Exactly, how much does vinyl suck less than it did 30 years ago? This needs to be quantified.

[Thomas_A]

It would be interesting to hear what you guys prefer the sound of between the vinyl and the digital streaming version of New Order - Blue Monday? They are supposedly both from the single released in 2020.

I have not done any deeper analysis of the sound files, but based just on my subjective listening, I find the direct recording of the vinyl version to sound a little bit more convincing, with a more "musical drive" and with some more "body" to the sound elements in the mix, while the digital version streamed from Tidal sounds somewhat flat and less engaging in comparison. Sorry for not being able to find a better way to describe the differences I hear.

As I have not done any analyses, the digital version may be dynamically limited, making it sound worse to me. But at the same time, that is the reality for any one of us when making the final decision when either buying the vinyl, or streaming it from Tidal or any other streaming platform.

So again, have a listen and tell me what you hear.

Here is the link to all the major streaming platforms: https://tidal.com/track/155212696/u

And here is the direct recording of the vinyl of the same release:

Difficult to say without level matching. Perhaps a touch darker on the vinyl, a bit more punch in the beats.

 

[krabapple]

Your question was not asked in a serious way.

A: 25% less suckitude for all recordings at all pressing plants with every recording engineer and every console in every studio -worldwide - 25% less suck.

At last we have closure. Thanks!

 

[Sal1950]

As I have not done any analyses, the digital version may be dynamically limited, making it sound worse to me. But at the same time, that is the reality for any one of us when making the final decision when either buying the vinyl, or streaming it from Tidal or any other streaming platform.

Kind of irrelevant, you have no idea about the mastering of either versions.
But for me the lack of noise, speed irregularities, inner groove distortions, and all the rest of vinyls sonic weaknesses, plus it's inconvenience, far outweigh any slight DR differences. (if there were any).

 

[EJ3]

Kind of irrelevant, you have no idea about the mastering of either versions.
But for me the lack of noise, speed irregularities, inner groove distortions, and all the rest of vinyls sonic weaknesses, plus it's inconvenience, far outweigh any slight DR differences. (if there were any).
View attachment 508588

I'll take a 2, 3, 4 or 6, please (a good probability to not be able to tell them apart based on DR [even if doing 'critical listening'])

 

[goat76]

Kind of irrelevant, you have no idea about the mastering of either versions.
But for me the lack of noise, speed irregularities, inner groove distortions, and all the rest of vinyls sonic weaknesses, plus it's inconvenience, far outweigh any slight DR differences. (if there were any).
View attachment 508588

You are right, I have not yet analyzed the files, but maybe I will.

But anyway, the main thing I’m getting at here is that IF this where a newly released song, and only available as this vinyl version and the digital version I compared it to. I find the vinyl version better-sounding enough that I could easily live with all the vinyl related problems you just mentioned, and if it was one of my absolute favorite bands, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to go for the vinyl version of this single.

 

[goat76]

Difficult to say without level matching. Perhaps a touch darker on the vinyl, a bit more punch in the beats.

Sorry for the late reply, I didn't see your comment until now when I read back in the thread.

I have now downloaded the track from YouTube to compare that vinyl rip to the digital version on Tidal.

The things I can see are that they most likely came from the same original digital master, but with some balancing adjustments to the overall slope for the vinyl master. The vinyl rip has a steeper, more naturally looking slope towards the high-frequency range, whereas the digital version seems a little bit on the hot side. That steeper slope makes both of us perceive the vinyl version as more punchy, because when matching the loudness level to the same integrated LUFS (as in the picture below), it's easy to see it's the change to the overall balance that makes the bass frequency stand out more relative to the high frequency range.

 

[Thomas_A]

Sorry for the late reply, I didn't see your comment until now when I read back in the thread.

I have now downloaded the track from YouTube to compare that vinyl rip to the digital version on Tidal.

The things I can see are that they most likely came from the same original digital master, but with some balancing adjustments to the overall slope for the vinyl master. The vinyl rip has a steeper, more naturally looking slope towards the high-frequency range, whereas the digital version seems a little bit on the hot side. That steeper slope makes both of us perceive the vinyl version as more punchy, because when matching the loudness level to the same integrated LUFS (as in the picture below), it's easy to see it's the change to the overall balance that makes the bass frequency stand out more relative to the high frequency range.

View attachment 508709

That was my impression when listening (as noted, darker more punchy) but as always one can get fooled if not level matched.