digital vs vinyl thoughts

We have some great responses. I think I feel that it is still so recording dependent. Back in my earlier days, late 60's, if I got a good recording that is what made my system sound more accurate, right, better in those ways. Equipment couldn't do that to the same extent for me. Of course I couldn't own the prevailing best at the time and what I did have was just something a couple levels better than the average person. When I think about it in the light of this discussion I think I am still there in wishing the recording was better more so than the playback source, and not as concerned about analog or digital to the same degree as the recording itself when it come to better sound but not better music. I drifted the thread a bit, sorry.

No attack was intended, my apologies. I simply meant, basic engineering principals can't describe how music sounds, or what type of sound one will prefer.

The Phase Linear scandal of the early 80's was a good example. They designed and built an amp with text book measurements, but the sound was considered horrible by all that heard it.
Tim

"I think I feel that it is still so recording dependent."

IF both your digital and vinyl sound are good to start, no doubt how individual recordings are made is without doubt the biggest factor by far in comparing. ITs like a major league baseball season. One format may dominate depending on a lot of factors, but neither is likely to go 164-0.

Thanks Almarg for the response. But you nailed it in your response. "Digital is an approximation" of the analog signal. There will be losses. Up the sampling and scan playback rates significantly, and that minimizes the losses. I just know that when I listen to an analog recoding, (recorded analog to master tape) of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue and listen to the digital recording side by side, very audible differences. And It is always a shock to me when I find music that I really love and enjoy in digital format, get use to it and then find that same music in analog format and play it and most times I hear audible differences. Again, please don't attack me. I really enjoyed the digital music also. My problem is that I refuse to accept music that doesn't sound "real". This is true for both analog or digital. I know what a real violin, cello, bass, drums, cymbals, etc. sound like and so when I hear it reproduced incorrectly, it drives me out of the room. Music that has been mastered over and over, compressed and then uncompressed, etc. loses some of the detail. The more electronics the original signal passes through before the final recording the more losses and distortions it will suffer. I'm not a big fan of electronic music, but sometimes I hear something that blows me away. But electronic music really has a detailed clear loss of dimension to me. Music that is properly miked and recorded, well, wonderful. I've worked in some sound recording rooms and let me tell you I have seen the most expensive best recording and mastering equipment being used, including the best cables, and I have also seen really crappy recording, mikes, cables, mixing boards being used also. I believe that how the music was miked and recorded and mixed is the most important aspect to the music's quality. Digital vs vinyl takes a back seat to that. Because if it isn't recorded correctly in the first place, well, nothing you do on the back end will make up for it.

no really, enjoy

Minorl, agreed on all counts.

Learsfool, and others who are interested in classical music, when and if the opportunity arises I would recommend that you find and purchase the following out-of-print CD's. They just may cause you to modify, at least a little bit, your feelings about how good the medium can sound. In fact, you just might be amazed:

Chesky CD31, Dvorak's "New World Symphony" + Wagner's "Flying Dutchman Overture" and "Siegfried Idyll," Jascha Horenstein conducting the Royal Philharmonic (recorded in 1962!)

Wilson Audio WCD-9129, Chopin's "Sonata No. 3" and other Chopin works, performed by Hyperion Knight.

The Chesky is available in both unused and used form from various sellers at Amazon, at high prices. The Wilson is very hard to find.

Interestingly, both recordings were transferred to CD from analog masters (obviously in the case of the Chesky, given the recording date; the Wilson was recorded in 1991).

Best regards,
-- Al