Tweakers' Asylum

Ultimately, 'digital' will win.

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Al Sekela

(A)

In Reply to: New debate: digital vs. everything posted by DD on December 12, 2004 at 18:46:20:

As wlee says, it will take some development.
I'm told by someone in the know that digital amps presently under development will clearly establish their superiority, so it won't take that long.
We are all spoiled by the tremendous development of computer chips, and most of us anticipate similar rapidity for development of switching analog amps. However, the obstacles to good sound are more subtle than those to higher bit densities or switching speeds, and the number of people working on the real problems is very small.
As I see it, the industry problem is that once digital (switching) amps show they are superior for most applications, it will still take a generational change to drag active audio designers away from their comfort-zones. We won't know how good they really can be for decades.

Follow Ups:

Same Thing Was Said About CD vs Vinyl.. - Cougar 07:46:35 12/16/04 (4)
look now 20 years down the road and vinyl still kills the CD. The digital format that CD use just can't get it right, it never seems to be involing or lifelike like that of Vinyl. I hope the New digital amps are not the same way.
Steve.
- And they were right. - Al Sekela 14:11:15 12/17/04 (3)
  SOME few CDs, made with care and attention to detail, sound better to me than any vinyl, even on playback systems that cost 3X the digital. Most CDs sound like crap, but then most vinyl, especially from the later years, also sounds like crap.
  Many of the people who hold that CDs are fatally flawed have never heard a proper setup. One of my friends tells me, in the same breath, that he is perfectly happy with his el-cheapo CD player, and that vinyl is inherently superior to digital, and never stops to think about the obvious contradiction.
  I'm looking forward to hearing the latest designs for switching amplifiers (not really digital, as the input signal is analog). I'm told they are superb, but I haven't heard them yet.
  - Not Right.. - Cougar 07:57:50 12/20/04 (1)
    Because when Vinyl is made with care and attention to detail like the Mobile Fidelity and Sheffield Labs LP's they just kill CD's from what I have heard in my system and others. Also even CD players have problems like turntables which are affected by vibrations, won't play scratched CD, if the laser goes bad or out you can't play any CD's and you have to send it to the factory/repair shop to be fixed, and if the drawer doesn't open you can't play any Cd's. I guess the point I'm trying to make is that for something that is suppose to be better sounding and most certainly should be cheaper by now (CD's) but actually sounds worst with more problems than Vinyl and turntables, Vinyl is why better. After 17 years of having different CD's/CD players even though they have gotten better sound wize, the only thing I can say good about CD's is that they're are dead quiet.
    Steve.
    - Good points. - Al Sekela 09:30:56 12/20/04 (0)
      IME, good vinyl is generally harder to find and more expensive (new or used) than good Redbook CDs. Try some of the later Reference Recordings and Dorians.
      The music industry business model is a shambles, and it is a shame that more good music is not available at very low prices on either format.
      I'm still not convinced the ultimate performance of vinyl is superior to Redbook CD, mostly because I think there is still much to learn about CD playback.
  - Re: And they were right. - avian 23:27:56 12/19/04 (0)
    > Many of the people who hold that CDs are fatally flawed have never heard a proper setup. One of my friends tells me, in the same breath, that he is perfectly happy with his el-cheapo CD player, and that vinyl is inherently superior to digital, and never stops to think about the obvious contradiction. <
    I know people like your friend. But I also know many people who would take your first sentence there and turn it around 180 degrees.
    I gotta admit that Ive been enjoying CD more than vinyl, simply cause my digital setup is so much better. But I have heard a sacd vs vinyl comparison (more a demonstration) on a system worth more than the house I live in now. It was much closer than I expected, but vinyl did end up the winner in that setup.

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