Vinyl vs high def audio i.e. 24bit / 96 or 192khz
There is no mountainous economic barrier to entry to the vinyl world if one is patient. Just today in a high end audio equipment store I saw a perfectly functioning used 35 or so year old then TOTL turntable with a very fine vintage cartridge for $100 (reduced twice from a starting price twice that). This store offers 30 day audition to boot. With patience one can find 30, 40, 50 and even 60 year old vinyl that is in NM- condition for $1-$2 in thrift shops. Jazz, rock, classical, you name it. Turn hunting for these gems into a part of your hobby. I can't imagine not listening to vinyl which is always my preferred medium. Tape (again a vote for analog) would be next followed by streaming Tidal and cds. |
I can offer another reason why people may be attracted to vinyl: its user-friendliness, i.e. it's fussy but I understand it. I have a high-performance digital front-end (pc-based music server-reclocker-dac, etc) and two TTs. When the server is down, I have *no* idea what’s going on and why. It can happen at, seemingly, random. The TT s/ware never crashes... |
This has been a topic forever and I think it all gets down to what you enjoy and what ones lifestyles dictate. This is really not only about this topic but audio in general. Both mediums can be very fun if you want to "devote" the time to it. For me I have a dedicated listening room and DO NOT want to always be pinned down to the chair since it is in my basement location. For me I only had about a 350 count record collection and only about 1/2 of those were of VG sound quality. Now with other interests and retired vinyl became too much work and tweaking to get it right. I owned a Linn LP12 and later a Clearaudio with VG arms and cartridges but the expense vs. the difference in sound was simply not enough for me to continue. I also hated the fact that every time I played a record the stylus on my cartridge or wear on the record became a mind game. Vinyl became like driving a stick shift/clutch car. In addition, since cash flow became more prevalent I bought two 180G records at last years RMAF and one was noisy as ever and at $30 bucks a pop it kind of gave me a push. Used vinyl in my area is a crapshoot. I have since moved on to a really good streaming device with SACD/CD player housing both a PCM and DSD dacs separately and lastly internet radio with over 7000 channels all in one unit. It also has a remote I can play and stream from my upstairs as it works via antenna. Now streaming Qobuz Hires, listening to Internet radio which can be fascinating, playing one of my many Cd’s/SACD’s has been game over for me. For me discovery of new music takes precedence over what that differences in sound quality really mattered with this device. I am now down to only about 100 records left for sale and could not be happier since my vinyl rig was not being used much I moved on. Now I am down to this source, preamp, monoblocks, and speakers...... for me simpler was certainly better. This is not to knock one medium over the other as they both can be VG but my point is to make it enjoyable depends on one’s interests and lifestyles. Life is too short not to pay attention to what moves you. That really is audio in general. |
me: Hi Alexa.....please play Vivaldi - Four Seasons for me on vinyl ...... ..............................(silence) me: Alexa are you there ? Alexa ? please play Vivaldi - Four Seasons for me on vinyl ...... Alexa - Sorry I am having trouble understanding you right now. Please try a little later. ***********************************
really ? https://photos.app.goo.gl/zKgwta9xvWG2HvhL7 |
