[gtaphile]

During an evening of listening a friend brought over a repaired Ampex 1/4 inch machine which was placed in the hallway as it was so noisy and among other recordings a vintage copy of the  master tape from the original studio recording of Jazz Samba with Stan Getz and Charlie Bird. 
Note the condition of machine!

If it were left on the curb most would just keep driving...

Now we compared this (via a balanced input) to a Bryston BP-26 and the CD version played on the BCD-1. 

The tape was much more musical and simply blew away the CD.

What were you saying about analog?

 

[Rclark]

 What fantastic pictures. I love this forum. If I may ask, what are those wonderful monoliths you are listening through? I've never seen such massive standmount speakers.

[Old timer]

The tape was much more musical and simply blew away the CD.

What were you saying about analog?

 

No surprises here.

[gtaphile]

What fantastic pictures. I love this forum. If I may ask, what are those wonderful monoliths you are listening through? I've never seen such massive standmount speakers.

PMC MB-1's.

[redbook]

 When I hear "blown away' I think there's a bit of subjective bias at play. You should listen to some updated material on cd. perhaps. Th older stuff was better executed on analog but now is not then.

[cheap-Jack]

Hi.

The tape was much more musical and simply blew away the CD.
What were you saying about analog?

Yes, I agree analogue sounds more MUSICAL & more human than any digital formats. It includs DVD-audio (24bit-192KHz) which I've listened many years after I found redbook CD (16bit-44.1KHz) just does not sound right.

After I switched to vinyl a few years back, I've then found I have finally got back  so much more music which I lost in DVD-audio & CD-A/CD-R.

Indeed. analogue rules !!!!

c-J

[spinner]

  Sounds like someone wants another pissing contest about something totally subjective. Let' grow up and admit that both are good and bad in their own ways.

[cheap-Jack]

Hi.

  Sounds like someone wants another pissing contest about something totally subjective. Let' grow up and admit that both are good and bad in their own ways.

So what do you like more "subjectively"? Vinyl/tape or digital - redbook CD/DVD-audio? Please answer me before "pissing" off.

I think I have grown up enough to have gone thru ALL these major playback media personally, lived, compared & decided analogue - vinyl & tape are muscially & sonically better.

Not many have actually gone thru so thoroughly like yours truly to find this out.

By the same token, if one has not lived with DVD-audio (24bit 192KHz) yet, please don't ever tell me redbook CD is good enough!

NO hearsays, nor specs reading, but actual experiencing aurally.

PS: please don't blind me with electrical science. I think I am qualified enough to defy electricity.

c-J
"If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts" quoted Albert Einstein.

[doug s.]

  Sounds like someone wants another pissing contest about something totally subjective. Let' grow up and admit that both are good and bad in their own ways.

true.  but analog is good in that it sounds more like real music; bad in that it has a higher noise floor.  digital is the opposite.  i prefer what sounds more like real music.   

ymmv,

doug s.

[cheap-Jack]

Hi.

true.  but analog is good in that it sounds more like real music; bad in that it has a higher noise floor.  digital is the opposite.  i prefer what sounds more like real music.   

ymmv,

doug s.

Glad you go for music quality over anything else.
IMO, vinyl, my premium music source, does not make noticeable background noise at all in my humble home-brew system vs tape.

c-J

[redbook]

 It's still an subjective opinion as to what sounds more "musical".  Some folks perceive things in different ways and for me digital has been a relief from the limitations of analogue material. 

[doug s.]

Hi.
Glad you go for music quality over anything else.
IMO, vinyl, my premium music source, does not make noticeable background noise at all in my humble home-brew system vs tape.

c-J

i agree that winyl is quiet enough.  but, compared to digital it is noisier.

doug s.

[doug s.]

It's still an subjective opinion as to what sounds more "musical".  Some folks perceive things in different ways and for me digital has been a relief from the limitations of analogue material. 

other than being slightly noisier, i am not sure what limitations of analogue there are, that make digital a relief.  it took me (or the format?) almost 20 years before i could even listen to redbook at all, w/o it driving me out of the room.  while i now can enjoy it, it still sounds mechanical, when compared to analog.

ymmv,

doug s.

[redbook]

 Oh by the way cheap-jack, seems like we really hit a nerve on you . These debates do become 'pissing contests' and there is no answer except what our ears perceive . Can you be mature enough to say "IMO" instead of sounding self righteous . 

[redbook]

 Limitations:....dirt ,wear  limited dynamics, noise floor, RIAA curve  needed to record bass , bad pressings ,skating , ..yes "IMO" digital all the way  ( Digital sucked  in the first twenty years and I was also disappointed but not today. 

[rbbert]

I got my first "audiophiile" system in 1971; AR table, ADC XLM cartridge, Dynaco PAS3 and two Dynaco 60 amps, Larger Advent speakers, and have gone through nearly all the formats since (excepting 8-track, Elcaset and DCC).  For the last 9+ years I have listened only to digital.

[rmurray]

  Yes, I agree. We waste much time debating some things that have no conclusions. In my case (I'm 62 years old and have come up through the record ranks---all the way from my granie's 78 collection) and I must say that digital is "musical" to me. I made this decision based on my perception........ oops i.m.o...  

[doug s.]

Limitations:....dirt ,wear  limited dynamics, noise floor, RIAA curve  needed to record bass , bad pressings ,skating , ..yes "IMO" digital all the way  ( Digital sucked  in the first twenty years and I was also disappointed but not today. 

dirt & wear are non issues, imo and ime - i have 40 year old records that still sound pristine.  limited dynamics is only a theoretical issue; in reality, cd's dynamics are no better than lp's, thanks to what happens in the recording studio.  bad pressings are equally prewalent in any medium.  skating is addressed w/anti skating.  riaa curve is effective in recording bass.  imo, of course.     and, i have yet to hear any digital recording sound better than its analog counterpart, when such a-b comparisons are awailable.  due to the mechanical nature of the sound.  yes, redbook sounds good, when well-recorded.  lp simply sounds better.  imo   

ymmv,

doug s.

[rmurray]

  Yes to you my friend but not to us all....sorry

[doug s.]

here's an example of the trials & tribulations of both formats - santana's "caravanserai" is one of my fave albums.  unfortunately, it is a noisy pressing; i have a few copies, purchased hoping to find a quiet one.  so, when i saw a used cd, i bought it.  ya, it's quieter but, besides being more mechanical sounding, it is compressed as hell.  ya, i know - cd's have better dynamic range, go figure.  but, the cd sounds ok, when i engage the dbx 3bx thru my preamp's tape loop...

doug s.