Vinyl vs. Hi Resolution Computer Audio

Which set up would you rather have if it was going to be delivered to your house tomorrow? Vinyl or computer?

Vinyl

If it were strictly based on sound then vinyl, but if you take all other things into consideration I'd take the computer. There are few things more satisfying than knowing you can dial up any one of 5000 CDs and have it playing within seconds.

a physical vinyl (heck even mini lp cd) everytime. otherwise its like having an art collection on a single disc. may work for some, but i like 'stuff'.

I've had very nice digital set up, many different DAC's and disc players/transports and my moderate vinyl setups just blew them away. Deeper, more detailed, and fuller sound.

Then again, it could be just preference, and something that just sounds new and "different" after years of digital.

My server set up (via Vista/XX High End and ESI Juli@) sounds significantly better to my ears than my highly modified CD/SACD player which I have now sold and very good indeed with high resolution files. Very full sounding, detailed yet relaxing much like vinyl. I have heard the highly regarded Weiss Minerva in another system but the results did not make me want to rush out and buy one. It may deliver better sound than what I am experiencing via the Juli@ and I am prepared to accept that it would but I feel that in comparison with my vinyl rig (Basis Debut/Vector/Orpheus/Basis Exclusive) there remains a gulf so wide IMO that I cannot see digital ever bridging it. I have a lot of digital music and I wish that it sounded as good as high quality vinyl but it just doesn't. There is an immediacy with vinyl, a natural you are there experience that digital cannot match. I still enjoy listening to the music I have on digital and a lot of my collection is not available on vinyl but I never now listen to vinyl first and then change to digital as the immediate comparison makes digital significantly less satisfying.

Phaser,

That is a great answer. I have gotten rid of my CD player as my computer through a nice DAC sounds way better. It is interesting to hear that for folks that have both Vinyl and nice a computer set up that vinyl has the win.

Thanks,
Scott

Check out this thread which links to a round table of industry pro's and Michael Froemer...(of the mega vinyl system fame and Stereophile contributor) at the Philotechnic Society in NYC.

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&1230301509&openflup&3&4#3

Most Computer files are from red book CD's and you get what you get.

The roundtable reinforced that a lot of what I hear had to do with the contributions of the pro's in the chain of the performance to your ears. Those guys are PRICELESS!

My take home from the roundtable was that SACD was audibly better on a high resolution system (if done properly). Michael was OK with SACD but swore by his vinyl rig.

So a Vinyl to PC comparison has lots of caveats to factor in.

Since this is a hobby... you have lots of solutions to now check out for yourself.... good times!

Check out this thread which links to a round table of industry pro's and Michael Froemer...(of the mega vinyl system fame and Stereophile contributor) at the Philotechnic Society in NYC.

Oh my. I could clearly hear the difference between the Redbook CD and the vinyl LP via my laptop's speakers. I wish I had the money to invest in a good analog rig. I grew up with vinyl, but I never really owned a great analog system.

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If I had my druthers, I'd go for the computer digital setup every time without hesitation. Instant access, change artists on the fly, more time listening to music rather than searching through hundreds or thousands discs, no pr-vinyl-playing ritual of cleaning the disc, no need for a record cleaning machine.....I'm saving my bread to get myself a killer computer based system, like Modwright ultra-modded Transporter....my vinyl will then be relegated to maybe 5%-10% of my 2-channel listening.

Greetings,

Your questions is interesting in that you imply one should choose a digital playback system or an Analog system.

For Maximum pleasure you should have both. I designed the Music Vault Music Servers and if you plug a Music Vault 24-192 or the Music Vault Diamond into a first rate Dac like the the MSB power DAC or better you will be in for a real treat.

Certainly the best vinyl setup and the Music Vault with a high end DAC will sound different but that is just the way it is. The Music Vault and DAC will be more accurate and you may not prefer that sound as much.

I have over 2000 records so I will never get rid of my turntable but it is not better.

Music Servers done correctly can easily outperform CD Players that cost thousands of dollars and are much more user friendly.

Source matters! If you have good vinyl collection, you don't want to switch to digital source. I have 30 years of LP collection and a Linn LP12. Sometimes I ripped the LP to PC with 24bits/96khz wav and convert into CD. The copied CD definetly sounds better from my YBA Integre CD player compare with CD version of the same recording. I couldn't tell the difference when compare the copied CD to the LP which is the source of the copied CD. I believe that the SACD is a competetive format to LP but you really don't find a lots of good recording in SACD.

yep, Khsu is correct. source is key. If you copy LPs into digital at 24 176.4 its tough to tell which is which.

There are a greater number of hi res downloads that are available, so time will tell how hi res digital pans out.

hi end LP play back is still tough to beat.