I see the question/debate regarding digital streaming vs vinyl pop up every once in a while, and every time I see it, I always have the same reaction........Yawning Lol!!! Ultimately, how important is it to me what preferences others have when it comes to what particular medium they prefer listening to their music through? Personally, I gave up vinyl 25 years ago. I gave up CD about 5 years ago and built a top-notch digital streaming audio system, and haven’t given CD or vinyl a second thought since. High-end audio is very personal, and the only thing that natters is the personal preferences of the individual. So, it’s all about "What Ever Turns You On." Nothing more, nothing less. If vinyl still turns you on....go for it. If streaming is your thing.......enjoy. If you still listen to reel-to-reel, CD, or whatever, then why should it matter or concern others as to why you prefer listening to your music though a particular medium which they may not prefer? All the above mentioned music mediums can sound absolutely incredible. The diversity of all the various music mediums are all still here for us all to enjoy!!!!! Happy listening.
Vinyl vs Streaming
Hey,
Hope this is OK to post here.
Do you ever find yourself questioning Vinyl in the face of Streaming?
And question yourself, why am I going through all this struggle when streaming is so much easier.
I was sitting on my couch streaming some hi res music, which was sounding great, asking this to myself.
It's just so much easier to stream and get from one song to another.
I know for some, their analog rig is much better and stronger than their digital side (if they even have one) and for others it might be the opposite.
Regardless, just wondering if you ever feel if it's worth all the extra work.
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- 96 posts total
Analog for speakers: my room isn't well treated; I have DSP'd for digital sources, but the "distortion" and "noise" and "imperfection" from vinyl presents itself much better in the imperfect room. Vinyl is worth the extra work on my speaker system. Digital for headphones: given the above, all my audiophile impulses are satisfied when listening to a well mastered piece with headphones. I can't get vinyl with headphones right--surface noise is just too much. But when I really want to zone into the music and turn the volume up, it's digital w/headphones. Don't really want to get up to flip a record with headphones on: happy to just sit and engage with Roon on the iPad while listening. |
In my experience sound quality wise, vinyl and digital in all its forms have been leapfrogging each other for decades. Vinyl has been the ascendancy lately, but streaming is gaining ground. Recently, I discovered that moving the server, a Roon Optimized Core Kit, ROCK NUC with SSD storage and the ethernet switch away from satellite TV reciever was a big step forward for streaming. That led me to wonder if there was more I could do to close the gap with vinyl. AI suggested that my ageing loudspeakers were optimised for vinyl and I should try adjusting the degree of digital room correction in the bass applied. At the same time, I toed in the speakers more in an attempt to lessen the effects of reflections from side walls. I also upgraded the ethernet cable between the switch and the server to a Melco C100. The result was that in some ways streaming far exceeded vinyl. For example the bass was tuneful without a trace of being spoiled by room resonances - quite the most impressive that I've ever heard. Yet overall, vinyl remained more coherent and convincing. Depending on the nature of the music, some harshness remained in places with steaming. However, I have more ideas to improve streaming. It is still a work in progress. Whether it will ultimately match vinyl I can't say at this stage. Regardless, I see the benefits of running both vinyl and streaming side by side as being different they complement each other. |
That is a great analogy. The one thing about cameras is that the advent of digital bestowed 35mm technology with no practical relevance. If only oil would have been besmirched in the same way by, um, sunlight. Some industries completely cave as they realize their time is up, while others hang on because there is still a bit of monetary viability left to squeeze out of it. I will have to rack my brain today to figure out if there was a similar industry that surrendered to another in such fast fashion. I think maybe what we saw with photography was what many thought would happen in music circles - a complete capitulation from an old technology (analog) to one that was better (digital)- in large part- because of it's convenience. But that is not what happened. Film cameras just went from being quite expensive to being nearly worthless. Akin to the steep fall of Longaberger baskets...or beenie babies. Not that cameras were collectibles, but they were perched on a cliff and fell all the way to the bottom, in just a couple years. Back in the early 80's, I had a friend who lent me a Sony AM/FM Walkman. That was a revelation. Such great sound and soooo portable. Phones, and the marriage of music, should have been all that and then some. But photography was the focus. Phone engineers went after the easy prey, low hanging fruit, and I assume, because music files required more onboard storage than photos (which were rather grainy at the time), they never really got around to offering up a phone that could "do it all" and court every human sense(s). But, wait, there is still time! We audiophiles may eventually get rid of all of our gear in lieu of a pocket piece. We will all be able to get together to watch Full Metal Jacket on my super phone that has the projector feature an USB jacks for my B&W minis. It will even play Black Sabbath at 100db on its integrated McInstosh/Bose amplifier! https://vertu.com/lifestyle/high-end-phone-best-for-music-movie-streaming-2025/ |
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