Listening test - do you prefer CD or vinyl version

Which file do you prefer, by listening?

  • 1.wav

    Votes: 12 35.3%

  • a.wav

    Votes: 20 58.8%

  • They both sound same

    Votes: 2 5.9%
  • Total voters
    34
  • Poll closed .
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#62
PMA said:
The gain was matched as close as possible. Vinyl and digital versions differ through the files, so exact volume matching everywhere is impossible.
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I'm a little surprised they sound as similar as they do. I presume these are "original" releases of both the LP and CD. While there are differences in the media, much or most of the difference in sound can be from the choices in mastering, especially if the CD is a later re-release, caught up in the Loudness Wars. Different amounts of compression, or especially if the CD version has gone through multi-band compression can make it just about impossible to set the volume levels as "equal."

It might be interesting to compare every release (LP, 45, every CD release, file from iTunes) and hear how they differ.

ETA: It just occurred to me that the iTunes file likely is from a CD (I presume the record company provides the files to iTunes, and they just generate it from the CD), so it would be interesting to know which CD it came from. But I doubt that information is available to the general public.
 
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#70
steamjam55 said:
The classic 'vinyl sound' is on only one file. I think that the master was mixed to sound best on vinyl. Both files allow evaluation of the characteristic flaws of the master, but I think the flatter characteristics of the CD give more harshness to one only because of the engineering on the master. Do you know if both files come from the same master?

The 'vinyl sound' includes the sibilance on the left channel for the backup vocal groupings and audible noise floor increase at all the quiet passages.
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This post has been a shot on target. The author has real experience with vinyl.
 
#72
Files 1.wav and 1_inv.wav sound the same to me when played by VLC player (heard on ordinary headphones).

Every sound is a vibration. Physiologically, absolute phase decides which way the tympanum will move first (inward or outward) - nothing else. Therefore the absolute phase of a mono acoustic source has to be inaudible by humans.

Is there any objective test or scientific principle available to prove otherwise?

Reji
 
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#73
Frankly I dont like the sound of all files much and I could not believe that it was actual production of famous band? But at the moment I dont have some original source to compare...
This is originally recorded in time of tape recorders which somehow induces third harmonic. Also a gramo has lower separation of channels. And capturing device is p-p style most lightly, hat should be add some a bit more odd harmonics plus little harshens of capturing digital device. On the other hand almost all vinyl rips sounds little bit mellow and like normalized?
The backing vocals are time to time saturated at high mid higher region and they tend to group strongly interfering and blurring the other events ruining the space and reverbs...
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Files marking is a and 1. "a" is should point to the analog and 1 is digit from binary number system. And 1 is file is with phase shift. "0" is to be marked corrected phase file of... But that is not for sure... 🙂
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Another thing I compare the file sizes FLAC file unknown origin is 32.7Mb
when I converted the FLAC file to AIFF it was 53.9Mb which is cca the same as the WAV file will be. The PMA files is 36.1Mb all
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Still I am not sure? 🙂
 
#75
Zoran said:
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Another thing I compare the file sizes FLAC file unknown origin is 32.7Mb
when I converted the FLAC file to AIFF it was 53.9Mb which is cca the same as the WAV file will be. The PMA files is 36.1Mb all
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Still I am not sure? 🙂
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1991 MCA CD release, MCD 17756, same recording, Track 03 has about 34MB when ripped to wav by Exact Audio Copy. You may check the attached image.
 

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#76
Release the key sometime late Sunday, I'd say. That would be Sunday night for you, Sunday morning for me, Sunday afternoon for the North and South Americans. 🙂

I think I voted for the CD version, but it would be fun to be wrong.
 
#77
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mamas_%26_the_Papas:

The Mamas and the Papas' recordings were released on Dunhill Records until 1967, when the company was sold and the label became ABC-Dunhill.[135] Around 1973, ABC-Dunhill discarded all multi-track session recordings and mono masters because they were deemed obsolete and too expensive to store.[136] The original recordings of The Mamas and the Papas, and of labelmates such as Three Dog Night, are therefore lost, and it has been necessary to create digital versions from the stereo album masters, often second- or third-generation tapes. This is why the sound quality of Mamas and Papas' reissues does not match the best from the 1960s
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I have the 1986 CD, "16 of Their Greatest Hits", and have used it often to pinpoint system flaws ... 😉
 
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#78
Well, it would be impossible to use the 1967 vinyl disc for this kind of test. Everyone listens through headphones, mostly from iPhones or notebooks. This kind of listening is like a magnifying lens for all kinds of technical imperfections and surface cracks and wear of the old discs. I know what I am speaking about. So, I had to use the disc in a very, very good surface condition, that's why it is the 2013 vinyl reissue.
Re vinyl "sound", I find one of the bests the recent Beatles mono vinyl set reissue. We can use it next time.

The Beatles in Mono - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
#79
... Around 1973, ABC-Dunhill discarded all multi-track session recordings and mono masters because they were deemed obsolete and too expensive to store.[136] The original recordings of The Mamas and the Papas, and of labelmates such as Three Dog Night, are therefore lost...
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AAAGGGHH!!!

So, some douchenozzle sitting in an office somewhere looks at the bottom line on a ledger, and a chunk of American music history goes in the Dumpster. Sometimes I wish I believed in Hell so I could imagine this guy roasting on a spit down there...

Sorry, it just breaks my heart a little whenever I hear a story like this.

-- Jim (aagh)
 
#80
One of the members here told me a story when we were at his house listening to a pristine LP of the Doors. He said that one of his teacher had them listen to various releases of an Elvis record (don't remember which one). He said it got progressively worse with each release and the passing years. I would love to hear that progression. Was it remastering, or just the dies wearing out?
 
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