MF Gold CD's

[frenchmon]

I like vinyl as much as the next guy but I don't get it when some people say or claim that vinyl is less restricted. I find it more compressed than well recorded CD's and especially SACD and the few XRCD's that I own. Just by nature, vinyl is more compressed.

On those old LP's of course they where compressed...there was lot of "dumming down" of the music for the sake of taking what was on tape and putting it on vinyl. Stuff like bass turned down and such, treble turned up, compression of the dynamic range and so forth. I suspect this is why after I get done playing a CD or SACD and put on John Lee Hooker or Dexter Gordon on vinyl, I have to turn the volume up. But even in doing so, combined with a very good Cartridge....and good gear, you can really appreciate the beautify of vinyl for what it is. With a good outfit and a little turn of the volume control....some vinyl sounds as clear as CD and SACD. I have acquired some of the same albums that I had in the 80's. I had Maranatz separates and receivers back in the 80's with a Garrard TT and never did vinyl sound as good as it does now....infact back in the 80's I discarded my TT and sold all my albums because of the invention of CD's.


Notice what is said of vinyl.

"velvety and smooth"..."Vinyl listening gives great examples of what they mean by liquid."...Vinyl seems to be more graceful with the same tunes I hear on SACD and CD....vinyl seems to be so smooth and free...unconsticted in sound compaired to CD."...." vinyl gives it to you effort-less with grace."...vinyl has a certain warmth and magic to its sound that I don't find in CD or SACD"

Now no where did I say anything about CD being less compressed than vinyl. What I tried to do is describe the flow of the sound of vinyl in comparison to CD....analog sound compared to digital. Because of the manipulation of the tapes to fit as much of it on one side of an LP, maybe it gave to the warmth I hear and because of the tape to vinyl, maybe it adds to the smoothness I hear...and maybe because of the modern Cartridges it adds to the dynamic I hear....I really don't know. But its like when they tried to improve on the sound of vinyl with the invention of CD, the CD became perfect, while discarding the velvet-ness and the smoothness and the warmth and grace like effect.

PoppaC said brass would have a different effect on vinyl than it does on CD. He was spot on with that remark. But I find its not only with brass but with everything that has a solo part. This could maybe be because of the enhancement and manipulation of the vinyl by the engineer. But whatever the reason, vinyl seems to be just as clear if not clearer than CD and warmer than CD's with a smoother presentation than digital....but that really does not mean better. Its subjective at best.

Then it could be subjective with me because of having a vinyl set up in the 70's and 80's only to discard it and then return to it. Does this mean I will discard CD and SACD? No way...I still love CD and SACD...but I can hear the difference in the two and I will continue to purchase both formats of music.

I had friends from Africa over yesterday. they could not believe I had a turntable. They said "this is 2010 and you still have a turntable?" His wife said, "turntables and albums always have the fried egg sound...I cant believe you still have a tuntable." So I fired up some Dexter Gordon on vinyl and they where floord...they said it sounded like a CD.

Sorry if I upset you with my comments...that was never my intention BlackRaven.


Edit: BlackRaven...I am not saying that CD and SACD can not be warm and smooth and velvet-like...because they can be and are. I have experienced it my self. But the analog and the digital sound are two different sounds to the discerning listener. I heard it right off the bat once I figured out I had my MC switch on with a MM cartridge. The smoothness and warmed with the analog is a more natural presentation without being as subtle as with CD. WIth CD I first hear the clarity and detail...with Vinyl the first thing that stikes me is the velvet and smoothness. That velvet ...graceful like presentation is what I like and it gives me what I want. I feel my self being drawn more into the sound, especially the rhythm of the mid-section of the music. I know you probably think I am out there...so does my wife who bought me the table in the first place. (LOL) I cant wait to add a little tube sound with it.

Cheers!