On Thu, 27 Apr Bill Davis <newton@ecity.net> quoth:
>Give me digital media over vinyl anyday, sorry. I've got a hundred or
>so old vinyl LP's that I never bothered to get rid of when I started
>buying CD's (back in '84), and getting any decent playing quality without
>pops and hisses and such is impossible. One of these days I've got to
>convert 'em to MP3 or AIFF and burn them to CD-R, either as MP3's or true
>CD's.
<snip>
>I can't, I'm afraid, at least not without TRYING really, really, really
>hard, with the volume WAY up and usually not even then. Nor can
>most folks with average stereos and normal listening habits. I'm sure
>audiophiles can (maybe with an oscilliscope <grin>), but for most folks
>CD's, MD's or MP3's are far more than adequate. Lots better, more
>durable, etc than vinyl LPs.
ahem, not to stray too far off topic here, but that's just not true. Vinyl
is better, and for one reason: sampling rates. Even without added
compression, anything recorded digitally is inherently compressed, at 44
samples per second, resulting in a square wave. The difference is slight,
but results in what musicians call a "cold" sound. A good pressing of vinyl
should have a sampling rate far above 44 samples per second resulting in a
"warmer" sound, I'm not sure on actual numbers, but it's up there. Check
out any of the excellent Mobile Fidelity pressings, and compare it to a cd,
you'll hear the difference, even on a cheap stereo. It's the difference
between a handmade Martin Guitar, and cheap Sears brand six stringer: same
notes, different tonal characteristics. I don't have my oscilloscope handy
so you'll just have to take my word for it ;)
As for MP3's the compression drops out the tonal characteristics even
more. it's very obvious to me. especially in the upper & lower registers.
Don't even get me started on MD. Ugh.
Anyway, I'm just waiting on DVD-A so I can retire my turntable...
sorry for branching off here...
later,
ben.
bct1@thestate.infi.net
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Village/7593/newton.html
"Was that the end?"
"You call that an ending with practically everyone still on their feet? My
goodness no, over your dead body."
-Tom Stoppard "Rosencrantz and Guilderstein are Dead"
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