Vinyl

To get the best comparison of analogue versus vinyl I recommend comparing classical releases.

Unlike pop music this stuff is recorded with the idea of a full enriching musical experience rather than be loud, sell more idea. Plus they have a lot of instruments to record so the recording and mastering is done carefully. There is a greater sonic range with a full orchestra so the bass distortion ("warmth") is clear and you hear the instrument rather than a third party version of the sound.

Incidentally this is also the reason why guitar sounds and solos changed over recent years in metal. Loud but low pitched distorted sounds impact pleasurably on a brain especially one that has been, er, chemically informed. Screaming leads have a different effect (in case anyoine ever wondered the real reason behind Metallica's 90s "ideas")

Recently bought some old recordings (Barenboim conducting LvB's 7 and 8th symphonies in DVD-A and they sound absolutely great. The sound is clear, the mix top notch, the stereo picture is just right. I compare an SACD of L v B's Eroica and it tops the 16 bit CD but admittedly, only if you are being careful with the listening. For the most part a good classical release is fine on the improved format and the newer recordings I find are very good indeed. They sound great full blast as well.

That said there are still highly dodgy classical releases (recorded from Lps, dust covered stylii, bad tape transfers) so watch out for apparent bargains they may actually be garbage.

The old classical vinyl sounds good (I've Tchiavovky's 5th which is a thoroughly enjoyable LP but the SACD and DVDs are heaven.

So the comparison of recordings is complex. It seems most people find comparing vinyl to listening to stuff on a PC to be better. What a surprise. Compare the CD to the vinyl then we might be comparing apples to apples. Some 192kbps mp3 is never going to sound good. Even the best are only a fifth of the wav file which still does not sound good being pushed through non hi fi media such as a computer.

Computers have their value but as hi fi media, no. Players, yes. Ways of being able to make a decision like valuing  records over new media, not good. Use a stereo, doesn't have to be hi-end, in fact anything reasonable from the past 30 years (post hideous '70s quality) should be okay. Mine's only medium level a 5.1 amp and universal (DVD / SACD 2.0) player, a cheap 5.1 DVD player and 2012 speakers that are fine for my humble quarters but not for the bigger rooms.

Oh when loking for the audio quality records are the LPs digitally remastered versus non-remastered? Don't forget the tape generation that LPs are based upon, unlike common source digital files new releases and re-masters have. For Lps do look for tags such as half speed mastered. (Steely Dan Aja, Gaucho spring to mind). Don't take things at a surface level.

Cassettes are popular now? Oh dear. Bring back the 5.1 wax cylinder why don't we? This really says more about the dodgy hardware choices people use to listen to music on as they play on line video games.

Always thought CDs sounded better but I find listening to vinyl more fun in a way

I think their last 3 have pretty solid production and sound

Brilliant SQ on this issue! Detail is superb, exceeds my CD version by a few levels. Some of the more delicate songs standout as compared to like Wedding Nails which kicks a$$. This vinyl is mixed excellent, nothing too loud or soft, very balanced.

Another winner for Porcupine Tree vinyl.

I went to Record Store Day, it was my first so I didn't know what to expect. I went to Vintage Vinyl thirty minutes before it opened and the line went all the way around to the back! Definitely going a couple hours earlier next year. After three hours of waiting in line, I picked up the 50 minute version of The Flaming Lips' "7 Skies H3", on beautiful clear(ish) vinyl, which was my biggest priority, Joy Divisions' "An Ideal for Living", Nirvana's "Pennyroyal Tea" single, and two Yes albums while I was waiting in line (which went throughout the store). All and all it was 71 bucks, almost all of the allowance I had saved up for the past four months, but definitely worth the wait and cash, although I unfortunately missed out on Devo's "Live at Max's Kansas City: November 15, 1977".

Way cool, Jose. Almost 90 mins - should be out as an official DVD ??
Oh, and why is it that only a small amount of us feel this way about the Long-Player ?? It's practically a ritual - I mean, it feels 'incomplete' just plonking a little silver disc on an automatic tray and letting it play for its entire duration...... no intermission to absorb the first half of the album, no flipping over of the disc, and no BIG, substantial package to enjoy.......
Not dissing CD's at all, but no comparison to 12"x12".
And also, DVD's are far superior to video-cassettes, or laser-discs.....proving that love of the LP is not just some 'retro' fad. It's fantastic that such great music, like Spock's Beard, Flower Kings and Transatlantic have their work committed to vinyl.

Edited by Tom Ozric - April 17 2014 at 19:05

^^ Emoticon city ............(wtf?)

I`ve just pre-ordered the vinyl package of the first three new
LED ZEPPELIN 1,2 & 3 ooooooooooooooooh yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!
1 comes as 3lps 2&3 are both 2lps.    music and a    ROCK `N` ROLL BAND...............



me is one geekfreak................

Vapor Trails is among my favorite Rush albums. I don't like the remixed version nearly as much, tho.

Ah cool good to know! I have an acrylic platter too but never thought of doing this.