Describe differences in LP playback vs CD playback

[Audio Al]

Then you have a shit CD player, daftee, sorry (and same applies to anyone else who thinks the same)!

Marco.

I have several good quality CD units Including a ex BBC radio 2 Technics and several stable platter pioneers / Sony and Marantz

[Haselsh1]

Hi Shaun,

Fancy having a go at this:







Marco.

OK, one has more depth to the bass and goes lower but one has more slam and solidity. One shows much more micro detail, one doesn't. One has a gloriously deep and wide midrange whereas the other produces a more detailed midrange. The high frequencies of one are very precise without offending but the other is way more realistic. In fact, one has an outstanding sense of realism whilst the other does not. If I had to force a choice between them my choice would be vinyl, then again...

[Haselsh1]

To reply to the comparison between motorcycles, I have owned around six different Ducati's over the years and I would agree with the statement made. If there ever could be a comparison it would be with digital sound

[Marco]

I have several good quality CD units Including a ex BBC radio 2 Technics and several stable platter pioneers / Sony and Marantz

Ok, let me rephrase that: then either they're broken, or yer lugs are!

Why? Because none of those (rather excellent) players you've mentioned make CD sound "thin and lifeless" [your words earlier].

I think you should just say that you prefer vinyl, which is cool, and leave it at that, rather than make gross statements of pishanto, which only serve to confirm your status as a super-daftee!

Marco.

[Marco]

OK, one has more depth to the bass and goes lower but one has more slam and solidity. One shows much more micro detail, one doesn't. One has a gloriously deep and wide midrange whereas the other produces a more detailed midrange. The high frequencies of one are very precise without offending but the other is way more realistic. In fact, one has an outstanding sense of realism whilst the other does not. If I had to force a choice between them my choice would be vinyl, then again...

Interesting, and I agree with much of that

However, what I wanted you to consider, after making your comment about them being quite different, is that as you improve either your CD player or turntable, and bring the performance of both closer together, the differences you've highlighted become much less apparent, until you get to the stage where, quite honestly, it's difficult to tell them apart, and without looking, you can forget if you're listening to a record or a CD....

That's where others and I are at, and what I discovered during my 'journey' to get there.

So what's my point? Well... Perhaps some of the areas you mentioned, where you claimed that CD or LP was superior to the other, may not be inherent in the format itself, but rather instead due to the present limitations of your respective playback equipment.

Just something for you to ponder, which you may discover for yourself on your own 'hi-fi journey', when over the course of time, improving both your CD and vinyl sources

Marco.

[Macca]

A lot of CD players are not very good but even a budget one should sound pretty capable. Not equal to a quality turntable set up but still good enough that you can listen to it for hours without any issues. The problem is that a lot of pre-amps are also not very good and kill the benefits of CD by adding noise and distortion to the signal. Obviously a better pre-amp will improve your vinyl sound too, but a weakness in the pre-amp will not render vinyl unlistenable in the way it does with CD.

That my experience, anyway.

[Marco]

Yeah sure, that can definitely be a contributory factor.

My belief too, is that much [but not all] of what many like about LP playback (vinyl) replay, which creates its, shall we say, 'easy-going sound', is down to established euphonic distortions, but which are gradually ameliorated as one improves a vinyl front end, to the point that it brings it closer to the sound of a well-sorted, quality CD player.

After which you're left with the areas where there *are* indeed advantages with both (analogue or digital), in terms of how embedded musical information is retrieved from their respective formats, but whilst significant, those are much more subtle, hence why the very best CD players and turntables can sound remarkably similar.

Marco.

[Haselsh1]

So what's my point? Well... Perhaps some of the areas you mentioned, where you claimed that CD or LP was superior to the other, may not be inherent in the format itself, but rather instead due to the present limitations of your respective playback equipment.

Marco.

What I certainly do think is that the differences I can clearly hear are due to the inherent characteristics of either my turntable or my DAC. My equipment is limited in the same way that everyone else's is limited so I think it is down to characteristics.

[Marco]

I absolutely agree, but my point is when you get further up the ladder (both in terms of CD players and T/Ts), and those limitations are minimised, so are the differences between good CD and good vinyl

Marco.

[magiccarpetride]

I absolutely agree, but my point is when you get further up the ladder (both in terms of CD players and T/Ts), and those limitations are minimised, so are the differences between good CD and good vinyl

Marco.

I'd say that would depend on the recording. Some recordings sound almost indistinguishable on a good TT/digital transport. Others sound very different when played back on the exact same configurations. Interesting conundrum.