. The thumb drive has a female mini jack in the back. Plug the thumb drive into usb port on my laptop, plug a mini to RCA cable into the back of the drive and plug RCAs into preamp. The Dragonfly is $249. With the cable I've got less than $400 in the rig and get very good performance. I also plug my headphones directly into the thumb drive with a mini adaptor. I have no connection to Audioquest, just a solution that works well for me you might want to check out.
petepappp
37 posts
 
I think it is easy to get caught up into the x format or source is the best, especially after the time, effort, and money that can be expended to be somewhat satisfied in the final results. I have been enjoying vinyl for about 50 years and have an excellent rig with great table/arm cartridge synergy, but maybe 10% of the pressings I have sound really good. First pressings seem to have a higher percentage of falling into this category. Audiophile remasters seem to be consistently mediocre. I have high res files that sound great and some that are mediocre, even redbook cds that are very good. 15 ips reel to reel masters are consistently the best if you can find them and have the cash to lay out. Even live events are very inconsistent. Hall acoustics, right seat, have good tech rehearsals been performed for the venue, Is the guy on the board setup backstage and asleep at the wheel, (pretty common for rock performances). The point for me is to build the versatility and synergy into my system to take advantage of the gem recordings available, in whatever format they may be. I don't find the format to be the determining factor in my ultimate enjoyment of the music, with the possible exception of a good reel to reel recording. I want to be able to take advantage of all of it.
petepappp
37 posts
 
Orpheus10, I agree that digital is evolving nicely and some of the HD formats are capable of excellent sound reproduction. My point is, for now anyway, there are always other factors involved that effect sound reproduction, such as: experience, skill or personal preferences of the person who makes the recording, person who does the mix down, variations in quality of source, whether its a copy of something pre-recorded or a live event, quality of equipment, microphones, proper mic placement, venue acoustics, etc., and these things are audible in the final product. Digital, in general to me, can be very good at detail but even the high def formats still seem to lack some qualities that analog seems to be better at. I think the different formats just sound different, however subtly, and have their inherent strengths and weaknesses. Under the right circumstances, with a good recording and associated equpiment, they are all capable of excellent music reproduction. Put simply, I have never heard any format digital recording that sounds 100% like analog, because its not. Not necessarily a bad thing to me.
petepappp
37 posts
 
If I restrict myself to analog recordings only, there is a whole slew of new music I'll be missing out on. There just aren't that many artists putting out new analog recordings. I also find the variety interesting mixing up tape, vinyl and digital in a listening session. It will be interesting to see if Digital source recordings catch on. Going to be tough with current pricing and availability.
petepappp
37 posts
 
Most modern recordings are not done to master tape but recorded digitally. Digital recordings are manipulated by the mastering engineer, compressed, expanded, reverb added, certain frequencies manipulated,to try to produce something that is pleasing to the ear, (whose ear?). This doesn't take into account all the equipment, placement, a myriad of other things that are involved in recording and have an effect on the final outcome. The idea that a digital recording is somehow an uncolored picture of a musical event is just false. There are recently done analog recordings that are fantastic and yes way better than their redbook cd counterparts. I have high def digital files that are just not that good. Just because a recording and final product is analog doesn't make it all that either. Personal preference plays a huge role in what we find pleasing. Direct streaming digital 5.6 mhz format recordings are different than PCM 24/96 recordings, but does that mean they are inherently better, I don't think so, its not that simple. I choose to listen to all the formats I can to find the gem recordings that are pleasing to me.
petepappp
37 posts
 
I agree Rauliruegas, especially since Itunes is now the biggest marketer of music and high definition is not their focus. I enjoy a great recording but if I limit myself to them, there is a whole lot of music I will miss out on.
petepappp
37 posts
 
Analog always had its limitations too, the biggest one, and consistent for a half century that I know of,is the industry's absolute lack of caring about the quality of the product they put out. After the death of the 8 track format, fortuneately in my opinion, casettes became the standard for car music. I recorded vinyl, like many of us, so I had cassetes for my vehicles. It was fairly simple to use the best quality tapes you could find, Maxell UDXL II was my favorite, find the loudest passage in the recording and set your VUs to record this at the maximum volume without audible distortion, so the quietest passage would record within the limitations of the media, and completely blow anything the industry was putting out on pre-recorded tapes out of the water. Even worse, they had access to the original master tapes.The same is true today of CDs, there is an audible difference in recording to the generic junk media the industry uses and recording to media that has been designed to maximize audio recordings, like the Taiyo Yuden audio CDs. The difference in cost between the 2 media is less than a dollar per unit. With a few exceptions, the industry just doesn't care about quality and hasn't for a very long time.
petepappp
37 posts
 
Orpheus 10, one reason, assuming the same source, could be the quality of the blank cd. I can hear a difference between different cds just like tape. The amount of gain could be a factor. Still alot of variables in a digital recording. Its a good question for a recording engineer. The playback circuit is different too. Your digital download is not being read by a laser.
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