...Is the Lp I want an analog or a digital transfer?

RE: ...Is the Lp I want an analog or a digital transfer?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 09:48:53
bjh Audiophile Posts: 18614 Location: Ontario Joined: November 22, 2003	Will you still want it if digital?

No. No easy method unfortuntately. (nt), posted on July 31, 2014 at 09:51:23
Pappas3278 Audiophile Posts: 206 Location: NYC Joined: March 12, 2007	NT

What difference does it make?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 10:13:14
BPoletti Audiophile Posts: 931 Location: Midwest Joined: October 3, 2010	You have to listen. I've heard good-sounding digital masters and bad-sounding analog masters. If it sounds good, what difference does it make?

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 10:19:05
middleground	Pretty dismissive of his question. I bet he wants his analog analog and his digital digital. Drinks his whiskey neat. He deserves a proper answer.

+1, posted on July 31, 2014 at 10:32:29
Tre' Industry Professional Posts: 17303 Location: So. Cal. Joined: February 9, 2002	. Have Fun and Enjoy the Music "Still Working the Problem"

RE: ...Is the Lp I want an analog or a digital transfer?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 10:35:16

Roastaman
Audiophile

Posts: 516
Location: Seattle
Joined: July 18, 2000

I guess that depends on whether I can find a good review of it or not. Only a few of the digital Lp's that I have would I repeat buying on vinyl vs the CD. There are a few that sound really really good despite being digital transfers. But hey, I have enough Lp's to clean so unless they are noted to be great sounding despite a digital transfer I'd probably rather have the CD. Plus the CD's "used" are much cheaper vs the Lp, and I don't have to worry about another Lp to clean.

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 10:45:23
TSWisla Audiophile Posts: 241 Location: NW Suburbs of Chicago Joined: June 21, 2010	I agree with middleground and I would like to know which LPs are analog as well. I personally don't care if they sound good. I listen to LPs because I want an all analog path. I see not purpose in listening to a "digital" LP even if it does sound good. I feel that it defeats the purpose.

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 10:50:34

Roastaman
Audiophile

Posts: 516
Location: Seattle
Joined: July 18, 2000

My system being what it is, takes no prisoners when it comes to the analog aspect. Poor recordings/pressings sound bad (or even worse in my system) So, I've learned to try and be more discriminating in my Lp purchases to avoid unhappiness. I hardly think I'm out of the ordinary. Many posters here or on other sites are more discriminating than myself and won't even touch anything other than great recordings on Lp.

There used to be a code on the album...., posted on July 31, 2014 at 11:05:44

StephenJK

With either A for Analog and D for digital for three different categories: Recording, Mixing and Mastering. But I can't remember seeing those for a long time - I assume that anything after the late 80's is going to be DDD.

Of course there will be exceptions, but even with Mofi and other premium releases I think unless it's specifically mentioned that an analog board was used then it likely wasn't.

I would also like to know the provenance of any album. On a slightly different topic this is being much debated with supposed High Definition downloads. People are charged a premium for a 24/96 recording that may have started life as a 16/14.4.

As others have said, just because it's analog doesn't mean it's going to be good and vice versa. But, I did give away all of my Telarc digitally recorded albums to a fellow inmate a couple of years ago. I just couldn't get past that complete lack or presence and warmth.

I'm with you on that., posted on July 31, 2014 at 11:07:45
StephenJK	Which is why any LP's I buy tend to be reissues that I can't get any other way or back catalog items that I don't have. If the recording was digital all the way I may as well buy the CD and save some money.

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 13:24:41
BPoletti Audiophile Posts: 931 Location: Midwest Joined: October 3, 2010	You said "I personally don't care if they sound good. I listen to LPs because I want an all analog path." Even if an original digital master of a great musical performance sounds better?

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on July 31, 2014 at 14:00:29
BPoletti Audiophile Posts: 931 Location: Midwest Joined: October 3, 2010	My system is brutally revealing. But I usually try to listen to music. That's the focus of my taste. Source matters only for choosing the better recording and performance. There are excellent recorded and mastered performances on both digital and analog.

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on August 1, 2014 at 09:23:46
Ugly Audiophile Posts: 2912 Location: Des Moines, WA Joined: August 22, 2006	Then buy the digital release. Why would you want the music to go through all that extra processing just to play it from a record?

You'll never know and you'll make yourself crazy trying to find out., posted on August 1, 2014 at 11:43:23
Biff Audiophile Posts: 7527 Location: Portland, Oregon Joined: January 27, 2002	I've spoken to my friend at Warner/Rhino about this at length. He maintains that most reissues are digitally sourced, regardless of what a sticker might say. Analog sources are digitally archived for various reasons (at hi-res) and those are used for subsequent releases. Forget trying to avoid digital sources or you'll drive yourself nuts.

Because they are often sourced from 24/96 or 24/192, posted on August 1, 2014 at 11:49:06
Biff Audiophile Posts: 7527 Location: Portland, Oregon Joined: January 27, 2002	Unlike CD which is limited to 16/44. If you have access to the HD files, then yes, maybe that's a viable alternative in this case.

RE: Because they are often sourced from 24/96 or 24/192, posted on August 1, 2014 at 12:41:45
Tre' Industry Professional Posts: 17303 Location: So. Cal. Joined: February 9, 2002	Is there any reason a record company would not make the hi-res digital files available in one form or another? SACD, DVD-A or a download? How high does blue ray go? To me a vinyl record made from a digital source is the worst of both worlds. If it started life digital, just give me a full res digital copy. Tre' Have Fun and Enjoy the Music "Still Working the Problem"

True today, but Telarc made better records than CD's from digital , London too., posted on August 1, 2014 at 12:46:47
richardl Audiophile Posts: 3555 Joined: September 5, 2002	They had trouble getting the digital masters to CD properly. Jitter Hell I suppose. I have owned both CD and record of some early 80's music and the record was better. However, I always prefer good analog to good digital transfers and I don't know why.

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on August 2, 2014 at 04:17:40
middleground	And that is the essential kernel of truth.

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on August 2, 2014 at 08:11:22
BPoletti Audiophile Posts: 931 Location: Midwest Joined: October 3, 2010	If the better sound of a digital release is available on LP, then that is the route. If an original analog recording was never mastered and pressed into a decent LP release but a CD of that particular performance sounds better, then that CD is the better route. Is that so difficult to understand?

RE: What difference does it make?, posted on August 2, 2014 at 10:25:58
Ugly Audiophile Posts: 2912 Location: Des Moines, WA Joined: August 22, 2006	I'd be after the original hi rez file from which the remastered vinyl or cd was mixed. It would seem that many are coming up for sale these days as a download.

Vinyl Asylum

...Is the Lp I want an analog or a digital transfer?

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