Vinyl will always sound *different* than digital, right?

[LtMandella]

Hello music lovers,

After reading the thread The Truth About Vinyl Records, it confirmed to me again that vinyl will just always sound different than any digital version.

My understanding here is, that there is really a hell lot of tweaking being done when the master record is being cut, much of which doesn't appear to be necessary when going straight from e.g. 1/4" tape to digital.

To give you an example, the article states:


I am bringing this up because I do every so often compare the sound 1:1 (with appropriate volume matching) of my vinyl record to digital sources, and often can simply only note one thing: They sound different.

Isn't the reason for that simply that the transferring process was completely different? Essentially one could say the original recording was "remastered" once again, although on a simpler scale, once to fit the limitations of a vinyl disc, and then that of a CD or some HiRes format.

The result of my 1:1 comparison is often quite shocking to me... some vinyls sound a lot sweeter to me than their digital counterpart, while others are clearly sounding worse.

And by the way... I do record some of my vinyls to the PC, and when playing back the digital recording, it sounds just like the vinyl... in other words, the difference is not in my source... my digital recording of my vinyl still sounds vastly different than the digital version from Tidal etc.

What are your thoughts?

check out my experiment: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ng-just-doesnt-sound-right.20363/post-1474673

 

[Sal1950]

There is good music which is still only on vinyl, on cassette, and so on.

Just very little.
Personally there is so much excellent digital material out there, I can do without spending a penny on 50 - 100 year obsolete, relatively poor sounding technology. both the hardware and software.
YMMV

After reading the thread The Truth About Vinyl Records, it confirmed to me again that vinyl will just always sound different than any digital version.

That's an excellent write-up that's gets it all details right.
His summation rounds it all up perfectly.

"Don’t forget, the reproduction equipment cant put back what is missing from the disc mastering process. Speaking of which, due to the the amount of missing and compromised information on an LP, it can’t really be considered “HiFi” in the current era. Compared to the excellent capabilities of digital recording, especially in the area of dynamic range, noise, wow & flutter and accuracy, a vinyl LP and it’s playing method is thoroughly primitive."

 

[daftcombo]

Just very little.

Depending on the genre of music you have in mind, that can be true or false.
I could name you thousands of disco, funk, house, electro 12'' records containing excellent music never released in digital up to now.
It's plain you are not interested in those music styles, but tastes shouldn't be discussed.

 

[Sal1950]

Just very little.

I could name you thousands of disco, funk, house, electro 12'' records containing excellent music never released in digital up to now.

I could ask for your evidence but that would be mean. LOL

Considering the number of releases digitally available, that's a drop of water in the ocean.

 

[daftcombo]

Considering the number of releases digitally available, that's a drop of water in the ocean.

It is not true for disco, funk, house and electro, as I said. You have the right not to care about those music styles.

 

[atmasphere]

It is not a tiny minority. There are thousands of records from all around the world which never made their way to digital.

More like 10s of thousands.
I'm a fan of progressive rock and more experimental stuff done during the 1970s and 80s... Some amazing stuff was done by what seem like unknown bands that had limited releases. So the LPs are really rare and expensive if you find one (unless the seller doesn't know or doesn't care...). A lot of this stuff has found its way to YT over time but if you really want to hear what it sounded like you still have to find the LP.

 

[Bob from Florida]

Hello music lovers,

After reading the thread The Truth About Vinyl Records, it confirmed to me again that vinyl will just always sound different than any digital version.

My understanding here is, that there is really a hell lot of tweaking being done when the master record is being cut, much of which doesn't appear to be necessary when going straight from e.g. 1/4" tape to digital.

To give you an example, the article states:


I am bringing this up because I do every so often compare the sound 1:1 (with appropriate volume matching) of my vinyl record to digital sources, and often can simply only note one thing: They sound different.

Isn't the reason for that simply that the transferring process was completely different? Essentially one could say the original recording was "remastered" once again, although on a simpler scale, once to fit the limitations of a vinyl disc, and then that of a CD or some HiRes format.

The result of my 1:1 comparison is often quite shocking to me... some vinyls sound a lot sweeter to me than their digital counterpart, while others are clearly sounding worse.

