Why Vinyl??

Hey,
   You answered it beautifully, actually! I meant to ask if you had any albums which were well enough mastered across all formats that you really didn’t have a preference for vinyl/hi-res/CD. Your examples illustrated it well.

I agree that it’s often all about the mastering, not the medium.

I’m with you that there are some stonkingly good CD’s out there.

Yes to researching for the best version, and that just because it says “180gm virgin vinyl” doesn’t mean it’s any good.

The only disagreement I have is about composers. Yes, CD has the advantage of low noise during quiet passages of big orchestral pieces, but I know a few composers (art music, film, etc) who find CD their least favourite, though essential, option. Much preferred is the ability to record and master at the highest possible resolution and then offer the product as a download at that level. Interestingly, while dynamic range is a concern, these people speak more about perceived texture and depth of colour. Can of worms?

Regardless, we seem to be of one mind about most things.
Cheers,
Mick.

[QUOTE=dillon]

And before we get too enamoured of our contemporary vinyl resurgence, let's understand that much of it is sourced from digital masters! Go figure. There is no full analogue path. Only a handful of audiophile labels produce full analogue records these days. And please don't get me started on 180g vinyl issues.
Dillon yes I agree on the mastering/recording being a/the key element.  I only have Vinyl & CD but some CDs are really well recorded they better the vinyl but others not.  Whilst most of my vinyl are originals from 70s/80s I have a few 'new' albums dating back to that era too, many of which are very good pressing with fine sound and dynamics.

That's the elephant in the room Jon...us vinyl loaded bods choose to forgoe the fact that vinyl introduces distortion by default. But its a nice kinda pleasant distortion, just like tubes. It imparts vinyl's character mechanically. I dont mind as I am not a total neutrality bod..I don't mind a little colour and bloom, call it what you will. But its not strictly correct. On the other hand, in every format, everything that comes after the studio master tape is then processed in some form or another. We all accept that. Its life.

Graham has given the simplest and best explanation I have yet heard on the equity of the final soundwaves regardless of format. I myself am guilty of celebrating the perceived superiority of higher resolution, despite the mathematics saying otherwise. Perhaps that is to do with my point about superior and more careful mastering for higher resolution media. Rather than technical superiority.

Mick and Richard, I think we agree and I do take on board your valid point about not all composers agreeing digital is superior.

Richard, agreed AP's EQ choices tend towards the warmer side of neutral. Won't suit everyone but right up my street simply cos I abhor shrill high frequencies. Product varies though. QRP, their pressing plant is one of the 2 or 3 best in the world. Optimal is my fave of those.

Oh, the joys of audiofoolism...dont'cha just love it!

Edited by dillon - 21 Dec 2017 at 11:59am

"So there’s another answer to the “why vinyl?” question: because I hold lots of confidence that getting hold of an LP pressing of something will end up better than the digital copy I own, due to the choices made by mastering engineers."

+1

Sadly, this is the general rule in the pop and rock genres Mick. Invariably, the dynamic range of the vinyl version is much higher than the CD version. Example? The first three Oasis albums on CD are unlistenable, DR numbers of around 3 to 5 in the extreme squashed dreaded red zone. Horrific! Whilst the vinyl has an average DR of 11. Loud music but not digitally brickwalled, and yes listenable even on headphones. Go figure. Iggy Pop's Raw Power has obscene numbers hovering around 3.

Go check out the unofficial DR Database to visually see the atrocities committed on CD v the vinyl.

Low DR equals no peaks and troughs, no space, no silences, no room to breathe, no detail, no hall ambience - just a thick block of solid rubbish. Worse, it means viciously clipped signals and distortion of the waveforms.

So on modern pop and rock recordings since the mid nineties, the Loudness Wars has meant my reaching for the vinyl version 9 times out of 10. Especially with the hit or miss "remasters".

Edited by dillon - 23 Dec 2017 at 10:12am