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<!-- #thumb --> <p>I hate to bring this news to you, but really, it’s all over for LPs. You can say you saw it here first. You can also expect it to be denied by the usual suspects. They are the same kind who will deny a plethora of news they don’t like. Be as it may, I was perchance a decade early telling people that DIGITAL SUCKS and they didn’t listen then. Then others noticed that digital sucked. D’oh! Now that I tell them that LP sucks (not wholly as much as digital sucked back then), a similar mindset will not listen today. Let me clarify it: LP’s numerous shortcomings are easily audible on even the very best, no-compromise system. Unless one is stone deaf.</p>
<p>Look, I’m hardly alone thinking it er, let’s back up, knowing it. Nevertheless, hang in there cupcake, there’s still time for selling another $150,000 turntable to some obsessive fool whom, we hope, also owns a boat….or yacht….but then yacht owners call theirs ” a boat” <i>aka, </i>another black hole into which money can disappear in no time before it too, sinks, taking everything with it.* But do remember this. Even boat anchors get unstrung once in a while and get lost, and besides, there’s an upside to this story: one can hold on to that $150,000 turntable for a certain soon-to-come opportunity.</p>
<p><b>The Times They Are A’changing!</b></p>
<p>Reviewer <b>Scott Hull</b> writes what many of us know:</p>
<p>“<i>…</i><i>Let me back up a step and talk about “high-water marks”.</i></p>
<p><i>First up, for me, is the dCS Scarlatti system I heard set up at Jacob Heilbrunn’s old place in DC. Heilbrunn is a staff writer for TAS and TONEAudio, and is the proud owner of a stunning mega-system. The day of my visit, he was running a full Scarlatti stack into some giant Wilson loudspeakers, and powering the whole with electronics from Ypsilon. While I was there, I got to hear his </i><b><i>Caliburn</i></b><i> turntable front-end, and yes, it was absolutely remarkable. Loved the tone, the depth, the imaging … </i><b><i>but the Scarlatti mopped the floor with the Caliburn</i></b><i> and </i><b><i>it wasn’t even close</i></b><i>. To this day, that properly set up system, fronted by that dCS digital front end, was the “best I’ve heard” (thanks again, Jacob!).</i></p>
<p><i>Backing away from that, the next-best digital I’ve heard happened right here at home — with the incredible (and radically more affordable) Da Vinci DAC from Light Harmonic. Into my reference TIDAL Audio Contriva Diacera SE loudspeakers, powered by Vitus Audio electronics out of their “Reference” Line, the Da Vinci destroyed my previous digital reference, the heretofore invincible </i><b><i>Berkeley Alpha DAC</i></b><i> “System” (with the Alpha USB converter).</i> ..”</p>
<p>AGB: Quite a surprise to me, and I’m sure to you too, that a $20,000 DAC beat a $5000 DAC. Well, the <i>DaVinci</i> does have a ‘rep’ as one of the two or three top contenders – at a price of course. As for: <i>“but the Scarlatti mopped the floor with the Caliburn”</i> says all that needs to be said about top line – meaning comparable in price- digital front end v. its highly-rated analog counterpart. Except…everything is so, unless it isn’t. Hull missed an important consideration: The Scarlatti stack was less than half the price of the Caliburn set up with the extra interconnects, tonearm, cartridge and phono preamp needed to make the Caliburn work! And yet, there was no contest. The Caliburn was exquisite; the DCS was out of this world. That, is a major consideration for spending twice the DCS’ cost for the Caliburn.</p>
<p>What we have here is a scientifically-supportable demonstration anyone can duplicate provided he has access to this level of equipment. When someone does, that someone can put the lies to the myths and the self-serving propaganda; meaning that analog is better except when it ain’t.</p>
<p>For example, examining how it’s been presented by one analog pundit who regularly compares a CD to an LP of G-d-knows-what generation of recording on a G-d-knows-what branded playback components. What we might hear with Heilbrunn’s and others who have access to similar stuff, AHC and so on, where the a-phile can compare hi rez and LP on both high end digital and high end analog, is the <i>repeatable </i>and conclusive evidence that not only has digital playback achieved the highest sonic mountaintop possible, but in significant areas, most areas, had surpassed analog playback <i>no matter how much money one had invested in his system and LP collection!</i></p>
<p>In a fair test, fairly conducted, for example comparing DSD with an analog tape recording to the mic feed of a live performance, I am confident that the DSD and 192k will regularly and repeatably mop the floor with analog – as it has in Heilbrunn’s and other’s systems. This is 2013. Imagine 2015 if you will.</p>
<p>Imagine that today you can buy “adequate” DACs for $2-300.</p>
<p>This is one man’s opinion, but that one man was right on the first time ’round and does need to beat the drum the second. But he will. A few reviewers tell it like it is, Hull happens to be one.</p>
<p>Speaking for myself, indeed, I do have a reputation of <b>The Audio Hitman</b> to maintain. Some don’t like it.</p>
<p>As for you analog cupcake, you hang in there. But remember, if not yet ready for prime time, soon enough, it’ll be all over for the LP and your boat anchor. And yes, it is time for you to rip your LPs to hi rez disc ASAP!</p>
<p>That’s where you’ll need to consult with another man ahead of his time, Paul McGowan, for a solution.</p>
<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/pwf4dya">http://tinyurl.com/pwf4dya</a></p>
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[Source: http://www.pstracks.com/music/hang-cupcake/12211/]
