russelc;568092 Wrote:
> ...
> I still haven't worked up the courage to even think about digitzing
> just those albums that I cannot get on CD :-)
>
> The upside is that I think they still sound better through my LP12 than
> any CD player or streamer I have heard including Linn's own mega bucks
> items. Having said that it would be nice to get everything digitally
> stored if for no other reason than to archive it all. One day perhaps.
>
> ...
{as a once proud and fully paid-up member of the LP12 club...}
When properly ripped (and this is an art and a science) , vinyl sources
replayed via a good digital player are indistinguishable from playing
the vinyl. In fact in my experience they are slightly better for many
reasons, of which immunity to airborne feedback is just one. Also, you
only have to PROPERLY clean the vinyl once, just before you rip it...
What I am saying is that when done PROPERLY the ripping process and
digital replay chain do not degrade the sound of the vinyl. However,
the SB3 analogue outs are not quite good enough for this to hold - it's
definitely true for a Touch though IMO.
The characteristic warm, friendly "sound of vinyl" that many people
love is a bunch of distortions that happen (sometimes) to be highly
euphonic. They are not easily mimicked in DSP via convolving processes.
These distortions are captured faithfully in the ripping process and
retained through a digital replay chain of very good quality.
In the earlier days of digital, the "nice" analoge distortions were
eliminated but replaced with some rather horrible ones. This is pretty
much in the past now. As a point of reference, listen to the standard
16/44 release of Peace... By Popular Demand by Keb Mo - I defy anyone
to say that sounds "digital" (except for the lack of background
noise...).
So IMO any fundamental/inherent digital recording/replay problems can
be and have been overcome (pity it took 20+ years, though).
I have over 100 examples of rips of ultra high quality vinyl sources
(at 24/96 or higher) and the best available mastering of an equivalent
digital release (CD, HDCD, DVD-A whatever). It is really interesting to
compare them.
Typically, the rips exhibit slight constriction of the stereo
soundstage, slightly less dynamic impact, slightly less controlled bass
and a slightly rolled-off top end. All these are slight - sometimes they
are not audible at all. More interesting is the comparison of the
critical mid-range region, where they sound very, very similar indeed.
Also that indefinable sense of "air" or "life" is present in both
versions. What is more noticeable is the lack of speed stability
artefacts, inner groove tracing distortion and dirt/damage induced
noise in the digital masters. A great vinyl rip will minimise all of
these of course, but they will always be there to some extent...
Sometimes even the best available vinyl just isn't that good - compare
REM or Neil Young on great vinyl and DVD-A for example... (sorry I
don't have any classical references)
Sorry, wandered off-topic somewhat.
--
Phil Leigh
You want to see the signal path BEFORE it gets onto a CD/vinyl...it
ain't what you'd call minimal...
Touch(wired/XP) - TACT 2.2X (Linear PSU) + Good Vibrations S/W - MF
Triplethreat(Audiocom full mods) - Linn 5103 - Aktiv 5.1 system (6x
LK140's, ESPEK/TRIKAN/KATAN/SEIZMIK 10.5), Townsend Supertweeters, Blue
Jeans Digital,Kimber Speaker & Chord Interconnect cables
Kitchen Boom, Outdoors: SB Radio
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=80811
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