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Records and CDs

I’ve just spent a couple of weeks exclusively going through my extensive record collection playing hardly any digital media and have come to some conclusions.
Records are fun and enjoyable to work with, but ultimately for a music lover they’re a dead end. Since very few new titles are being released on records these days I find myself going through mainly old familiar performances. Then there’s the age old problem of comparing the SQ of both media which is maddening. I just today went back to streaming (and CDs.). I clearly see, for me this is the way to continue my listening habits. Records can be used as a diversion but not the main event.

128x128rvpiano

Showing 4 responses by mahler123

mahler123
3,060 posts
 

I reached that conclusion a long time ago.  I reserve analog for recordings that are now digitally or were poorly transferred to digital 

mahler123
3,060 posts
 

@rvpiano 

the new classical releases on vinyl come from places such as the Berlin Philharmonic house label and are Uber expensive.  To me they represent a cynical attempt to catch well healed customers who have either fallen for the myth of vinyl supremacy or, more likely, wish to have it as pride of ownership but won’t actually be spinning it that much

mahler123
3,060 posts
 

It’s a complex issue.  There were a lot of analog to digital transfers that were poorly done (I think this more prevalent in pop than Classical).  The playback equipment of the time wasn’t the culprit as much as the transfer engineers.  The playback equipment has improved, but I have read several interviews with recording engineers who all say that as time went on they became more comfortable with digital. 
  The irony is that as transfers and playback equipment both improved, that’s when the lp resurgence happened.

  The music is the thing.  If comparing different technologies is interfering with enjoyment, and one can’t stop making comparisons, then either:

1) Admit to yourself that listening to gear for the sake of listening to gear is an enjoyable end in and of itself; or

2) pack up either the digital or analog system and keep it out of the system for a while and see how you feel about after a few months 

mahler123
3,060 posts
 

Don’t know how to compare a random LP recording with a random silver disc.

Mike placement, hall acoustics, conductor preferences with instrumental seating and balances….

Lets just agree that it has been possible to make excellent recordings since the fifties that can compare with the finest made today, and that one can obtain excellent play back from vinyl, streaming, silver disc, and analog tape

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