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.

[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.

[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....)

[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.

[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.

"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.

[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]

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.

[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.