McIntosh’s Use of Opamps

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by Charles

If you are playing vinyl I cannot understand employing digital eq. But vinyl makes no sense to me because all vinyl begins with a digital master.

Charles

With all respect, my 1958 deep groove Blue Note mono LP of Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else" did not begin with a digital master.

Nor, for that matter, this wonderful Arthur Grumiaux recording of Vivaldi Violin Concerti issued by Philips in the 70s.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by FreddieFerric

Categorical statements such as this are patently ill-informed and does not help your argument. See below. Just arrived.

Freddie, I did not mean this to be a categorical statement and I apologize if it was taken this way. However, I continue to believe that most vinyl begins as a digital master or contains a digital step.

Mobile fidelity stated for years that their vinyl had no digital step and it turned out to be grossly untrue and misleading. They have admitted this and apologized publicly. How many people paid large bucks for supposedly pure analog vinyl?

I question the quality of the master older tapes used in older vintage vinyl recordings or they must be present day recordings using current analog master tapes. I'm not against vinyl at all. I believe that vinyl has a sound signature many like. However, it makes no sense to me if you play vinyl to employ digital equalization.

Best,

Charles

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Puma Cat

With all respect, my 1958 deep groove Blue Note mono LP of Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else" did not begin with a digital master.

Nor, for that matter, this wonderful Arthur Grumiaux recording of Vivaldi Violin Concerti issued by Philips in the 70s.

I agree and apologize for making what has been taken to be a categorical statement. I obviously was incorrect. There are almost always exceptions to any general rule. I always liked prerecorded tapes of that era over the vinyl of that era. I had numerous vinyl records (probably at least a hundred) as a 10-13 year old boy. I meticulously cared for my records. I cleaned the dust off the stylus needle of every record before playing it. I encountered a lot of inexplicable record scratch, pops, and noise on many of my treasured records. I had rather in those days put up with a modicum of tape hiss that was present on many prerecorded tapes of that era. The vinyl of that era IMO was of poor quality, IMO. Mario Lanza, South Pacific, many RCA records, Elvis Presley, I off the cuff remember. I remember the first record I ever heard was South Pacific.

Best

Charles

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Formerly YB-2

You are very wrong. The great majority of vinyl is still analog. Thankfully.

Pete, that's not what I am told. Quite to the contrary, I have been told from reliable sources that almost all currently issued vinyl contains a digital step. Now if you have vintage records that are quite old certainly they will be pure analog. Honestly, I really don't care, have no axe to grind, and don't mean to offend in anyway. The discussion is about op-amps and I am sorry I made an off the cuff comment that has touched a nerve. I hope that we can return to that discussion.

Best

Charles

[Masterlu]

That said, down the road we may all be using digital currency to buy our analog recordings.

[FreddieFerric]

Originally Posted by Masterlu

That said, down the road we may all be using digital currency to buy our analog recordings.

I prefer my analog dollars. They make comfy mattresses.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by FreddieFerric

I prefer my analog dollars. They make comfy mattresses.

I’m with you there, no doubt.

[Porsche993TT]

oh please, the best analog will beat the sh1t out of the best digital, end of story. digital is awesome now, more convenient, you have everything at your fingertips, however, compare the 2 an vinyl wins hands down

[FreddieFerric]

Originally Posted by Porsche993TT

oh please, the best analog will beat the sh1t out of the best digital, end of story. digital is awesome now, more convenient, you have everything at your fingertips, however, compare the 2 an vinyl wins hands down

...for speaking truth...

[dkorbal]

I appreciate all the input from everyone but my intent was not to start another debate between digital and analog. My confusion that lead to my questions was most accurately addresses by Tom aka W9TR. There is a lot of great equipment today (including tubes) that uses opamps, delta sigma, R2R, discrete etc etc so how can a manufacturer make such a statement AND more so, what is a user such as myself suppose to make of it.

I am trying to walk a line between ss and tubes. I understand each individual here has their own experiences which has lead to their preferences. I appreciate each of you speaking up for your preferences which helps me learn.

As many of you have pointed out about the MEM220 my eyes (and ears ) were wide open when I purchased it. I knew it’s short comings but still chose to put it into my system. After reading many of the reply’s here it may be time to revisit that decision. The good thing is I can experiment with and without it and decide for myself.

Does anybody know if using the “bypass” feature in the MEM220 defeat the signal from being digitally reprocessed? The manual states while in bypass mode “Crossover Settings made in the Setup Mode are still active and effecting the MEN220 Audio Signal Outputs”. I read this to mean digital processing is still going on. Can anyone confirm?

Ivan, I think we both would agree a 25k device doesn’t make sense in my system but what about a CR-1?

Thanks again for everyone’s input and I’ll keep you posted on my findings.