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The character of analog and digital

Having just obtained some high quality analogue components, I want make some comments on the character of both analog and digital.
First of all it’s very difficult to speak of analog in general. Records vary widely (indeed wildly) in sonic character and quality. Digital recordings are much more uniform. When you play a digital file you more or less know what your getting. Of course some sound better than others, but there is a consistency of character. With records, it’s the Wild West. Variation in SQ and character are rampant.


Therefore it becomes very difficult to make generalizations on which categorically sounds better.

128x128rvpiano
zufan's avatar
zufan
557 posts
 

Stop the presses. 

noromance's avatar
noromance
9,501 posts
 

One would compare the best-sounding media of both formats and draw the conclusions from there.

ghdprentice
6,446 posts
 

Interesting comment. I want to agree. But as I review my experience… I don’t know.

 

My analog and digital (CD, file playing, and streaming) sound the same (not by accident). So, typically I stream, and sometimes play albums. I have 2,000 vinyl albums, many audiophile recording, and very well kept albums from the 50’s through present. There is a lot of variation. The late 50’s / early 60’s vinyl really stand out as jaw droppingly good. They seem to trump digital. But when I listen to a well recorded album digitally… it is really good. For instance, I was listening to a streamed version of the HR Beatles Revolver (2022?) album this morning and I just could not believe how stunning the voices of Paul and George… well the whole album… I have the whole audiophile Beatles vinyl collection from about 15 years ago. I guess I’ll have to listen to it to verify the digital sounded better.

 

I guess, my thoughts are, when analog has really great masters and reproduction, maybe it occasionally peaks a bit higher… but generally not. Whenever I have done head to head great recordings, I have come up with a draw… although I always want the analog to sound better. 

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