[AlbinoSquirrel]

Quote:

To summarize:
The flaws and problems with vinyl are less significant than a generally bad mix, which you are more likely to get off of a CD than a record.

This is pretty much true, which is why a vinyl rip to CD will still sound good.  The CD format isn't incapable of good playback as vinyl rips prove.  Rather, poor mastering plagues CDs and the only way to find good mastering with many releases is with vinyl.
 
If they would put out CDs that aren't overly compressed and have good dynamic range I wouldn't care to seek out the vinyl for it.

 

[Skylab]

Quote:

To summarize:
The flaws and problems with vinyl are less significant than a generally bad mix, which you are more likely to get off of a CD than a record.

Now THAT was one sentence full of wisdom.  Couldn't agree more.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Ah, that's the way to quickly accumulate 3,000+ posts and become the "headphoneus supremus" - short insulting unsubstantiated remarks!
 
Why is euphonic coloration a nonsense?
  

 
You can also accumulate posts quickly by asking questions like this, or, as you you did earlier, making comments like "shellac noise" or blanket statements proclaiming the superiority of an DSOTM SACD over an original UK pressing, assuming you have actually heard one. You might even consider filling out a profile so we might see if you actually have any gear worthy of music playback.
 
Or you can accumulate posts by acquiring knowledge and experience, then sharing it.
 
Ciao.

 

[Krav]

Yep. My sentiment as well. Balanced and to the point.
 
Quote:

Now THAT was one sentence full of wisdom.  Couldn't agree more.

 

[Krav]

Reminds me of a conversation I had with a manager of a very well-established audiophile shop about three years ago. When I asked him to demo a newly arrived Meridian 5.1 system with a SACD, he told me he doesn't believe in superiority of SACDs and doesn't have a single one in store.
 
I only use headphones occasionally and own AKG K271 Mk II, K 701, HD650, and ATH-M50, powered by assorted Mackie mixers. Tried out STAX, Grados, and various audiophile amps in the past and found them not adding enough value to justify the purchase - to my ears of course.
 
I don't believe any headphone system or a loudspeaker system based on passive crossovers can resolve  SACD the way my 7 channels of phase-adjusted Adam A7 studio monitors + SMS-1-fused 18" Velodyne servo-driven subwoofer do.
 
I don't believe I ever intended to make any blanket statements. If you read my posts, you'll see frequent references to subjective nature of auditory experience. Of course, perception of a rudeness and informativeness of posts is also subjective as well.
 
My expectation for a wisdom content of a headphoneus supremus post is rather high, and your original post just didn't satisfy me at all in this respect. So, are we clear now and ready to move to a peaceful solution, or is it a time for a South Park style US-Canadian war?  
 
By the way, that audiophile shop I mentioned above went out of business since then. Pretty sad. Technology changes so fast ...  At the risk of starting yet another flame war, I dare to state that the most realistic recorded music I've heard so far at home came from Blu-ray 7.1 lossless renderings of live music (e.g. [size=small]Dolby TrueHD, D[/size][size=small]TS-HD Master)[/size].
 
 
 
Quote:

 
You can also accumulate posts quickly by asking questions like this, or, as you you did earlier, making comments like "shellac noise" or blanket statements proclaiming the superiority of an DSOTM SACD over an original UK pressing, assuming you have actually heard one. You might even consider filling out a profile so we might see if you actually have any gear worthy of music playback.
 
Or you can accumulate posts by acquiring knowledge and experience, then sharing it.
 
Ciao.

 

[nikongod]

Quote:

 
My expectation for a wisdom content of a headphoneus supremus post is rather high, and your original post just didn't satisfy me at all in this respect. So, are we clear now and ready to move to a peaceful solution, or is it a time for a South Park style US-Canadian war?  
 

All headphoneus supremus means is that you have more than 1500posts. If you are looking for a guru I'm sorry, thats not the title to go by. nikongod is the title to look for.
 
J/k

 

[JaZZ]

Utter nonsense.

 

Most of Beagles posts are longer and better thought out. Sadly the post he quoted didnt deserve more of an answer than he gave.

 

This is nonsense because Vinyl does not always sound good, or even better than CD.

 
I wasn't implying that it always sounds good, I was just replying to the thread title. Which seems to say that there's something special to vinyl which is preserved even after digitization. I think: Yes, there's something special to vinyl, but the components of this specialty which made it to the CD are inaccuracies.
 
Apart from that, I believe that really good vinyl setups can surpass comparable CD players in some sonic criteria. Logically these advantages don't exist any longer after digitization. I'm primarily speaking of the higher bandwidth. 
 
 

To summarize:
The flaws and problems with vinyl are less significant than a generally bad mix, which you are more likely to get off of a CD than a record.

 
This doesn't really apply to the music I listen to – with some exceptions.
.

 

[nickosiris]

"Why is it that even digitized vinyl sounds so good?"
 
