Have you discovered a digital source, that satisfies you, as much as your Turntable?

[M Gregg]

I do rather wish I had held on to my vinly, clunky or not, because it had some memories for me but for ages I didnt have the means to play it so I gave it to charity. There wasnt much of it but probably hard or impossible to find it in good condition. Now Its just too expensive to get back into vinyl because it got trendy :-(

Years ago when I changed and bought a new system all my old records were given away..I learned from that mistake.

However I have all my old records now sitting on a shelf I have memories and like the artwork..they smell interesting as well but I tend to listen to digital most of the time.
I know one day they will go..you realise what its all about when you have to clean out a parents house that has just passed away.

All the things I have are not important I just think they are..I can't help but feel the shelf of records reminds me of a personal museum.
The older they get the more they smell like it as well. I open the LP's and listen to the two half's stick together and the sleeve pull away from the plastic..the smell of the record cleaner and the old brush..then I look at the old ZX81 in its box in the bottom of a cupboard and wonder what its all about. I remember looking at a TRS80 in tandy with make the robot move..jump..hop..etc now the shop has gone and the world has changed..I don't regard myself as old.

Remember Austin powers trying to play a CD..🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t-pSzDdeOM

I guess eventually you have to ask would I go back to VHS tape?
I played a few records a while ago and because it had been so long I was shocked to realise just how delicate putting the stylus on the record was..and that now I seemed to shake more than I used to..or perhaps I had just forgotten.

Regards
M. Gregg

 

[cogitech]

Now Its just too expensive to get back into vinyl because it got trendy :-(

The tricks to keeping vinyl cheap in the 21st century:

1) Thrift stores. Most of it is Barry Manilow, Bert Kaempfert, and Scandinavian Folk, but it is well worth it to spend time flipping through the stacks. I have found some incredible gems this way and ended paying between 25 cents and a buck.

2) Give different music a chance. This goes hand in hand with tip #1. While flipping through the stacks of cheap vinyl, if you don't know that it is music you hate, at least look at the condition of the record. If it is in good shape, take a chance on it. I have exposed myself to a much wider range of genres by doing this. An example: I bought "Carlos Montoya and His Flamenco Guitar" on a whim. It was 25 cents and it fairly good condition. I had no idea what to expect. I loved the album immediately and listen to it often - so often that I am always on the lookout now for more Carlos and last week I found another one; "Carlos Montoya - Adventures in Flamenco". It is pristine. I could type here for hours listing other examples.

3) Talk about records. If there is a tactful way to bring records into your conversations with friends, business contacts, etc. - do it. Many people are sitting on vinyl and will readily give them away or sell them if they know you are really interested and will provide a loving home.

 

[ginetto61]

Hi i have a question.
Could it be that what really holds back the cd is the chosen medium ? the optical disc i mean ?
i remember years ago experimenting with magnet, spray, weight on cds ... and most of the times the sound changed ... i cannot say better or worse but it changed
This tells me that reading from an optical disc is not a reliable process at all
just think that someone justified the use of player weighing many many kg ... unbelievable
Better solid memories for instance.
Regards, gino

 

[Mark Whitney]

Gino, this is your misunderstanding of the technology at work again. If the CD was so bad it would not have been sold in billions.

Did you try magnet, spray or weight on vinyl?

 

[SY]

Could it be that what really holds back the cd is the chosen medium ? the optical disc i mean ?

No.

 

[drewburn]

No. More likely the 16bit word and choice of too slow sampling frequency

 

[SY]

From purely an auditory standpoint, those are not actually limitations. -90-odd dB signal to noise and frequency response adequate to recover what our ears can hear is quite good enough that we can turn our attention to actually important things.

 

[hazard500]

I take digital seriously. I have spent lots of time researching digital playback and have now got a system that is as good as I've heard digital. I started a thread about it here.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/273474-best-dac-no-dac.html

I am using HQPlayer on my PC, and upsample everything to DSD128 before playback. With well mastered albums, the sound blossoms into a nice analog-like sound stage. For once I am enjoying the music rather than focussing on the short comings of digital sound. So much so that I haven't played any records for a few weeks. Until last night.

And as good as good as digital replay now sounds, my analog rig is still just ahead. I am using a highly modified Lenco in a custom built corian plynth, MG-1 air bearing tone arm, Win strain gauge cartridge and DIY j-fet gain stage. I was using a SOTA Star last year, the Lenco is killing it. Analog still rules in my system, after investing lots of time and money in both digital and analog.

