Digital recordings on vinyl

[struth]

So, who digitizes their vinyls then, and what do they use? And more importantly, how does it compare?

[Qwin]

Hasn't the digitally recorded material already gone through a DAC so as to be able to cut the laquer in the first place?

I think Jimbo is talking about any additional digital processing after the recording is captured on the tape/vinyl play back medium and through the play back process/equipment.

However...........
Just to add to the confusion, Ali's very nice turntable at the MiBO meet went through a minidsp digital crossover and sounded great.
So you have an ADC then a DAC in the chain, downstream of the TT.

It's not a straightforward topic at all.

I personally wish music was available on Blue Ray, fabulous quality available, but it ain't going to happen. There are a few live recordings, where they make use of the picture side of the concert, but for music alone, an album would only use a very small part of the disk.
In any case, the mass market has moved on to file based and streaming, where the later means you don't own a copy and just listen in on the tracks over the internet for a monthly fee. Means a major re think on how royalties are collected for the music publishing companies and begs the question as to whether they are even needed these days.

EDIT: Beat me to a reply James.

[Barry]

So the ADC and DAC are in different positions in the recording and playback chain. That can be the only reason why you, and others, prefer analogue storage of digital recordings.

[Macca]

I believe this has been tested many times and it requires about 10 passes of a signal through ADC/DAC before any degredation is audible. You could sneak into someone's house, insert an ADC/DAC between their phono stage and amp and they would never notice.

You can also test this by measuring or listening for the difference signal. Again, this has been done many times. A single ADC/DAC loop is transparent.

Not challenging what anyone hears, but look again for the reasons.

[Jimbo]

So the ADC and DAC are in different positions in the recording and playback chain. That can be the only reason why you, and others, prefer analogue storage of digital recordings.

To be honest Barry, I think some or should I say a lot of the digital recordings I have on vinyl sound fantastic.

[Cas]

I came to the realization: wait a minute, we are comparing a recording that was taped, mixed and mastered digitally. How much can a digital recording improve when it gets transferred to the analog medium?

In the same way that recording a CD or vinyl, yes vinyl onto tape does.

I have Dave Gilmours Rattle That Lock on vinyl and it sounds fabulous, but recorded onto my Revox A77 Mk IV and played back, it sounds even better.

So want to make your CDs sound better and or even your vinyl, get them onto tape.

I have no idea of the science behind this and the improvement is so much better it cannot be a case of thinking it sounds better, it actually does.
Put the vinyl on, put the recorded vinyl on then switch between the two, you can hear the difference in the whole sound, bass, treble, middle,
soundstage, everything.

You do not have to stop and think to make up your mind, ITS BETTER as soon as you switch.

Now where did I put my wallet to buy some more tapes.

[Jimbo]

In the same way that recording a CD or vinyl, yes vinyl onto tape does.

I have Dave Gilmours Rattle That Lock on vinyl and it sounds fabulous, but recorded onto my Revox A77 Mk IV and played back, it sounds even better.

So want to make your CDs sound better and or even your vinyl, get them onto tape.

I have no idea of the science behind this and the improvement is so much better it cannot be a case of thinking it sounds better, it actually does.
Put the vinyl on, put the recorded vinyl on then switch between the two, you can hear the difference in the whole sound, bass, treble, middle,
soundstage, everything.

You do not have stop and think to make up your mind, ITS BETTER as soon as you switch.

Now where did I put my wallet to buy some more tapes.

There is a theory suggested by one of the worlds top mastering engineers that digital is by its nature a very fast transient medium and vinyl and tape actually slow down some of the transients in the analogue domain. The blurring of the gap between the sampling in digital recordings smooths out some of the transients which are then kinder on the ear and more pleasant to listen too.

So the slowing down of the very fast transient information may be the reason why many of us find analogue systems more enjoyable to listen too.

[walpurgis]

There is a theory suggested by one of the worlds top mastering engineers that digital is by its nature a very fast transient medium

My intuition says this has to be right. That being the case, the reconstruction of the analogue signal envelope could potentially be faster than pure analogue throughout could achieve. Does that make sense? It's how I picture it.

[magiccarpetride]

In the same way that recording a CD or vinyl, yes vinyl onto tape does.

I have Dave Gilmours Rattle That Lock on vinyl and it sounds fabulous, but recorded onto my Revox A77 Mk IV and played back, it sounds even better.

So want to make your CDs sound better and or even your vinyl, get them onto tape.

I have no idea of the science behind this and the improvement is so much better it cannot be a case of thinking it sounds better, it actually does.
Put the vinyl on, put the recorded vinyl on then switch between the two, you can hear the difference in the whole sound, bass, treble, middle,
soundstage, everything.

You do not have stop and think to make up your mind, ITS BETTER as soon as you switch.

Now where did I put my wallet to buy some more tapes.

I remember reading an interview with Teo Macero who pretty much claimed that tape is the most superior sound reproduction medium.

[Jimbo]

My intuition says this has to be right. That being the case, the reconstruction of the analogue signal envelope could potentially be faster than pure analogue throughout could achieve. Does that make sense? It's how I picture it.

Yes that makes sense. Although some folk will deny that transient (time domain) information is not an issue in digital recording, from what I have heard I do believe the timing of transients are critical to how we actual hear.

This transient information is a key area which needs to be resolved in order for us to find digital recording and playback via a DAC a pleasurable satisfying audio experience and not just the lightening quick wham bam approach which may sound exciting initially but eventually becomes a fatiguing listening experience.

Tape and vinyl certainly slow digital recording information down and this as I said is probably the key as to why many find it a superior medium for listening to music. I certainly do!