Can vinyl image like digital?

[Idlewithnodrive]

IME it's possible to get part-way there with near-field listening, but then you have to keep your head still ... or, in my room, sit on the floor

I agree 100% with this. It is as much about speaker / room interaction, speaker to listener positioning as it is ancillary equipment (and recording quality of course).

My system is very low rent but my imaging is excellent, largely because I sit near field, at anally 'magic triangle' set-up dimensions, with next to no room interactions.

As Peter says, best to sit dead still for the full effect though

[dave2010]

I really don't know. I think getting the room right is very important, as well as the kit. Switching the phase of speakers (which ought really to be done by a very simple switch) or possibly even other devices in a device chain should make an audible difference if other factors are good. In some furnished rooms it is very hard to be sure which is the correct relative (L-R) phasing of stereo speaker set ups, as the furniture and reflections have a big effect. Go multi-channel (I don't suppose we're really thinking that here ...) and things will get worse. If you can't be sure of the imaging on such relative phase reversals I personally would be surprised if it made a difference what source - digital, tape, vinyl etc is used. If you have a good listening room, then there is a possibility that imaging will differ due to various factors, but without that I think other effects will be swamped by the room acoustics.

[Matt_J]

It may be placebo, but it seems better since swapping the noisy valve.

[Matt_J]

Just to add to the above -

Just sat through JC From Folsom Prison, JC From San Quentin and now Kraftwerk Autobahn and there is definitely a massive improvement, it can only have been that duff valve, I'm not sure how it effected vinyl more than digital but it can only be that.

I'm now looking forward to trying both a step up into the MM stage in the Luxman and a new cart at some stage as I don't think the Apheta is up to much if I'm honest.

[Yomanze]

With regard to HiFi, the best digital has the dynamic contrast & 3D soundstage (and subjective 'naturalness') of good analogue, and the best analogue has the precision & neutrality of good digital.

...big problem is there's a lot of better masterings out there on old vinyl, sometimes vice-versa (more so now with digitally remastered vinyl), making the CD / vinyl argument rather moot in a lot of cases.

[Jimbo]

With regard to HiFi, the best digital has the dynamic contrast & 3D soundstage (and subjective 'naturalness') of good analogue, and the best analogue has the precision & neutrality of good digital.

Like it!

[Macca]

I think he lowest note on a pipe organ is 8Hz but only a few can do it. The Atlantic City one for example. But a vinyl LP won't do 16hz, no matter how much you spend on equipment. You will only hear the harmonic, in mono.

[Jimbo]

I think he lowest note on a pipe organ is 8Hz but only a few can do it. The Atlantic City one for example. But a vinyl LP won't do 16hz, no matter how much you spend on equipment. You will only hear the harmonic, in mono.

You won't here 8Hz on any HIFI system and you would be very lucky to hear 16Hz. Most folks speakers probably only do 40Hz or maybe 30Kz.

[Macca]

Not true, there are systems that will go that low. The celestions I used to have had output down below 20 hz. Not flat but useful output still. There are subwoofer designs that will run flat down to that level. You need a few thousand watts of course but power is cheap these days.

[Jimbo]

Not true, there are systems that will go that low. The celestions I used to have had output down below 20 hz. Not flat but useful output still. There are subwoofer designs that will run flat down to that level. You need a few thousand watts of course but power is cheap these days.

Err you find me a pair of speakers that do 8Hz. I bet your Celetions did not do 20Hz, they may have quoted that on spec but in real life I bet they didn't.

As I said *most folks* speakers may do 40hz or maybe 30hZ.