Vinyl...should I stay, or should I go?
@liv2teach As far as falling asleep while listening to records, this works like a charm on my SL1200G. https://www.musicdirect.com/analog-accessories/little-fwend-tonearm-lifter-high |
I've owned that exact phono stage, that exact table, and similar cartridges. Your experience tells me that you have setup issues or simply chose some especially bad pressings for your "dance now or forever be gone" ultimatum to your analog side. I'll admit that I periodically wonder if certain files sound better than their LP siblings. For me, vinyl usually wins in a test using same album. A few beliefs I hold (and with which many will disagree): (1) something recorded on digital (IOW, 99% of everything recorded after 1983) can and often does sound better through a high end DAC than through a high end analog setup, especially if the LP was an afterthought and was not mastered separately in a way that accounts for vinyl's lower dynamic range, (2) digital generally offers clean lines, low noise, and tight, strong bass -- let's not fight that or pretend otherwise, because it's a good thing, (3) the very very best sound I've heard on my system and others' $200k++ systems is with vinyl, and (4) with a well-matched system and reasonable room environment, digital cannot hold a candle to a well-pressed vinyl example, from something recorded on tape to begin with, in the areas of 3D palpability, excitement, engagement, immediacy, live/realistic/in-the-venue presence. My advice: for your "dance now" test, use an LP you know is close to perfect. If you have to, spend $35 on something from Analogue Productions, for an album that was recorded in that 1950-1971 golden era (for a real treat, grab the Wonderful Sounds of Female Vocals, or the male vocals version, or one of their Ben Webster Meets ___ LPs). Compare it to a digital version of the same thing. And when I say compare, I don't mean a few minutes with each. I mean listen to 20-30 minutes on digital first, then play a few minutes of the same side on vinyl. Using the other side of the LP, run the same comparison in reverse order. I tend to focus on vocal lines and transparency, bass extension/detail/texture, imaging/soundstaging, air/space/separation, and overall tonal richness and presence (betcha that Jim Croce LP is very "thin" and distant). If vinyl loses, I see only three possibilities with your stated equipment. (1) Setup problems, (2) a cart that's outlived its useful life, or (3) a pair of ears that simply prefers clean lines, low noise, and tight bass above all else. I'm not one of those who thinks you must be crazy or deaf if digital wins. But vinyl has so much potential that it deserves a fair shake. |
Dear @live2teach : I think that 400 LPs does not justify the money you have to spend to have good LP sound reproduction. I'm in analog because I own 6K+ LPs. Now, from the point of view of thecnology analog/lp in true " stop " its development due that this technology achieved its limits several years ago. Is obsolete and can't gives any one a single advantage over today digital alternative. Additional to that the digital technology every single " day " goes better and better and digital almost has not limits in the short and long times to come. I'm not against analog and I'm a MUSIC lover but at the same time I'm not " crazy " enough ( for say the least. ) to think or spread false information that today analog is superior when it's not, no matters what. This is only an opinion. Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS, R. |
