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Thread: Best Bass-Vinyl or Digital?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2016

    Location: London

    Posts: 313
    I'm David.

    Default Best Bass-Vinyl or Digital?

    OK, a client if mine popped along for his new AD Audio Dac with valve output stage last week and he made the statement that he reckoned 'digital does bass better than vinyl'. Now, I build phono stages for folk and get to hear a lot of high end vinyl systems and that's not my experience. My own vinyl rig is very modest-a Rega Planar 3 with RB300-but it is definitely not bass shy and pumps out a very decent bass line and kick drums kick hard. OK, digital may do some of the 'trick' very low dub bass lines better but overall IMO vinyl wins.

    What do others think?

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jun 2014

    Location: Chorley Lancs

    Posts: 14,592
    I'm Steve.

    Default

    I think it'll turn into another vinyl vs digital fisticuffs. I personally prefer the bass from my Monarch/X200/2M Black to what my Densen CD player does, but I could even be convincing myself of this to justify the outlay! And with so many variables in analogue and digital replay, surely determining the superiority of vinyl over digital or vice versa would be all but impossible?
    I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in

    T/T: Inspire Monarch, X200 tonearm, Ortofon Quintet Blue. Phono: Project Tube Box CD: Marantz CD6006 (UK Edition); Amp: Musical Fidelity A5 Integrated.
    Speakers: Zu Omen Def, REL T9i subwoofer. Cables: Atlas Equator interconnects, Atlas Hyper 3.0 speaker cables

    T'other system:
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  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2008

    Location: Cheshire, UK

    Posts: 2,829
    I'm Clive.

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    I find tight modern electronic bass is better with digital - Kraftwerk / The Man Machine (live) is one of my references. For truly deep bass, digital should win too as vinyl's at a technical disadvantage. For acoustic (eg double bass) I prefer vinyl as it has for greater texture and acoustic - however this is mostly with vintage recordings. At a cerebral level digital is better for bass but with passionate and atmospheric music I find vinyl bass more deeply pleasing.

    Which is the winner depends on an individual's preferences I guess.
    TT 1 Trans-Fi Salvation with magnetic bearing + Trans-Fi Terminator T3Pro + London Reference
    TT 2 Garrard 301 with NWA main bearing + Audiomods Series Six 10.5" + Ortofon 2M Mono SE
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  4. #4
    Join Date: Jun 2014

    Location: Chorley Lancs

    Posts: 14,592
    I'm Steve.

    Default

    Clive's reply is much better and I agree on all points - Stuff like Chemical Brothers, Orbital, Faithless etc I have CD's, where other types of music using 'real' instruments (jazz, female vocalists) I always choose vinyl versions.
    I just dropped in, to see what condition my condition was in

    T/T: Inspire Monarch, X200 tonearm, Ortofon Quintet Blue. Phono: Project Tube Box CD: Marantz CD6006 (UK Edition); Amp: Musical Fidelity A5 Integrated.
    Speakers: Zu Omen Def, REL T9i subwoofer. Cables: Atlas Equator interconnects, Atlas Hyper 3.0 speaker cables

    T'other system:
    Echo Dot, Amptastic Mini One,Arcam A75 integrated, Celestion 5's, BK XLS-200 DF

    A/V:
    LG 55" OLED, Panasonic Blu Ray, Sony a/v amp, MA Radius speakers, REL Storm sub

    Forget the past, it's gone. And don't worry about the future, it doesn't exist. There is only NOW.

    KICKSTARTER: ENABLING SCAMMERS SINCE 2009

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Chorley, Lancs

    Posts: 2,734
    I'm Mike.

    Default

    i'd agree with what has already been posted CD wins on the deepest bass but looses out with other aspects of the recording, physics also comes into play with vinyl with early recordings having the bass limited to avoid the needle literally loosing track of the music and jumping off the record, obviously it's much better nowadays but the physics are still there.


    As the late Colonel Sanders once said
    "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken!!"

  6. #6
    Join Date: Oct 2008

    Location: Glasgowshire

    Posts: 9,656
    I'm Gary.

    Default

    Depends on the kit I s’pose, prefer my digital for bass, but mainly because it sounds like the turntable but maybe a little bit tighter in the low end.
    AC POWER
    Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
    AMPS
    Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
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    DAC
    PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
    TURNTABLE
    Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
    PHONOSTAGE
    Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
    DIGITAL
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    Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
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    Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On
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  7. #7
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Clive View Post
    I find tight modern electronic bass is better with digital - Kraftwerk / The Man Machine (live) is one of my references. For truly deep bass, digital should win too as vinyl's at a technical disadvantage. For acoustic (eg double bass) I prefer vinyl as it has for greater texture and acoustic - however this is mostly with vintage recordings. At a cerebral level digital is better for bass but with passionate and atmospheric music I find vinyl bass more deeply pleasing.

    Which is the winner depends on an individual's preferences I guess.
    Bang on Clive, well reasoned. I have Kraftwerk live on vinyl and have compared it with a digital version and it was an interesting experience especially as I saw them live this year playing Man Machine. At the gig the bass was simply awesome and plumbed subterranean depths I had never heard before but with a precision and control that was shocking!

    On vinyl the bass in this track is very good but is slightly rounded and fuller sounding than digital where I found it to be more controlled and tighter, maybe with better articulation. I like both and feel that the vinyl version is very satisfying to listen too especially as the depth and ambience in the recording feels more natural. The digital version although very good sounds less atmospheric.

    Comparing vinyl vs digital vs live is a bit tricky but I would say live sounds like a cross between the two but on a massive scale.
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  8. #8
    Join Date: Jan 2008

    Location: Norwich

    Posts: 1,064
    I'm Mike.

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    Technically, I'm told, digital has much more potential than vinyl. How it appears to the ears is much dependant upon a lot of other factors; room acoustics, speakers, ancillary kit etc.

    B.t.w., Vb to lose (loses, has lost)) and adj. loose (= not tight) or vb. to loosen.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Mar 2016

    Location: Barnet, london UK

    Posts: 2,146
    I'm Adam.

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    ‘Better’... dodgy word.
    I think I can get more timbre in a bass from vinyl, earth shaking clean chesty bass.. digital.
    What’s a bass supposed to sound like ? Like Paco, Charlie Haden, Dave Holland or Ron Carter, imho...but Victor Wotton, sly and Robbie or Richard Bona ..on digital...Yes please.
    Horses for coarses.
    But ultimately vinyl is king I think
    Last edited by WESTLOWER; 04-09-2018 at 00:40.
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  10. #10
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

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    I'm Grant.

    Default

    Usually find both similar unless we go to digital film scores etc then digital bass takes the trophy
    Regards,
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