Exactly.
Psychoacoustic and biases...
Anyway.. much of the turntable's so-called sonic superiority comes from the fact that some recordings/masterings are just available on vinyls and the digital versions are not the same (and not as good).
But then, you compare apples and oranges; it's not the same at all to begin with... And, obviously, the format has nothing to do with it, in that case...
Does to me.
Maybe because of the reduced channel separation, re my post above yours.
Cheers George
How are "we" determining the "worlds best DAC?"
This is an N=1 sighted evaluation, right? So, in other words, pretty much useless?
This is an N=1 sighted evaluation, right? So, in other words, pretty much useless?
Maybe if you want to hear how vinyl colors the sound. I suppose you could also use software and DSP to color it any way you like. Even make it sound like vinyl.
I want to hear it as close to what they heard when they played back the original tape in the control room.
Of course I totally agree, I just posted that up for the vinyl junkies, to show them how to get maybe the same from digital (by going backwards in channel separation).
But I must admit I preferred the old L&R Beatles type ping pong cd's monoized as I did it, and it added warmth to the mids.
Cheers George
Thank you for the info.. I imagine the RevB is the one to go with then over the original, not sure ?
And yes as someone has also just stated a review of the Odac would be most welcomed up against some of these more pricey offerings 🙂
Last week I was at the high-end show here in UK, and I attended a workshop/seminar by the organizers, about digital vs analogue frontend.
In brief they had recorded different types of music using the latest(best) digital mastering systems, then the results were put on SACD, CD and direct-cut LP.
On show Matthias Bode from Stereo magazine was playing digital versions against the LP versions through high-end equipments with common amp and speakers between them.
Results were amazing, almost three quarter of audience (me included) preferred the LP sound! yet the LP was mastered from the digital! (on Classical solo and orchestral, live music, and rock music)
We were assured that the difference was not due to a better analogue equipment compared to digital. Matthias was correctly arguing that at best the LP should achieve is to match the quality of the original digital, but that was not the case.
Many arguments were presented as to why, but the experts do not agree.
It remains a mystery (not completely) why LP's sound better on the right equipment, my theory is that somehow they tame the music for human ears (even digital ones).
BTW - I'm a digital man myself, because of laziness!
all my music is on a server (no more actual discs).
..because of bad speakers and bad DACs, in comparison...
LP is doing some kind of compensation. Maybe.
I'd be curious to see a well-organized blind test about LP v.s. Dig
I think vinyl adds some sort of euphonic coloration. Maybe similar to SET amps. Obviously, the information goes through many more steps before it gets to your ears. How could it be any better?
Err - Err I did say it was not due to equipment!
it was the high-end show, with systems costing over $100k playing next door!
I can assure you all equipment was top-notch and care was taken to make sure that such an obvious bias was not present.
Matthias Bode is from Germany's top hifi publication "the stereo magazine" there was Keith Howard from "Hifi News" magazine, which is the UK's high-end publication.
These people are old hands at this, I trust them to know a thing or two!
and not try to fool the public with well chosen equipments to make their point.
Indeed their point was that 'It is all in your head!' - since a majority of LP's are mastered from digital, but our ears said something else.
the digital master for LP sourced to the cutter is way different from the digital master intended to played back digitally for the same project
passthru/bypass LP needle drop vs added inline ADC/DAC chain tests show all the "vinyl goodness" plays perfectly fine thru a digital intermediate chain
passthru/bypass LP needle drop vs added inline ADC/DAC chain tests show all the "vinyl goodness" plays perfectly fine thru a digital intermediate chain
Yes , How could it?
That was the general consensus on the day too!
I did not say it was better, it 'sounded' better to our ears, perhaps we like the colorations, the euphonics, the voodoo or whatever . . .
Why does Guarneri sound so good? Why don't new violins, made by latest technology and materials 'sound' inferior?
There is a lot of psychology involved, when a human ear listens to music.
But isn't the point of any sound-reproduction system, is to play music, rather than be bit-perfect to original?
"Sounded better." Vinyl. Hah!
if you really want to hear great sound, Toscanini did a transcription of Beethoven's 13th quartet scherzo on 78's. Beethoven late period, quartet writing, Toscanini's fast tempo, and the whizz of the shellac, now that's great sound.
Otherwise, some factoids... as I've gone more digital recently, I've had to move my speakers closer together to reduce awful ping-pong stereo. And you know how people often say as their systems get better, they shortcomings of recordings become more painfully obvious.
My point is that maybe there is some more euphonious results coming through the vinyl chain or at least more euphonious for some people. Maybe ironically, more euphonious people with more acute high-frquency hearing.
Shouldn't be hard to research just what is it about vinyl that sounds better to some people. (Not to me, I'm sticking with the striking clarity of digital on electrostatic speakers... maybe just too lazy to go back to old platter rituals.)
Ben
if you really want to hear great sound, Toscanini did a transcription of Beethoven's 13th quartet scherzo on 78's. Beethoven late period, quartet writing, Toscanini's fast tempo, and the whizz of the shellac, now that's great sound.
Otherwise, some factoids... as I've gone more digital recently, I've had to move my speakers closer together to reduce awful ping-pong stereo. And you know how people often say as their systems get better, they shortcomings of recordings become more painfully obvious.
My point is that maybe there is some more euphonious results coming through the vinyl chain or at least more euphonious for some people. Maybe ironically, more euphonious people with more acute high-frquency hearing.
Shouldn't be hard to research just what is it about vinyl that sounds better to some people. (Not to me, I'm sticking with the striking clarity of digital on electrostatic speakers... maybe just too lazy to go back to old platter rituals.)
Ben
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Yes they are.
Considered by many pro sound engineers as among the best money can buy.
there is also the top of the line Prism but i don't have access to that one...
Considered by many pro sound engineers as among the best money can buy.
there is also the top of the line Prism but i don't have access to that one...