The Truth About Vinyl - Vinyl vs. Digital
 

Personally with new releases, especially from smaller labels, I'm going back to CD. There is no sense in paying 2-3x as much for the 16/44 files pressed to vinyl that will ultimately not sound as good. Same thing with 90's reissues that at best are 16/48 DAT sources if those tapes still exist. But for all analog reissues and original pressings, I'm a vinyl man.

Unfortunately, the LP version of a recording often has a higher dynamic range than its CD counterpart, perhaps because record companies think we analog types have higher expectations. (You can confirm this for yourself on the DR database.) Also, with modern recordings, the master tape is often much higher resolution than 16/44.1, so an LP can be pressed with a higher-res master than the CD.

It's a rather simplistic overview that pretty much says digital is good, vinyl has limitations, and even if digital had limitations you can't hear them anyway - problem solved.

"Simplistic" view is too kind.
While I'm 90% analog, listen to whatever lights your audio fire. Its your money, spend it as you wish and enjoy. :thumbsup:

I'm so glad I have a huge vinyl collection that doesn't suffer from questionable source material. i.e. compressed digital files and its ilk.

Thanks for share Ivan. To me vinyl is the way to go whether it’s vinyl from the golden days or the vinyl being released today as long as it’s AAA and by a long shot. Next best to me are my CD’s from the 80’s or a select few from the Audiophile labels.

CD’s after the 80’s started to be compressed and are now to a point of being over the top. Just check most of the DR levels of the Hi-Rez downloads. Most are in the DR level of -6 to -8. For example The Rolling Stones remastered CD’s or Hi-Rez downloads sound absolutely horrible IMHO. Compare any one of them to the original CD’s or the SACD’s from 2002 or CD’s from 1994. After that no bueno. There many, many more examples.

As always YMMV.

"IF" vinyl sounds better it still isn't worth the hassle.

The last few years, I’ve started taking it on a case by case basis with any newer recordings. There are a lot of bands who seem to care more about their mastering than others. For example, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Wilco and the Drive By Truckers have always used high quality mastering engineers for their vinyl. More of the “popular” artists….not so much, I stuck to the red book CD of Adele’s new album, didn’t see the point there. I don’t buy a ton of newer mainstream music such as Taylor Swift for example, but if I did, most of the times there isn’t a great benefit in spending the extra on the vinyl.

- Buck

.