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Solitaire1 · 08-12-2013, 05:37 PM

I've recently noticed that there has been a resurgence in the interest in the vinyl records (LPs and 45s). I've seen many videos on YouTube where vinyl listeners claim that the analog sound of vinyl is superior to the digital sound of CD.

I think a factor is the way modern CDs are mixed. One of the complaints is about the Loudness War, where CDs are mixed in a way where all parts of the music are equally loud rather than having variations. See the following video featuring one of my favorite ABBA songs for an illustration of the Loudness War:

It seems to me that a factor in the Loudness War is the ability to push a digital signal to the limit without distortion. With vinyl, its physical characteristics limited how loud the signal could be before the needle would jump out of the groove.

This has led me to wonder if the analog sound of vinyl is inherently better than the digital sound of CD, or is a major factor the way the original recording is mixed and mastered? If the analog sound is better, could a new analog format be successful as a niche format for audiophiles? As an example, see the following video from around 1960, give or take a few years (this would have been my dream format in the days before CD and would have been a vast improvement over the compact cassette):

Thanks for reading my observations and opinions. I look forward to reading your comments.

08-12-2013, 05:37 PM	#1
Solitaire1 Samurai Lizard Posts: 14,927 Karma: 69500000 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: NookColor, Nook Glowlight 4	Vinyl vs. CD I've recently noticed that there has been a resurgence in the interest in the vinyl records (LPs and 45s). I've seen many videos on YouTube where vinyl listeners claim that the analog sound of vinyl is superior to the digital sound of CD. I think a factor is the way modern CDs are mixed. One of the complaints is about the Loudness War, where CDs are mixed in a way where all parts of the music are equally loud rather than having variations. See the following video featuring one of my favorite ABBA songs for an illustration of the Loudness War: It seems to me that a factor in the Loudness War is the ability to push a digital signal to the limit without distortion. With vinyl, its physical characteristics limited how loud the signal could be before the needle would jump out of the groove. This has led me to wonder if the analog sound of vinyl is inherently better than the digital sound of CD, or is a major factor the way the original recording is mixed and mastered? If the analog sound is better, could a new analog format be successful as a niche format for audiophiles? As an example, see the following video from around 1960, give or take a few years (this would have been my dream format in the days before CD and would have been a vast improvement over the compact cassette): Thanks for reading my observations and opinions. I look forward to reading your comments.