Are CDs BETTER Than Vinyl?

[@audioarkitekts]

Hello everyone, I figured I would address the negative comments I've been receiving here rather than spending my time on each one. I am aware that most people don't bother consuming all of the content, and if they do, they either agree with me, which always feels great, or they lambast me for my findings on the subject. I knew going into this video that it would be a touchy subject because, for some reason or another, a small community of audio enthusiasts finds it impossible to have a civil discourse over any topic they disagree with. I merely presented you all with facts, mathematics, and science. In the video, I did show a certain amount of respect for the audiophile community that prefers the vinyl format. If your immediate response is to dislike the video just because you disagree with facts, I suggest you stay off the internet altogether. I am happy to engage with those who would like to have a constructive conversation over the subject, regardless of their side. Thank you to those who supported the video and enjoyed the content. You are the reason I continue to produce these videos.

[@jeffl915]

Audiophile does mean the cd too. MFSL, and Analog Productions produce higher quality CD’s, and they get the same original master tape treatment. I own a few, but just don’t see the same collectibility value in them.

[@audioarkitekts]

@@JohnBrown-pu9ol I am curious how CD's from the late 90's and early 2000's compare to their Vinyl counterparts since that was the age of the Loudness wars. In recent years CDs have toned it down quite a bit

[@audioarkitekts]

@@JohnBrown-pu9ol Oasis and Metallica were some of the worst mastering jobs of that era.

[@audioarkitekts]

@@JohnBrown-pu9ol doubtful. I don't care much for Mettalica however I really do like Oasis.

[@uselessoldman7964]

whether I agree or not u get a thumbs up, I always like a debate over what is better or not and why. Ignorance is no excuse but sometimes knowing why, the facts helps one understand why they are wrong, or in some cases why they might be wrong. So I have explained in a lot of words that I hope you can understand why you might be wrong. In theory you could be right but sadly many are deluded by the marketing and unbeknown to them why there wrong.

[@nitrosophelin]

as someone who is really into vinyl, i don't disagree that on a technical level, cds are superior to vinyl, but in my experience, the limitations of vinyl encourage me to sit down and listen to an album which gives me a greater appreciation of it where when i listen to music through streaming i rarely listen to albums and if i do, i skip around where cds are somewhere in the middle of those 2. at the end of the day though between vinyl and cd ppl, we all love music and we love having physical stuff that said music is on and that's really what matters at the end of the day

[@csscott9803]

I'm a CD person, I love the crisp sound of a CD. Just like the master sound in my headphones.

[@Paulo_5002_]

So do I!! Long life to the CD.

[@dtz1000]

Is music crisp when you listen to it live? Nope. No one says I like that live band because it sounds crisp. CD sounds crisp because most of the ultrasonic frequencies have been removed from it. Therefore CD sound is unnatural. Vinyl sounds warm and relaxing because it still has those frequencies. That's how music is supposed to sound.

[@Sammy-34079]

​@@dtz1000 Ah, the debate between vinyl and CDs rages on! But let me tell you, warm CDs reign supreme over vinyl any day. Here's why: Consistent Quality: CDs offer consistent sound quality without the pops, crackles, and imperfections that often plague vinyl records. With CDs, you get pristine sound reproduction every time, without the nostalgic but flawed charm of vinyl. Durability: Unlike vinyl records, CDs are durable and resistant to wear and tear. They don't scratch or warp easily, ensuring that your music collection remains intact for years to come. No need to worry about damaging your favorite albums with CDs! Convenience: CDs are more convenient to store, handle, and transport compared to bulky vinyl records. You can easily organize and access your CD collection without the hassle of dealing with large, delicate vinyl sleeves. Modern Technology: CDs harness the power of modern digital technology to deliver crystal-clear sound with no loss of fidelity. They offer a cleaner, more accurate representation of the original recording, leaving vinyl in the dust when it comes to audio quality. So, while vinyl may have its nostalgic appeal, warm CDs offer superior sound quality, durability, convenience, and the benefits of modern digital technology. Sorry, pal, but digital beats analog any day!

