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Vinyl / High qual analog tape / High-res digital -- One of these is not like the other

One common theme I read on forums here and elsewhere is the view by many that there is a pecking order in quality:

Top - High Quality Analog TapeNext - VinylBottom - Digital

I will go out on a limb and say that most, probably approaching almost all those making the claim have never heard a really good analog tape machine and high resolution digital side by side, and have certainly never heard what comes out the other end when it goes to vinyl, i.e. heard the tape/file that went to the cutter, then compared that to the resultant record?

High quality analog tape and high quality digital sound very similar. Add a bit of hiss (noise) to digital, and it would be very difficult to tell which is which. It is not digital, especially high resolution digital that is the outlier, it is vinyl. It is different from the other two.  Perhaps if more people actually experienced this, they would have a different approach to analog/vinyl?

This post has nothing to do with personal taste. If you prefer vinyl, then stick with it and enjoy it. There are reasons why the analog processing that occurs in the vinyl "process" can result in a sound that pleases someone. However, knowledge is good, and if you are set in your ways, you may be preventing the next leap.
roberttdid

Showing 1 response by wsrrsw

wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
1,155 posts
 
A far more civil discussion than most. It can happen. 
I’d be curious to know the age and sex of most posters. I suspect most here are males over fifty or sixty. I’m over sixty. 
As you might have guessed: I‘d bet the hearing of many here is limited. (my dog whistle app tells me my high end hearing is going)

Does hearing, gear, the source or does the room matter? Yes. It’s all interconnected and those who proffer to enjoy the music may be the most sage. Good for those of you that can hear and chase the nuance. Great fun!

Is my room and gear like mikelavigne’s ( love your set up and I’m scheming on something similar that won’t get me divorced so in other words forgetaboutit) or millercarbon‘s, er no.

Do I love music and listen many hours a day. Y E S. Do I read, listen and tweak. Yes. Do discussions like this inspire. Yes? Do I have a soft spot for the likes of “ that casette guy” (pocket protector too?) geoffkait? Sure! 


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