And by the way... I do record some of my vinyls to the PC, and when playing back the digital recording, it sounds just like the vinyl... in other words, the difference is not in my source... my digital recording of my vinyl still sounds vastly different than the digital version from Tidal etc.

What are your thoughts?

The actual recording is key to whether you enjoy it or not. Mastering to the distributed format is a huge opportunity to screw things up.

Posting questions like this seem to draw the same responders pointing out the pluses or minuses of the format preferred.

Enjoy what you prefer.

 

[pma]

It is not true for disco, funk, house and electro, as I said. You have the right not to care about those music styles.

It is also not true for plenty of classical music recordings

Bohuslav Martinů, Česká Filharmonie, V•Neumann - Symfonie No 3, 4, 5

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1980 Vinyl release of "Symfonie No 3, 4, 5" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

 

[Newman]

And how many digital releases have never been released on vinyl? I would expect it to be many times more than the opposite case. Possibly hundreds of times as many.

Yet you never hear of people saying they bought a digital rig specifically to listen to music never released on vinyl. It seems an absurd preoccupation or justification when looked at from the opposite direction.

 

[atmasphere]

Yet you never hear of people saying they bought a digital rig specifically to listen to music never released on vinyl.

You have now- I've had plenty of customers tell me that's exactly what they did.

 

[Newman]

I saw that coming,

 

[levimax]

And how many digital releases have never been released on vinyl? I would expect it to be many times more than the opposite case. Possibly hundreds of times as many.

Yet you never hear of people saying they bought a digital rig specifically to listen to music never released on vinyl. It seems an absurd preoccupation or justification when looked at from the opposite direction.

I have still never heard an answer as to why anyone who enjoys vinyl records needs to justify anything to anyone. I just don't get the preoccupation with tearing down a hobby that other people enjoy.

 

[JP]

I have still never heard an answer as to why anyone who enjoys vinyl records needs to justify anything to anyone. I just don't get the preoccupation with tearing down a hobby that other people enjoy.

Could there ever be a reasonable explanation for such an intolerance?

 

[dorakeg]

Could there ever be a reasonable explanation for such an intolerance?

Yes, there is. It's called arrogance which sadly is extremely prevalent in this forum.

 

[JP]

Yes, there is. It's called arrogance which sadly is extremely prevalent in this forum.

I don’t think so. Confidence, sure. But unreasonable intolerance is held by a select few.

 

[Bob from Florida]

Could there ever be a reasonable explanation for such an intolerance?

Nothing reasonable or rational that I can understand. However, it may be as simple as select individuals like to push peoples "buttons" to get a "reaction". Forums are the perfect place for "button pushers" to act out.

 

[dorakeg]

I don’t think so. Confidence, sure. But unreasonable intolerance is held by a select few.

Possible. But I am not sure if its just confidence. Just look at the thread title "The Truth About Vinyl Records". Is this just someone's opinion or is this really the truth? And then, I do see people exerting their opinions over others because they said they are some specailised engineer and have many years of experience. Its perfectly fine to argue over points but using this as a reason does seems to be arrogant.

 

[JP]

Possible. But I am not sure if it’s just confidence. Just look at the thread title "The Truth About Vinyl Records". Is this just someone's opinion or is this really the truth? And then, I do see people exerting their opinions over others because they said they are some specailised engineer and have many years of experience. It’s perfectly fine to argue over points but using this as a reason does seems to be arrogant.

I’ve not seen arrogance last long here. Expertise in audio and related (and some not) fields are well represented; if someone doesn’t know their stuff, they are going to get called out on it.

 

[Newman]

I have still never heard an answer as to why anyone who enjoys vinyl records needs to justify anything to anyone.

And, since they don’t need to do it, why do they keep on doing it, over and over. It seems to be an obsession.

 

[antcollinet]

And, since they don’t need to do it, why do they keep on doing it, over and over. It seems to be an obsession.

I'd be quite interested in how many people you've seen who've done that NOT in response to someone else stating they shouldn't, or NOT in response to someone generally disparaging people who like vinyl. Especially from the regulars here, rather than trolls who self immolate a few days later in a fit of pique.

I'm guessing you'd find for that situation, it's not quite as "over and over" as you seem to think.