<p>Look, I’m hardly alone thinking it er, let’s back up, knowing it. Nevertheless, hang in there cupcake, there’s still time for selling another $150,000 turntable to some obsessive fool whom, we hope, also owns a boat….or yacht….but then yacht owners call theirs ” a boat” <i>aka, </i>another black hole into which money can disappear in no time before it too, sinks, taking everything with it.* But do remember this. Even boat anchors get unstrung once in a while and get lost, and besides, there’s an upside to this story: one can hold on to that $150,000 turntable for a certain soon-to-come opportunity.</p>
<p><b>The Times They Are A’changing!</b></p>
<p>Reviewer <b>Scott Hull</b> writes what many of us know:</p>
<p>“<i>…</i><i>Let me back up a step and talk about “high-water marks”.</i></p>
<p><i>First up, for me, is the dCS Scarlatti system I heard set up at Jacob Heilbrunn’s old place in DC. Heilbrunn is a staff writer for TAS and TONEAudio, and is the proud owner of a stunning mega-system. The day of my visit, he was running a full Scarlatti stack into some giant Wilson loudspeakers, and powering the whole with electronics from Ypsilon. While I was there, I got to hear his </i><b><i>Caliburn</i></b><i> turntable front-end, and yes, it was absolutely remarkable. Loved the tone, the depth, the imaging … </i><b><i>but the Scarlatti mopped the floor with the Caliburn</i></b><i> and </i><b><i>it wasn’t even close</i></b><i>. To this day, that properly set up system, fronted by that dCS digital front end, was the “best I’ve heard” (thanks again, Jacob!).</i></p>
<p><i>Backing away from that, the next-best digital I’ve heard happened right here at home — with the incredible (and radically more affordable) Da Vinci DAC from Light Harmonic. Into my reference TIDAL Audio Contriva Diacera SE loudspeakers, powered by Vitus Audio electronics out of their “Reference” Line, the Da Vinci destroyed my previous digital reference, the heretofore invincible </i><b><i>Berkeley Alpha DAC</i></b><i> “System” (with the Alpha USB converter).</i> ..”</p>
<p>AGB: Quite a surprise to me, and I’m sure to you too, that a $20,000 DAC beat a $5000 DAC. Well, the <i>DaVinci</i> does have a ‘rep’ as one of the two or three top contenders – at a price of course. As for: <i>“but the Scarlatti mopped the floor with the Caliburn”</i> says all that needs to be said about top line – meaning comparable in price- digital front end v. its highly-rated analog counterpart. Except…everything is so, unless it isn’t. Hull missed an important consideration: The Scarlatti stack was less than half the price of the Caliburn set up with the extra interconnects, tonearm, cartridge and phono preamp needed to make the Caliburn work! And yet, there was no contest. The Caliburn was exquisite; the DCS was out of this world. That, is a major consideration for spending twice the DCS’ cost for the Caliburn.</p>
<p>What we have here is a scientifically-supportable demonstration anyone can duplicate provided he has access to this level of equipment. When someone does, that someone can put the lies to the myths and the self-serving propaganda; meaning that analog is better except when it ain’t.</p>
<p>For example, examining how it’s been presented by one analog pundit who regularly compares a CD to an LP of G-d-knows-what generation of recording on a G-d-knows-what branded playback components. What we might hear with Heilbrunn’s and others who have access to similar stuff, AHC and so on, where the a-phile can compare hi rez and LP on both high end digital and high end analog, is the <i>repeatable </i>and conclusive evidence that not only has digital playback achieved the highest sonic mountaintop possible, but in significant areas, most areas, had surpassed analog playback <i>no matter how much money one had invested in his system and LP collection!</i></p>
<p>In a fair test, fairly conducted, for example comparing DSD with an analog tape recording to the mic feed of a live performance, I am confident that the DSD and 192k will regularly and repeatably mop the floor with analog – as it has in Heilbrunn’s and other’s systems. This is 2013. Imagine 2015 if you will.</p>
<p>Imagine that today you can buy “adequate” DACs for $2-300.</p>
<p>This is one man’s opinion, but that one man was right on the first time ’round and does need to beat the drum the second. But he will. A few reviewers tell it like it is, Hull happens to be one.</p>
<p>Speaking for myself, indeed, I do have a reputation of <b>The Audio Hitman</b> to maintain. Some don’t like it.</p>
<p>As for you analog cupcake, you hang in there. But remember, if not yet ready for prime time, soon enough, it’ll be all over for the LP and your boat anchor. And yes, it is time for you to rip your LPs to hi rez disc ASAP!</p>
<p>That’s where you’ll need to consult with another man ahead of his time, Paul McGowan, for a solution.</p>
<p><a href="http://tinyurl.com/pwf4dya">http://tinyurl.com/pwf4dya</a></p>
<center><a href="http://www.pstracks.com/music/hang-cupcake/12211/emailpopup/" onclick="email_popup(this.href); return false;" title="Forward to a friend and help us engage more readers" rel="nofollow"><img class="WP-EmailIcon" src="http://www.pstracks.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-email/images/email.gif" alt="email HANG IN THERE CUPCAKE!" title="HANG IN THERE CUPCAKE!" /></a>*<a href="http://www.pstracks.com/music/hang-cupcake/12211/emailpopup/" onclick="email_popup(this.href); return false;" title="Forward to a friend and help us engage more readers" rel="nofollow">Forward to a friend and help us engage more readers</a></center><br /><!-- // MAILCHIMP SUBSCRIBE CODE --><center><a href="http://eepurl.com/eSzBY">Get new and fresh stories like this each morning by joining the folks reading Paul's Posts. Click here </a></center>
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[Source: http://www.pstracks.com/music/hang-cupcake/12211/]
