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Is a vinyl rig only worth it for oldies?

I have always been curious about vinyl and its touted superiority over digital, so I decided to try it for myself. Over the course of the past several years I bought a few turntables, phono stages, and a bunch of new albums. They sounded fine I thought, but didn't stomp all over digital like some would tend to believe.

It wasn't until I popped on some old disk that I picked up used from a garage sale somewhere that I heard what vinyl was really about: it was the smoothest, most organic, and 3d sound that ever came out of my speakers. I had never heard anything quite like it. All of the digital I had, no matter how high the resolution, did not really come close to approaching that type of sound.

Out of the handful of albums I have from the 70s-80s, most of them have this type of sound. Problem is, most of my music and preferences are new releases (not necessarily in an audiophile genre) or stuff from the past decade and these albums sounded like music from a CD player but with the added noise, pops, clicks, higher price, and inconveniences inherent with vinyl. Of all the new albums I bought recently, only two sounded like they were mastered in the analog domain.

It seems that almost anything released after the 2000's (except audiophile reissues) sounded like music from a CD player of some sort, only worse due to the added noise making the CD version superior. I have experienced this on a variety of turntables, and this was even true in a friend's setup with a high end TT/cart.

So my question is, is vinyl only good for older pre-80s music when mastering was still analog and not all digital?
solman989

Showing 2 responses by rockpig

rockpig
18 posts
 
My answer to the OPs question: "is vinyl only good for older pre-80s music when mastering was still analogue and not all digital?"
I switched from vinyl to CDs in 1985 but at the start of 2012 I purchased a new TT/cart and started buying a lot of vinyl again. Some old used 50s to 80s stuff, audiophile reissued LPs and many others.
From what I have experienced so far I have to say it is much like CDs in that each record has to be taken on its own merits and no generalisation can be made. Some newer recordings on vinyl are very good and have that nice open sound while others have that dense digital feel to them. So it is a gamble. Shelby Lynne “ Just a Little Lovin’ is a 2008 vinyl release which is an example of a newer recording on LP that sounds really good, and only cost me $12.99USD new from Sound Stage Direct.
What I have noticed is that many older recordings (that have not been digitally fudged) sound great.
As far as the vinyl vs. digital debate I have found that in general vinyl is just nicer to listen to. When doing an A/B comparison of the same music, initially the CD sounds more impressive, clearer and more detailed in the short term, but lacks the warmth and bottom end of vinyl.
For example I have Fleetwood Mac “Rumours” on 2009 reissue vinyl and 2001 Japanese SACD. The SACD is very clear and detailed but the vinyl just sounds right and I prefer to listen to the vinyl than the SACD.
Vinyl definitely has a different sound and feel to it and I think it comes down to personal taste as to which is “superior”.
If you have not heard of Speaker’s Corner Records you need to check out their reissues. I have purchased many of them and they are spot on. I am amazed at how dynamic some of these older recording sound. Ella Fitzgerald “On The Sunny Side of The Street” is a gem, the horn hits are explosive and Ella’s vocals are great. Another beauty is Perez Prado “Prez”, a snappy Latin LP recorded in 1958.
rockpig
18 posts
 
Solman989 said
"it (old vinyl) was the smoothest, most organic, and 3d sound that ever came out of my speakers. I had never heard anything quite like it. All of the digital I had, no matter how high the resolution, did not really come close to approaching that type of sound."

I have also experienced this, hence my return to listening to vinyl. Don’t get me wrong I still have many SACD and CDs that sound great as well.

I attribute this “3D” difference to various factors but I think the main two are these...
1. Compression of dynamic range. (DR)
2. Different approach to recording/mixing/mastering
I find it extraordinary that in theory CD is capable of a far wider DR than vinyl, but since 1995 we have seen the DR on CDs decline from around 20 down to 6. This flattening removes the dynamic life of a recording and I am sure many of you have seen the YouTube video that demonstrates this effect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ&feature=colike
Use this link or search “loudness war”

I’ve basically given up buying new releases because the listening pleasure is just not in the recordings anymore. Instead I have been exploring used vinyl and true analogue reissues and discovered some really interesting music that sounds fantastic. Many of which were recorded 50 years ago.

Two examples of these reissues are both on Speaker’s Corner Records done purely analogue.
“On The Sunny Side of the Street” by Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie 1963 and “Prez” by Perez Prado 1958.

I find the life and dynamics of these records very enjoyable and I’ve never heard anything quite like it come from a modern recording or CD.

You can have the highest resolution recording with extreme accuracy but this factor alone does not equate to an enjoyable listening experience. Well engineered recording and mixing is more important and far outweigh the benefit of “high resolution digital”.
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