Ok GK, I'll bite. What gatefold album did you get those lyrics from???? :-)
Worth pursuing analog sound from digital?
Hi all,
I recently acquired a PS audio Nuwave dac which has eliminated most of the digital harshness compared with my old dac but it's still not as smooth and harsh-free like vinyl. I was wondering if it's worth pursuing that analog sound from digital without spending a fortune and if it's even possible. I know lots of digital lovers will say digital can be as good as vinyl but is it really?
I recently acquired a PS audio Nuwave dac which has eliminated most of the digital harshness compared with my old dac but it's still not as smooth and harsh-free like vinyl. I was wondering if it's worth pursuing that analog sound from digital without spending a fortune and if it's even possible. I know lots of digital lovers will say digital can be as good as vinyl but is it really?
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- 124 posts total
All crap. Lets face it old guys. Digital is way more accurate than analog, you don't have to deal with noise issues or the 10% harmonic distortion or the needle getting stuck. You are all disillusioned by the fact that there is very little to tamper with. No tweaky stuff you can make yourself think you made sound better. All an illusion. You are all ripe targets for any scheister that wants to rip you off with magic trinkets and silly wire. "digital sounds thin,unnatural, bloated, bass shy, inarticulate" and on and on and on. My back side. I could call it for what it is but then my post would be deleted. Which it probably will anyway. I love vinyl. I have so many records I can't help but love it and there is an art to the best vinyl playback but it is not more accurate than full res digital. It can't be. Just look at the distortion specs of even the best cartridges. As high as 10%! You might care to notice that I did not say digital sounds better than analog. I said it was more accurate. |
To the OP, atm PS Audio has a promo going on that will allow you to trade in ANY PS Audio DAC toward the purchase of a new Direct Stream DAC. They will give you a $2000. credit for your old DAC, no matter age, or model. I have a PSA NuWave DSD DAC that I purchased new, after they were discontinued for $800. They will give me 2K toward the DSD. I'm very tempted to jump on a new DSD, directly from PSA for 4K. I would rather go this route than purchase a used unit for a few hundred less. Just my 2 cents. Might be worth looking into... |
mijostyn All crap. Lets face it old guys. Digital is way more accurate than analog, you don’t have to deal with noise issues or the 10% harmonic distortion or the needle getting stuck >>>>Accuracy is a tricky thing. On paper CDs are specified/promoted to have at least 90 dB Signal to Noise Ratio and 90 dB Dynamic Range. Yet on CDs the tape hiss from the original master tape is almost never audible whereas it is on records and cassette. One wonders what else is missing. As for noise and distortion in CD playback it can be reduced significantly with vibration isolation and RFI/EMI countermeasures, etc. So, obviously there is considerable noise and distortion in CD playback to begin with, you’re just used to it, that’s all. So what good is the 90 dB spec? As for the “theoretical” 90 Dynamic Range the overly compressed CDs these days kind of eliminate that spec for any important or meaning. As for the musicality by comparisons to the same recording on record or cassette the CD in most cases sounds like a poor facsimile in terms of bass articulation, sweetness, air and dynamics. |
rauliruegas9
Let me say this about accurate. First, I never said anything about accurate, analog or CD, and I did say Digital can be involving. Your list of LP chain of distortions is phenomenal, OMG, thanks for that, I mean it. How do we not hate LP after hearing accurate digital? How can many of us find severely compromised LP 'more involving' than accurate and admittedly involving CD? My answer, after 45 years of paying attention, by instinct (no evidence I know of), is analog's reproduction of overtones is somehow better than digital's, and somehow our brains perceive the difference. My most accurate speakers were JSE Infinite Slope Model 2's. Measured and positioned using professional sound meter in my listening space, via acoustic designer, I moved my big efficient horns/15" woofers elsewhere and listened to accurate noiseless CD's and those accurate speakers via accurate McIntosh SS 300wpc amp for a few years. I decided to move the horns/15" woofers back, Oh Happy Day, preferred them. Then, because they are so efficient, I moved my 30 wpc tube mono blocks back in. Oh Happy Day. Then I resurrected my Thorens/SME/Shure MR back in. New LP's sounded terrific, more involving. Older LP's, too much obvious noise. I had to re-acquire my brain's ability to filter the noise to be immersed within those noisy LP's. Of course new LP's, especially ones recorded by people who knew what they were doing are preferred. Gave the JSE's to my son, he came of musical age during the period of their use, he loves them. Thorens 124 bearing's weakness was bass transferred from my springy floor (split level built in 1951), so I sold it, got a modern digital drive TT, it sounds terrific, as good as the Thorens/SME without the floor vibration transference problem. And, here we are, advising OP, many of us who love LP's, that he will do better with TT/LP's than digital, IF, as he says, he desires the elusive 'LP Sound'. OP mentioned digital mid-range preference, but like you, I suspect that is a speaker/room interaction issue unrelated to Analog or Digital. Analog is wrong but I prefer it! |
- 124 posts total