Thread: Why CDs may actually sound better than vinyl (Article)

Though I somewhat disagree with it, that is a great article. But apparently many don't fully agree with it:

Vinyl records outsell CDs in US for first time since 1980s | Vinyl | The Guardian

I am just getting back into vinyl after 35 years. I am unsure even after scanning the article what Better really means. I find more Emotion from vinyl than I do from same CD. The only way I can explain it is how you feel looking at a Ansel Adams B&W pic and then looking at the same thing in Color. Way more emotion in the B&W pic. I have old cassettes I recorded of albums I got rid of in the 80s that have more emotion than the CD. This does not mean I am scrapping all my CDs and going Vinyl, but I sure enjoy the few records I have when I play them.

I find both can be enjoyable.

If you find your digital playback not up to cassettes it's time to address the digital. I had 100's of cassettes, mostly stuff I recorded and a nice TEAC playr/recorder, I sold all of it many years ago due to the playback not even being close to my Krell CDP at the time. On the other end of the digital spectrum Ihad an Audio Note DAC, very analog and romantic, not much with energetic music but great for vocals and things like strings. Some may even like that for Rock etc. but I moved on. The AN had crazy synergy with EAD transport, extremely nice combo. I believe there are enough DAC's these days someone should be able to find one closer to their tastes to bring digital to an enjoyable point.

I fully understand why someone may prfer one medium over another but there are so many variables it's pointless to debate.

I have also been in the position where a component may actually sound good but not enjoyable.

I much prefer the sound quality of pre-loudness wars CDs. Significantly better in my opinion.

Ken

Like 'wire' it never ceases to amaze me how often this topic comes up for discussion. It's as if we all(myself included) need some form re-justification with regards to our analog / digital beliefs. I enjoy it all !

As for Lp's outselling CD's, meaningless ........

Listen to whatever gets you closer to music's message and draws you in deeper but let's not ignore the reality of things either. Does music sound better on vinyl records than on CDs? | Tufts Now.

Originally Posted by nicoff

Excellent article. The article lists and explains the reasons why CDs are technically superior to LPs. LPs and CDs sound different. And some folks may still prefer listening to LPs regardless of its technical limitations. That’s perfectly ok.

But just be sure you don't stream. You won't be an audiophile any longer.

Originally Posted by nicoff

Excellent article. The article lists and explains the reasons why CDs are technically superior to LPs. LPs and CDs sound different. And some folks may still prefer listening to LPs regardless of its technical limitations. That’s perfectly ok.

But that was always known. That is why the industry proposed a new format in the form of digital. I am not sure we will ever see another form of physical media replace the CD... What would be the need? Everyone has a smart device of one form or another and everyone will have virtually unlimited bandwidth for such things in the form of 5G eventually. With bandwidth and storage not being a problem, why would anyone come back to the physical media? It would be like bringing back the printing press and having kids on bicycles start doing the paper routes again.. For what purpose?

The CD may in fact be the last of the Mohicans. Perhaps we will see a model adopted where the OFFLINE library in the form of large capacity storage on personal sized solid state or quantum computing storage device will be available but again, with the 5G, why?

Originally Posted by nicoff

I don’t think that the author is proposing to bring back the CD.

As I see it, CDs are dead. I interpret the article as explaining the reasons why the 16/44 digital format of the CD is technically superior to the technical capabilities of the LP.

I mainly stream these days and have not played a CD in years. Bandwidth is not an issue for me either even without 5G. But I still spin LPs once in a while when I feel like hearing a “different” sound.

No, I did not imply the article mentioned bringing back the CD. I was only speculating as to the future. What would be a logical replacement for the CD as a physical media? Probably nothing with the way streaming took off.