Vinyl playback using laser reader

[magiccarpetride]

I've recently learned that there is technology that allows using lasers to read the analog data on the LP record. There is no physical connection with the disk itself (same as with CDs). There is no noise picked up by the laser due to dust particles. RIAA equalization is still required.

In every respect, this laser reader should be the ideal "phono pickup". Somewhat amazingly, those who have heard such a system often say it sounds more like digital than a cartridge-based playback of the same record.

What could be the cause of that? The only explanation is that magnetic cartridge generates AC signal without depending on any kind of power supply. It generates the signal by the virtue of mechanical motions of the stylus/cantilever.

With any other sound reproduction technology, the initial AC signal (which then gets amplified) is generated depending on the power supply. It is hard to deny that power supply does come with all kinds of issues which can interfere with the quality of the generated AC signal.

This fact may help explain perceived differences in the sound reproduction between turntables and digital sources (such as CDs, SACDs, digital streaming).

Your thoughts?

[Jac Hawk]

The laser pickup i suspect will convert what it reads into a digital output like the laser in a CD transport, this digital signal will then need decoding through a DAC. S o you're left with the the same argument about loosing something in the translation from A to D then back to A again. Vinyl is designed to be read by a stylus not a laser, so why over complicate things? I'll leave others to point out the flaws in the remainder of your text.

[Spectral Morn]

http://elpj.com/

Company used to be called Finail, this first appeared in the early 90s.

Article from back then http://hometheaterreview.com/the-finial-laser-turntable-reviewed/. HiFi News covered it in the UK. Finial disappeared to be reborn as the ELP

[JimC]

The laser pickup i suspect will convert what it reads into a digital output like the laser in a CD transport............

The CD Laser is reading Digital. Ones and Noughts. So a DAC is necessary. But the Laser reading an Analogue turntable is reading an.....Analogue signal so no DAC will be needed.
The Laser's receiving electronics will output an Analogue signal analogous to what is on the record and this just needs to be 'RIAA'd and amplified and away you go.

I think you're (magiccarpetride) correct in that the PSU will have a real effect on the reproduction as I suspect it does on all our equipment.
I would definitely agree that it makes a great deal of difference to a Power Amp. The better the PSU the better it sounds, certainly in any I've built.

I wonder if any Audio Note owners of their top Cartridge can offer their thoughts on this interesting subject as that requires a separate PSU I'm led to believe.

Jim.

[magiccarpetride]

The CD Laser is reading Digital. Ones and Noughts. So a DAC is necessary. But the Laser reading an Analogue turntable is reading an.....Analogue signal so no DAC will be needed.
The Laser's receiving electronics will output an Analogue signal analogous to what is on the record and this just needs to be 'RIAA'd and amplified and away you go.

I think you're (magiccarpetride) correct in that the PSU will have a real effect on the reproduction as I suspect it does on all our equipment.
I would definitely agree that it makes a great deal of difference to a Power Amp. The better the PSU the better it sounds, certainly in any I've built.

I wonder if any Audio Note owners of their top Cartridge can offer their thoughts on this interesting subject as that requires a separate PSU I'm led to believe.

Jim.

My experience shows that PSU is extremely critical upstream, at the point where electrical signal is very weak (i.e. phono, or digital transport/DAC). Those weak electrical signals are very susceptible/liable to get tainted by the electrical/RF interference. Once those weak signals get corrupted/degraded, the eroded quality gets amplified by the preamp and then even more amplified by the power amp.

That's why I believe fighting the noise all the way up, where electrical signal gets initially produced, is vitally important for good music reproduction.

[Macca]

I've recently learned that there is technology that allows using lasers to read the analog data on the LP record. There is no physical connection with the disk itself (same as with CDs). There is no noise picked up by the laser due to dust particles. RIAA equalization is still required.

In every respect, this laser reader should be the ideal "phono pickup". Somewhat amazingly, those who have heard such a system often say it sounds more like digital than a cartridge-based playback of the same record.

What could be the cause of that? The only explanation is that magnetic cartridge generates AC signal without depending on any kind of power supply. It generates the signal by the virtue of mechanical motions of the stylus/cantilever.

With any other sound reproduction technology, the initial AC signal (which then gets amplified) is generated depending on the power supply. It is hard to deny that power supply does come with all kinds of issues which can interfere with the quality of the generated AC signal.

This fact may help explain perceived differences in the sound reproduction between turntables and digital sources (such as CDs, SACDs, digital streaming).

Your thoughts?

I think you are confusing a laser turntable like the ELP, which will pick up noise from dirt and other blemishes, with a fibre optic pick up used for archiving vinyl to digital. The latter reads undamaged parts of the groove but is not a analogue system whereas the ELP is.

The idea that it makes records sound digital is a bit subjective. I've also read that it lacks bass, possibly due to having lower bass distortion than a mechanical pick up, and the absence of acoustic feedback.