 

[fas42]

And as good as good as digital replay now sounds, my analog rig is still just ahead. I am using a highly modified Lenco in a custom built corian plynth, MG-1 air bearing tone arm, Win strain gauge cartridge and DIY j-fet gain stage. I was using a SOTA Star last year, the Lenco is killing it. Analog still rules in my system, after investing lots of time and money in both digital and analog.

Can you say in precisely what way the analogue is superior, what the characteristics are of the digital playback that aren't quite there, still?

 

[Bigun]

I assume the magic is somehow in the playback of vinyl but not because of the absence of digital. I ask this because I read on the internet that the music on most of modern vinyl has been in digital form at some point in the recording chain. Therefore, it has been through a DAC at least once. So there is something special about the passage of sound through the cutter / press - vinyl - stylus - cartridge process that people like ???

 

[snup]

I don't think there is.

 

[Bigun]

if there isn't then theres no reason for modern vinyl to be preferred over a DAC.

 

[fas42]

So there is something special about the passage of sound through the cutter / press - vinyl - stylus - cartridge process that people like ???

IME the damage is done, to digital, when there is a full reproduction chain in place. That is, you have a digital source media being fed to a controlling stage, say a preamp, then fed to PA and finally, speakers, revved up to a decent volume. Take any one of those things away, and the chances are that the SQ will be better ...

But it shouldn't be like that, I hear you say !!! Well, tough titties, I say - in my world that's what I hear happening; so, you have to deal with the chain as an entity in itself - and sort out which link is messing up the sound ...

 

[snup]

Yes. You just cant get around the tough titties issue.

 

[M Gregg]

if there isn't then theres no reason for modern vinyl to be preferred over a DAC.

Its called the RIAA curve..😀
On tape its NAB<<combined with Dolby. Remember the Chrome switch position that always sound better on standard tape..😀
There is something very analogue about a scratch and pop filter and the articles in Practical Wireless.

Remember the Half speed masters that were half speed because the wow was so high in the mastering machines they ran them at half speed..I always thought its an expensive way to make records just for audiophiles..Oh a half speed master they must be good..😀<<I bought a few..

I was taken back after hearing this in an interview where the comment was that a standard record was probably better..but it was the best way of making something from the mess..I assume its a legitimate way of making a better record but it would also seem to have other uses..
Then again I don't see how you can half speed master a digital recording to make a better record..
This is interesting..
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/half-speed-mastering-what-and-why.196243/

Regards
M. Gregg

 

[M Gregg]

Whatever happened to linear tracking?

Regards
M. Gregg

 

[tnargs]

My approach is completely different - mentally, I "insist" that the CD recordings are all good, and if they don't come up to scratch, subjectively, then it's because my playback system isn't good enough. This forces me to deal with the real underlying issues of poor digital playback - and when this is done, lo and behold, those "bad" recordings emerge fresh and sparkling, full of life and capable of being immensely satisfying, 🙂.

That's a broken process. It explains a lot of weird posts. Thank you.

 

[M Gregg]

Well,

You have to ask what record labels are the best?

Then why are they different..

Remember the Pressed plastic labels on the 45's

and the red vinyl

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I have a few RED and BLUE vinyl albums.
But so many people said the colour effected the sound..something to do with the quality of the material..
Remember the floppy records with magazines..😀

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JDGQBySru8

Now I can see why digital will never compete with records.
There was a lot of myths with records remember the ones used for juke boxes..they are special...er why >>>hard wearing and they have a removable hole..😀<< I remember pondering this when I was little.."A removable hole"..I remember playing records that were so worn they had an oval hole..
Ah the good old days...
My first "removable Hole" was Shaft on the Stax Label..I used to like the Stax logo.. I guess people can still get inserts..😀

Strange I have never seen a worn hole on a CD..😀<<that's because people don't play them like they used to..

Regards
M. Gregg

 

[fas42]

That's a broken process. It explains a lot of weird posts. Thank you.

No, it doesn't. I have heard my difficult recordings on supposedly premium systems, and they do make a mess of them - they exaggerate the faults in the recording, emphasis the defects of the playback chain, and also leave out out a good bit of the detail within - I gave up testing ordinary systems this way years ago, the standard is way not good enough normally.

A BMW that drives nicely on a superb road, but shakes itself to bits, and me too, on a poor one is no use to me ...

 

[M Gregg]

Just curious how many have a ring mat?

So which is better on digital a HD or a SSD? or no difference?

I have if I can find it a black disc designed to fit under a CD to make it "Sound" better..if I locate it I'll post a picture..😀
LOL a ring mat for a CD player..

Regards
M. Gregg