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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
solman989 OP
44 posts
 
There is a large variation in consistency of the mediums. When I buy a CD, I can more or less expect to know what it is going to sound like when I pop it in. Sure, there is both good and bad quality recordings, but really the limiting factor for the most part is the CD medium itself and not the mastering.

On the other hand, vinyl is merely -capable- of achieving great sound. The consistency of the audio quality of vinyl ranges from worse-than-CD to mind blowing. Only problem is, when I plop down $25+ for new LP, I have no idea where
on the scale it will be. So as opposed to CD, the limiting factor of vinyl is the mastering quality and NOT the medium (surface noise can be minimized or overlooked).

It has been my experience so far that older pressings lean toward the "mind-blowing" end, while most newer releases fall to the worse-than-cd side and this is perhaps the most frustrating thing about purchasing new vinyl.
dan_ed
2,451 posts
 
I find the mastering to be every bit as hit and miss, regardless of medium. I agree with the assertion that we don't expect as much from CDs, and vinyl does have the potential to render a much more satisfying reproduction. There have always been less than satisfactory mastering/production. Some artists/bands/labels are notorious for putting out crappy sounding stuff. Others are known for consistent quality, still others are hit or miss.

Try Warren Haynes, Man in Motion.
melodicus
2 posts
 
Certainly not. Clicks and pops reveal bad pressinps (generally american or british) or bad/(badly mounted) cartridge. The first digital records came out in vinyl around 1979 from TELARC, recorded with Soundstream system (16 bit, 50Kz). I own 100042 and 10047. Mastered by Stan Ricker. Plating and Pressing by TELDEC Germany. Just out of curiosity i purchased the CD (pre-owned in eBay) of the Mussorkgky. The Vynil pressing sounds better on a Rega P5, Benz Glider and Phono Lehmann.
If memory serves it already sounded better with P5, Denon DL-103 and a MC phono in an ARCAM A22. But I only put my hands on the fire for the current Glider, Lehmann and Simaudio Moon i-5 Limited Edition, By the way I played the CD in An OPPO BDP-83 ussed the two channel DAC , linked to the Simaudio via Kimber Hero.
The only CDs that sound good are Refetence Recordings HDCD which are a 20 bit resolution.
SACD is another matter altogheter. RCA living Stereo, Mercury mastered by Wilma Cozart, and some DSD recorded by Pentatone sound quite good. They match the Timbre of Vinyl, but sound "lazy", lack rythm and pace of Vinyl.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,794 posts
 
the limiting factor for the most part is the CD medium itself and not the mastering.

On the other hand, vinyl is merely -capable- of achieving great sound. The consistency of the audio quality of vinyl ranges from worse-than-CD to mind blowing.

Hmm. I have an LP mastering system and a CD mastering system. I'm probably arguing nuances, but FWIW here are my experiences. The biggest limitation in CD is indeed in the media itself and not the mastering.

The same is not true of the LP. Here, the limitation has to do with the arm and cartridge. The mastering side of the LP is by any comparison the most unlimited thing in audio. LP cutters can do things in terms of dynamic range that are simply not possible with any other part of the audio system except for perhaps a microphone.

It is the limitations of playback that define how the LP is to be cut, not the limitations of the cutter. And the limitation of the LP has to do with the ability of the arm/cartridge to reproduce what is in the groove. The cutter itself, and the resulting vinyl, has abilities way beyond any digital system. But the cartridges and tone arms do have limitations and it is those limitations that the mastering engineer has to be cognizant of; this is the difference between a good LP and an excellent one.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,198 posts
 
Atmasphere is right. CD Redbook format has specifications that limit what is possible whereas vinyl does not.

Practically the issue is more how significant are the CD redbook limits and how often are the capabilities of vinyl recordings realized in practice?

The CD redbook format debate is well documented, no need to rehash that.

What is possible with vinyl is more an open book. My assessment/gut estimate is that overall less than 50% of modern vinyl format technical capabilities are realized in most popular recordings and even less most likely by most rigs used for playback, except perhaps for the very top, elite few %, and that comes only on occasional recordings via rigs that perhaps might be better classified as expensive laboratory gear than something the typical consumer is likely to own.
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