JeremyFife
Major Contributor
Head and heart - we need both - as long as we stay aware of thatAfter I received my MS in Physics, I have worked for over 30 years, designing and implementing sophisticated electronic and optical systems for communications, military, and medical R&D, including the creation of one of the first laser driven optical readers for video and audio . I have created, developed, and used extremely sensitive optical devices. I have become intimitely familiar in the methods used to characterize a system, signal, noise, distortion, gain, saturation, bandwidth, quantum efficiency, optical interference and diffraction and so on. I use quantum mechanics daily.
I have used these skills on my sound system. Although my equipment is not as complete as Amir's I can measure quite a few parameters. I regularly use my Benchmark A/D, TrueRTA and REW, computer, oscilloscope, and DVM to chacterize the performance of every one of my components, every one. I do play digital. And I characterize digital components also. And yes they do test better.
I am the most technically minded person I know. I enjoy this site because it provides an alternative to the more qualitative reviews.
And I can't help but be aware of what my ears say to me. Yes, this is a conundrum. I will say flatly that great specs do not necessarily create the best sound. Great specs are a guide to good audio. I do not think that the human race has designed a test for audio equipment that captures the ear, mind and emotion that occurs when listening to music. Not yet.
I do think that there were a few extremely talented mastering enginers at Decca during the 60s and 70s. After that, the LP mastering skill seemed to drop significantly, probably because CDs became the medium to work on. The first CDs created were done very poorly, no bass and screechy highs. I know, I lived through it. This skill has improved.
Mastering is a skill that requires intimate knowledge of the music itself, the placement of recording microphones, the medium, the mastering equipment and the audience. Those Decca techs were very good at extracting as much performance from vinyl as possible. That is not the case today for either CD or vinyl. Also, the sound techs knew where to place microphones.
Many of those Decca LPs were never digitized into CDs. You need to play a record to hear them.
As I have stated in previous posts, the CD and digital formats are very transparent mediums, far better than vinyl. There is no doubt about this fact. The act of recording and transferring recorded music to the CD and digital format is a skill that is acquired, just as for LPs. I have many LPs that are more pleasing than the CD counterpart. The opposite is also true.
Some wonderful, richly rewarding music exists only on LPs. I will never stop listening to LPs just because the specs are not as good, or is too inconvenient, or is too difficult to maintain, or has too many extraneous noises.
Love the music