I've always thought there's something to this. Not all the time, by any means, but some of my vinyl rips (even, whisper it quietly, ancient mp3 ones ) have a bounce and a groove that's completely missing from 80% of my other digital music. This could be a psychological thing now, as I've got used to the idea that they are extremely groovy files, but even when they crop up in a random play session, I swear I've noticed how pleasant the sound is before I've identified exactly which tune it is sometimes.
 
All very unscientific of course, and bearing in mind I'm an unabashed vinyl fan you should probably disregard this post out of hand. However, in my humble, "Utter nonsense" this thread is not.

 

[xdanny]

I'm just now getting into vinyl.
 
I have 100 percent of my music in FLAC, some 24/88,96 from HDtracks and 2L which sound pretty darn good and a few 16/44 that also sound good.  But after listening to classical on vinyl vs. my files during an audition for some equipment I bought, I must say that I was totally floored by the difference in sound quality.  (The TT was a 30 year old Sony with a warped plate, but the phono stage was an expensive one.)
 
Call it what you want, and bring on all the "scientific" arguments of why CD's are equal or better than vinyl;  I have NEVER heard classical music in such manner that I was entirely attracted and captivated by the sound.  Walked all over my best sample digital I had brought with me!!  Audio blabber aside, it was rich, full, and a pleasure to listen to. 
 
I have worked really hard to build a good digital system and invested quite a bit in both music (CDs and lossless downloads) and gear, but I am seriously starting to regret it.  The only thing still holding me back from completely switching back to vinyl is my extensive FLAC collection.  Even so, I purchased a mid level TT and am researching a good phono stage.
 
I would like to transfer some vinyl to digital to see if I can hear a difference.  Does that require special software?
 

 

[Gazza]

Quote:

I'm just now getting into vinyl.
 
I have 100 percent of my music in FLAC, some 24/88,96 from HDtracks and 2L which sound pretty darn good and a few 16/44 that also sound good.  But after listening to classical on vinyl vs. my files during an audition for some equipment I bought, I must say that I was totally floored by the difference in sound quality.  (The TT was a 30 year old Sony with a warped plate, but the phono stage was an expensive one.)
 
Call it what you want, and bring on all the "scientific" arguments of why CD's are equal or better than vinyl;  I have NEVER heard classical music in such manner that I was entirely attracted and captivated by the sound.  Walked all over my best sample digital I had brought with me!!  Audio blabber aside, it was rich, full, and a pleasure to listen to. 
 
I have worked really hard to build a good digital system and invested quite a bit in both music (CDs and lossless downloads) and gear, but I am seriously starting to regret it.  The only thing still holding me back from completely switching back to vinyl is my extensive FLAC collection.  Even so, I purchased a mid level TT and am researching a good phono stage.
 
I would like to transfer some vinyl to digital to see if I can hear a difference.  Does that require special software?
 

Just be aware that sourcing new classical records on vinyl is rather difficult as opposed to say Jazz or Blues where there is new, audiophile stuff launched all the time. SACD is really where a lot of Classical gets reissued.
 
Still, vinyl is still the best playback medium in my opinion and so I wish you the best of luck.

 

[Skylab]

 
Quote:

 
I would like to transfer some vinyl to digital to see if I can hear a difference.  Does that require special software?
 

I use a stand-alone CD burner for my vinyl "needle drops", so I am not sure what software you would need to use to do this directly to a PC, but I do know you would need a sound card with a really good A>D converter (that is the reason I use the external - it has a really good A>D converter).

 

[sonance]

"Why is it that even digitized vinyl sounds so good?"
 
It's probably been stated in other words in this thread, but I believe it is mainly the combination of better mastering for the vinyl versions of some music, and the initial analog amplification (out of the often tubed phono stage) that contribute to this.
 
This may or may not be the case, but it's my working theory, because I have heard some very nice sounding digitized LP versions of some songs that sound better to my ears that my CD version of the same song, and I can clearly hear (and see - via Soundforge) differences in the underlying mastering of the song.
 
I don't think that vinyl specific colorations / artifacts like surface noise, etc., are what have made me enjoy the vinyl versions, because those artifacts I find generally distracting and negative aspects of vinyl. But the better mastering still shines through on some music.

 

[eaglejo]

There's a flow and presence to good vinyl that you don't get on digital.  I'm just getting back into vinyl and am floored by how much better some vinyl sounds compared to the same album on cd.   

 

[sonance]

Except this is a question regarding digitized vinyl. So it is digital. The only difference is it was digitized after it was output from vinyl, versus being digitized directly off the CD master. By a process of elimination, I arrive at - the vinyl is superior to the CD master.

 

[jimmyjames8]

"Why is it that even digitized vinyl sounds so good?"
 
possibly because you grew up listening to vinyl and your brain/auditory system was programmed/imprinted with that sound.  I know mine was.  My vinyl rips to an HHb deck sound GREAT to my biased ears.