[@jbird163]

To be honest vinyl only sounds like cd when you use the right and good equipment

[@Albee213]

@@dtz1000 CD reproduces 20k to 20khz perfectly. Those ultrasonic frequencies you are talking about can not be reproduced by 99% of speakers and amps or heard 100% of human ears. Everything above 16khz is just noise that has no relevance on what you are hearing because you have never heard them from any medium.

[@jackbarnard1781]

I started this hobby when vinyl & tapes ruled. When you play em. They wear out. They are high maintenance formats. I'm 60 now. I want to pop it in & go. I have some cd's that are 20+ years old & they sound as good as the day I bought em

[@taylorhubbard6733]

Totally agree. CD's have the "physical" enjoyment of LP's, but with ease of use/quality of sound. I stream also, but pulling out a CD and loading into my tray takes me back to the wonderful 1980's!

[@audioarkitekts]

There is so much satisfaction from using a CD!

[@panzram31614]

FINALLY! Someone else has said it. I've been arguing this case for years with audiophiles and other assorted types that scoff at "physical media" like it's a leperous pariah, or those that place vinyl on a pedestal that can only be touched by Zeus himself. You made many important points that are often overlooked in the circles of pretentious "sound experts", and your argument was presented clearly. Having purchased CDs for over thirty years, its good to see someone else that "gets it". Thank you, Audio Arkitekts.

[@audioarkitekts]

You are welcome! Sorry I am only seeing this now, but I truly appreciate the support.

[@franklinhankel6168]

YES! I bought my first CD player in 1984 and probably bought about 10 vinyl LPs after that( only because they weren't available on CD until later). Anyone who claims vinyl sounds better must enjoy surface noise and bacon cooking in the background.

[@mortlach186]

Not only that, it commoditizes an art form and lessens its real value. Artists(musicians, composers) become just some background fill. And not to get into streaming sound quality(I think overall worse and I will not respond to people who think otherwise), the younger, more recent demographic doesn't feel like they should pay for music, broadcasting, publishing, or any media. Rock, pop, etc. is more about pushing products than the music. Just look at all the corporate underwriters and product placement at a typical lollapalooza concert and its ilk. I think even Perry Ferrell had a word or two about how this altered the concert landscape. Yes, it's entertainment but if I ask my nieces about the "Spring Awakening" shows they attended at a packed Soldier Fields, music is not the main focus, and more about costumes, partying, dancing, and,,,,,,, okay, they are having fun. But the music has become a backdrop like Coca-Cola alcohol and taking molly. Hell, discos used to put more importance on the music. I guess because they had to play records or make tapes from Lp's.

[@takeiteasy6154]

As long as the eq is done for mastering cd and not compressed to make it sound loud, cd does sound clean and the top end is not distorted. And in my opinion digitised vinyl sounds no different to the source, so nothing to do with pcm. How ever I think 192 pcm does have a more organic sound than 44.

[@franklinhankel6168]

@@takeiteasy6154 yes, more sampling=better fidelity, just like higher tape speed=better fidelity

[@keriford54]

I completely agree, I grew up with vinyl but I don't love the noise, fragility, degradation and the poor quality of the final track of each side. CDs sound great and they don't wear out, are still tangible and give that album experience. I do acknowledge that vinyl is better for cover art.

[@mehhhblehhh1561]

Collecting cds is about as enjoyable as collecting stamps.

[@1jhnpennington]

@@mehhhblehhh1561 Spot on👏

[@splintercast8092]

CDs do wear out. It's just it takes about 200 years for them to stop working.

[@groofoot]

@@splintercast8092 At Least 200 years ... there are some who think they Never wear out ... but hell we won't live long enough to find out sadly, lol

[@heliopijpe]

They in fact do wear out :-) Sony should have released CD's the way they released minidisc, shelled ,, but they never did .. :-)

[@michaelbradley7595]

As one who collected a lot of vinyl in the past, I have always hated the fact that wear and tear always made me have to replace my favorite albums after I played them a lot. I remember the first time I heard a really good CD remaster of one of my favorite albums. That was the end of my collecting vinyl. I still have most of my CDs. None wore out. I just sold some used because I did not like them anymore. Used CDs still sound new. They sound the same as the first day I played them, some even better as my player quality got better. I play them on a universal disc player now. I bought a new entry level audiophile turntable just for music I can not get any other way. It cost way too much. To me the return to vinyl is just a hipster music playback fetish. When I see young people buy a sleazy fifty dollar Crosley player and a thirty dollar piece of vinyl to play on it, it really pisses me off. When I want a good reliable physical copy of my favorite music I buy CD or Bluray Audio. Your reasons supporting CD are excellent and totally accurate.

