2. analog
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Vinyl playback - lack of bass?

Alright, hopefully this isn't a dumb question.

I split my audio listening between analog and digital. Both setups use the same preamp/amp/speakers etc. I noticed that when listening to records, there isn't as much pronounced bass vs lets say when listening to tidal/qobuz. I'm wondering if its my phono that might have a lack of bass? or is it because my cartridge hasn't fully broken in yet? For fun , I connected my sub when I switched to side 2 yesterday, it helped pronounce the bass a bit more as I elevated the volume on the sub. But nothing crazy. but was decent enough. 

Besides that, everything sounds fantastic and great on LP vs digital. Also, to mention, lately have been playing some older original rock records. I should try popping in a newer record for fun to see if it makes a difference (most likely not analog sourced of course). or I can try the new Black Sabbath Rhino release.

Setup - analog - rega p6 w/ ania cartridge (only 30 hours on the cartridge so far). Phono - Moon 310lp. 

Digital - moon 280d mind2 w/ dac

Rest - Preamp Moon 740p, amp pass labs x250.8 , speakers Sonus Faber Olympica III 

 

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Showing 2 responses by retiredaudioguy

retiredaudioguy
58 posts
 

It is tough for LPs to have loud, deep bass as it required large displacements (L-R & Up-Down) of the groove.  No such limitations in Digital.

If you have an LP and the digital remaster it would not surprise me to find that the CD/SACD has louder bass.

I don't know that I have particularly noticed it but I have CD, SACD, original vinyl and reissue vinyl of LSC-2446 - Scheherazade ~ Reiner, Chicago Symphony I'll listen tomorrow.

retiredaudioguy
58 posts
 

I did a quick comparison of the first few minutes of Scheherazade, between the SACD and the reissue Vinyl.

I adjusted the volume so that the opening (bass heavy) chords were within a dB or so.  The levels of the violin entry were subsequently somewhat different.  Roughly 4dB difference, the vinyl louder.  The opening is bass heavy, do that would suggest that the bass levels are depressed in the LP.

Part of this is probably that loud passages tend to have higher bass content and LPs, were (are?) dynamically compressed owing to limitations of the medium.  (NO judgement of sound quality but the dynamic range of an LP is 70dB at most, SACD or high res PCM at least 96dB).

 

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