Listening test - do you prefer CD or vinyl version

[PMA]

Hi all, I have another test, a CD vs. vinyl version of the same, very well known song:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uqnyfvasmvdincc/cdlp.zip?dl=0

Please vote which file you prefer, based on listening. Yes, vinyl file is digitized, but it should not matter.

Edit 5th June:

As there were complaints that one of the files is phase inverted, please feel free to download modified 1_inv.wav with same absolute phase as a.wav. Have fun

https://www.dropbox.com/s/msj6ifamxtgs2d7/1_inv.zip?dl=0

Edit 9th June:

40 Hz - 12 kHz limited samples of both files (1 and a)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3597rrcy2xi7bnl/pearapple.zip?dl=0

 

[Mooly]

Impeccably produced as always Pavel

I've voted... do you want listening comments in the thread ?

 

[PMA]

Hi Karl, thanks for your vote, please go on with your listening comments

 

[Hiten]

This would be interesting. Thanks for the efforts. Would it be possible to hide the poll results till files are revealed ?
Thanks again and regards.

 

[PMA]

I cannot do this, maybe Karl as a moderator. Anyway, I will not reveal the files until we all agree on this action.

 

[Mooly]

Well I listened via speakers for this test and feel that 'a' comes across as more a little 'rounded', particularly on the vocals. Further into the track and the 'detail' and backing on the right channel seemed a little wider spread. Vocals on '1' in comparison sounded slightly coarser.

 

[Mooly]

I cannot do this, maybe Karl as a moderator. Anyway, I will not reveal the files until we all agree on this action.

There is no option now to hide the poll. The only way would be to close it and the thread, and then copy the thread to new one with a hidden poll where someone would have to collate the results.

Best left I think

 

[PMA]

I agree, let's make no changes.

 

[PMA]

Well I listened via speakers for this test and feel that 'a' comes across as more a little 'rounded', particularly on the vocals. Further into the track and the 'detail' and backing on the right channel seemed a little wider spread. Vocals on '1' in comparison sounded slightly coarser.

Okay, I'll ask you which is which in the end

 

[Hiten]

I cannot do this, maybe Karl as a moderator. Anyway, I will not reveal the files until we all agree on this action.

OK. No problem. I have voted.
Regards.

 

[Max Headroom]

Another Invalid Test....


We are testing two variables because one of the files is inverted.

Dan.

 

[PMA]

Yes one of the files is inverted, but I made no phase inversion myself. It is "as it is". Phase inversion, however, does not make the main difference - I am absolutely sure about it.

 

[Max Headroom]

Acoustic Polarity Is Mission Critical...

Yes one of the files is inverted, but I made no phase inversion myself. It is "as it is". Phase inversion, however, does not make the main difference - I am absolutely sure about it.

Agreed, the two files are strongly different.
However, inverted polarity is another 'strongly different'.
You made no phase inversion, but you most certainly should have.
This test is rendered invalid.

Dan.

 

[PMA]

Dan, with all respect, I consider phase inversion audibility exaggerating as an audiophile blabla. There may be some minor audibility with some systems, no audibility with another ones. To me, it is the similar reasonings as invalid test because of added link cables. And you were asked to listen, not to make file analysis.

 

[PMA]

This test is rendered invalid.

Dan.

Trolling.

 

[philipreji]

To me "a" sounds more "live" compared to "1".

Reji

 

[Bigun]

I remember auditioning a hi-fi system in a showroom with my father. The salesman realized he had the speaker cables inverted (on both speakers) and corrected them (on both speakers). Both my father and I remarked how obviously and immediately that the sound changed (for the better). Is this what you mean by the description 'inverted' in the posts above ?

 

[rayma]

I remember auditioning a hi-fi system in a showroom with my father. The salesman realized he had the speaker cables
inverted (on both speakers) and corrected them (on both speakers). Both my father and I remarked how obviously
and immediately that the sound changed (for the better). Is this what you mean by the description 'inverted' in the posts above ?

Yes, a driver either goes outward or inward in response to a positive input signal, depending on how the speaker
is hooked up (both internally and externally). Some multi-driver systems invert some of the drivers to get a better
measured frequency response, though. Most recordings don't preserve absolute polarity, or even take it into account.
Many multi-track recordings even have inconsistent polarities among tracks in the same channel.

 

[benb]

Now that it is "known" that one file is inverted, a "knowledgable" downloader can invert one of the files before comparing, and they will at least have the same polarity, even if they both end up inverted.

I just discovered which one is which, but I'm trying not to give it away. If you don't want to know before listening, don't look at these in a wave editor. I'm just sayin' ...

I do hear a difference between them - one definitely sound brighter than the other, the highs are EQ'ed up relative to the other.

 

[Max Headroom]

Dan, with all respect, I consider phase inversion audibility exaggerating as an audiophile blabla. There may be some minor audibility with some systems, no audibility with another ones. To me, it is the similar reasoning as invalid test because of added link cables.

My system, and single driver systems are perfectly revealing of Absolute Polarity.
On my system, music/voice/nature sounds in inverted polarity sounds plain wrong.
To this end I have installed a polarity inverter plugin into Foobar so that I can enjoy my system in correct acoustic polarity.

And you were asked to listen, not to make file analysis.

I did listen, and that's how I picked the polarity inversion.
One track sounded wrong.
This wrongness is enough to skew listening preference test results.

Trolling.

Peer review.....fail.
The point here is to get these listening tests academically correct.
There has been a series of time wasting invalid tests due to easily correctable errors such as this one has.

Dan.