[@audioarkitekts]

Thank you Michael, I think we are definitely on the same page.

[@beetlebum7760]

There is no wear and tear with vinyl if your LPs/EPs/singles are handled carefully. I bought my first LPs and singles in 1987 and 1986, respectively, and they still play fine. Just keep your hands or other inappropriate things (paper inner sleeves, worn out styluses etc.) away from the grooves and you‘ll be fine.

[@michaelbradley7595]

@@beetlebum7760 You might have some serious hearing issues that need to be addressed or a perceptual disorder. The very things you mention that you have do to play vinyl make it undesirable to someone who just wants to listen to music and not go through a constant ceremony of maintenance every time they listen.

[@SHOPFLOORTONE]

I will never return to vinyl. I used to collect records before the CD revolution so I've played both formats many, many times. I find, especially with modern DAC's, CD's are a superior listening experience. I now own hundreds of CD's and will continue collecting them.

[@adam872]

Thank you, finally someone has said it. CD's are objectively better than vinyl and I have plenty of both formats in my collection.

[@ctal615]

He said it, but he's wrong. Vinyl sounds far better. 96khz, no brickwall limiting, ect ect.

[@adam872]

@@ctal615 could you please expand on this? Brickwall limiting is a choice by the mix and/or mastering engineer, not a limitation of the CD format.

[@ctal615]

All files for Cd and streaming are mastered to industry standards levels. To get there, mastering engineers, not mix engineers, are using brickwall limiters to increase RMS. These limiters introduce distortion and totally destroy the dynamics. These limiters are not used on the files used for cutting the vinyl master. This is why CDs stink. The files used for vinyl are far better sounding.

[@ctal615]

All CD's have material slammed through a brickwall limiter because the level of the audio needs to be professionally competitive, even past the loudness wars there are still standards. Brickwall limiters are taken off for vinyl masters because it sounds far better and if not it would overheat most cutting heads and take up too much space on the lacquer/vinyl

[@ctal615]

Hope that info helps.

[@curtisscott9251]

Most obvious is that a CD can impersonate vinyl. That is - a CD can store a recording made from a vinyl record & anyone who listens to the recording could be told that they were listening to vinyl & nobody would be the wiser. The reverse cannot be said. If somebody is being told they're listening to a CD when it's a vinyl pressing of a "CD"; -As soon as the pops, ticks & lack of dynamic range become audible - the charade would end. The fact that a CD can mimic the 1st 20khz of a vinyl signal eliminates any criticism of the Cd being inferior to vinyl.

[@audioarkitekts]

Never really thought of it from that angle. Very nice work! 👌

[@dtz1000]

It will sound unnatural on a CD because real musical instruments emit ultrasonic frequencies above 20khz. So you need those as well otherwise it will not be as pleasurable to listen to.

[@serg2963]

@@dtz1000 Ultrasonics the human ear cannot hear anyway?

[@jhna314]

I doubt there are frequencies above 20khz. And even if.. nobody cares

[@dtz1000]

​@@jhna314 Frequencies on vinyl have been measured up to 60khz compared to only a maximum of about 20khz for CD. But you are right that most people do not care because of ignorance.

[@dylanlabiak]

I’ve been a strictly vinyl only guy since the early 90s. But As the price of new and used vinyl has soared, the hunt has really lost it’s appeal. So lately I’ve started to cheat on my record collection with CDs. I gotta agree with this video. You can’t deny the advantages of CDs.

[@hollowillusion4732]

Totally Agree! CDs is the best format ever. LONG LIVE CDS 💿💿👍👍👍👍

[@dtz1000]

Except that the ultrasonic frequencies that are present in real instruments have all been chopped off on CDs. These frequencies are still present on vinyl.

