audiophiles?

[low_delta]

How good a stereo system do you have to have before you can hear the difference between an LP and a CD? You know, how people say that CDs lack the warmth of an analog recording? I know I don't have a great turntable, but it doesn't sound nearly as good as the CD player. The CD has a deeper, more vibrant sound. Or maybe I just have no idea what's missing, and one day I'll figure it out and all CDs will sound crappy ever aver after.

Comments

[zitronenhai.livejournal.com]

CDs sound much better (deeper, clearer, more present) than LPs. For me, that's true regardless of the quality of the system.

People who have positive associations with the sound of vinyl like it because of the way it makes them feel, imho. It has nothing to do with sound quality.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Audiophiles say that sound is lost in between the zeroes and ones of the digital formats. I believe them, but I'm not sure I believe that anybody can hear it.

[zitronenhai.livejournal.com]

What I was told is that there are "drop-outs" in the music that are too small for us to perceive. So yeah, that sounds about right. Never the less, the sound that is there is a hell of a lot cleaner.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I tend to notice things that are there, and not be aware of the things that aren't there, so the crackling will bug me, while the "dropping out" will not. That clean sound is huge.

[shoo.livejournal.com]

That is a good question. I loved it when CD's came out because of the clean, pure sound...but then I started listening to LP's
again, and miss that warm sound and popping too!

Sal had one of the best systems the last time we listen to Vinyl (1990) but I can't compare now because the needle is toast.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Okay, when I get my computer hooked up to the stereo, I'll rip a few LPs for you, complete with crackles and pops.

[specificocean.livejournal.com]

Depends.

I didn't really notice how much better SOME LPs sound until I replaced my turntable cartridge with one that's significantly better than the previous one.

Now I can't stand to listen to Larry Carlton's 'Last Nite' CD any more; the LP version is MUCH warmer, fuller, more involving...

(Granted, my CD of the recording dates to 1987; a remastered/updated version might change my mind....)

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if CDs lose sound quality over time, but the early ones didn't have a very high sound quality, as i mentioned below. It took quite a while for them to figure out how to mix records for the digital format.

[specificocean.livejournal.com]

True regarding CD/digital recording.

For interesting perspectives on this, look at www.upscaleaudio.com (at the pages for the Njoe Tjoeb CD player with tubes in it rather than all transistors)...

THEN go to www.continuumaudiolabs.com to look/shake your head in disbelief at a turntable that sells for approximately $100,000 or so...

[i.livejournal.com]

cds are a lot better than they were when that stereotype came into being. i doubt anyone could tell the difference on top of the line equipment.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it took them a while to figure out how to mix music for CDs.

[i.livejournal.com]

it's not just that. the sampling rate is much higher now. when they first came out, a lot of nuances were lost in the digitizing.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Cool.

Btw, thought you might be interested in what's up with the Machines of Loving Grace. I wrote an article at Wikipedia. It's not a great article, but you should see what was there before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Machines

[i.livejournal.com]

nicely done! and cool that there may be a new album, too.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Benzel says there is almost no guitar presence on the new recordings.

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

I have an old kenwood from the mid eighties, and the turntable was probably replaced in the early nineties, and *I* can tell the difference.. and I am certainly no "expert" or audiophile.

I don't know WHAT it is or why, but warm describes it very well. I like LP's better.. the sound anyway. You can't beat the convenience of CD's if you don't want to hear an entire album, or even song. Even the digitally remastered stuff (I have tried replacing the Moody Blues.. do you have any idea how LITTLE they remaster???) and still prefer the albums.. flaws and all.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I like the convenience of CDs, and the artwork of LPs. The CDs have a slight lead on that one, though. Right now, our turntable is only adequate. You can hear a bit of a motor hum or some kind of buzz. And most of our LPs are in poor condition, with much scratchiness. So that gives CDs a big lead. And I haven't been able to detect that warmth, or the digital "drop out." I'm wondering if it would be worth it for me to upgrade my turntable. I'm thinking not. Maybe just a new cartridge.

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

Probably not.. since no matter what you do to your turntable, you are still left with most lps in poor condition. And.. if you are happy with CD's.. why buck the system that is working for you?

*grin*

[specificocean.livejournal.com]

Exactly what I was talking about in my response!

Fortunately, I took care of most of my LPs, so the scratches, ticks, and pops aren't a problem.

The biggest change was replacing the cartridge...it's like hearing my records for the first time again!

PLUS...I can find gems at garage sales, at used record stores (Flat Black and Circular in East Lansing, MI...a plug for you!, and other places for FAR less than CDs....

[ravenfeather.livejournal.com]

*laughing*

I have a couple of Alice Cooper LP's that were recorded before stereo.. talk about sucky sound!! And to think.. we used to BUY this stuff.. and think it was great!!

[specificocean.livejournal.com]

Still sounds good....and some people go all OUT for that with LPs....for proof, go to www.continuumaudiolab.com.....

"Friended" you

[spencer-diehard.livejournal.com]

Decided I really like Cyn, already have her friended, so I friended you, like you guys are a package deal, or something.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Hi!

[ghostofzuul.livejournal.com]

my turntable and amp are both circa 1978 and for some reason that combination makes my records sound really good... i also have what was for then top of line equipment... and i think that probably makes a difference too... the tone arm... the quality of the turntable ... the phono stage in the amp... the amp itself... the speakers you use... how the album was recorded... how the record was pressed... all that plays into how it actually sounds when you hear it... under the right laboratory circumstances i'm sure if you looked at a graphical interpretation of the sound waves from both sources it wouldn't be that much different...

obviously LIVE is the only way to capture the music in it's pure essence...

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

My turntable is circa 1977. It sounded better then than it does now.

I would like to hear some of my vinyl collection side by side, but it wouldn't be a fair test, the way the vinyl has been nicked and aged.

It would be interesting to hear a digitally remastered recording on vinyl and see if that makes any difference.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I think my amp has no analog channel. I'll have to look into that.

Yeah, live is the way to go. As long as you've got a good sound man...

[sirreal13.livejournal.com]

I've heard musicians refer to the difference like the differencce between a newspaper photo and a real emulsion print. I can't for the life of me tell, because my LPs were all played on cheap turntables and stored at temps up to 100 degrees F. I'd like to hear a real sound studio audio test, bu seeing as most of my CD listening is in the car, I can't afford to care about the difference.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I put a record on the turntable, and the same CD in the drawer. Then I switched back and forth between the two. I couldn't hear any positive qualities in the LP over the CD.

[banana.livejournal.com]

I'd say that you need better equipment to get good sound from an LP than from a CD.

One of the things a CD player does is fill in the gaps where the data is missing by figuring out what might have been there. As the gaps in the data are pretty short, it's usually not noticeable. But CDs are not indestructible. Scratches and aging don't do them any good either, and the CD player has to invent more of the sound as less of the original data is available.