[@sergegirard5607]

A few years ago, I gave away my CD collection thinking I was done with the medium. Now, I'm starting to regret it as I have a renewed interest in this format. I recently got a turntable to enjoy the vinyls, but this is now a crazy world with lots of people trying to cash in on this format. I do stream music from a platform and I'm happy with the possibility of having access to millions of recordings. However, like you're presenting, the pride of ownership still remains, which will possibly end up for me by getting a new CD Transport to reignite my passion for music through older mediums. Thank you for the video. Very informative!

[@dtz1000]

You don't need CDs. Just get Flac files of the music and it will be the same. 320 kbps MP3 is fine too.

[@freeman10000]

To annwer the question CD's are unquestionably better than vinyl records.

[@afistfulofpimples1745]

There is no such word as 'annwer'

[@blahblahblah6]

I must give vinyl one advantage, the size of the graphics and inserts. To me, it feels like the cover art and inserts were intended to be vinyl sized. On cds, it feels like they're squeezed. They're not as impactful. Vinyl sized, they feel artistic. Cd sized, they feel like they're simply there to convey information. That's just my subjective opinion, of course.

[@ferghalicious1480]

I like the whole idea of sitting down and getting ready to listen to a vinyl, but in practice it’s something I rarely ever do because there’s just too many distractions. I actually end up absorbing music best when I’m driving or even just sitting in the car, so CDs are definitely the most suitable physical format for my listening habits.

[@karaloca]

CD was a fantastic step in physical format. Small and compact as the name suggests, fairly cheap compared to vinyl and capable,of lasting years without any loss of quality. The format was so good for the customer the companies Don;t want us to have it. They would rather you ‘rent’ your music via streaming or pay for way overpriced vinyl. Only dummies and hipsters buy vinyl. I would recommend anyone who loves physical media to jump into collecting CDs whilst they are still affordable.

[@materiaisdeestudos9219]

Nobody has ever been able to convince me that vinyl sounds better than CDs.

[@freeman10000]

Compact Discs do sound better than vinyl records, always have. For the record (pun intended)I collect both formats. Vinyl is for nostalgia, ritual and mellow sounds; CD's are for sonic quality.

[@groofoot]

I convinced myself that vinyl sounds worse than CDs 8-)

[@MrAnton0613]

@@freeman10000 me too!

[@martinmullen71]

I love vinyl and I also love CDs, I have to say it is much easier and quicker to put a CD on, and all the tracks are on one side no getting up and turning your vinyl over when you’re halfway through listening. I don’t stream, because I love the physical media of vinyl and CDs.

[@Bozlee22]

I love my 800 CD, SACD, DVD-A, BLU RAY AUDIO collection. I do have some audiophile records (cut from Analog Tape), and I really enjoy their sound But I mostly listen to my well mastered CDs or High-Res Audio from my Hard drive. The biggest issue with CDs is that after late 90’s they mostly have crushed dynamics and suffer from what is known as LOUDNESS wars. So choosing the correct pressing is crucial. You can do this by searching on line and find the best version of the CD you want. Don’t just buy a CD without researching it.

[@audioarkitekts]

I did an entire video dedicated to the catastrophic Loudness Wars, check it out!

[@verdeazul333]

Local libraries have cd's that were pressed in the 80's and 90's. I borrow them and rip them as lossless into my hard drive at home.

[@davidalexander_93]

Great content man! I have had this discussion with my dad many times, he prefers vinyl over CD's. I collect both but I do prefer CD's over vinyl too for the same reasons as you do.

[@audioarkitekts]

Thank you so much David!

[@Brian-qg8dg]

Why bother with CD when you can easily stream? And you can download or record straight from streaming.

[@audioarkitekts]

@@Brian-qg8dg pride of ownership.

[@davidalexander_93]

​@@Brian-qg8dg Well the satisfaction of owning a physical copy of an album is something I really enjoy. You do not get that from streaming, plus there is a lot of music which is only available on physical media. I grew up collecting CD's, and I love it.

[@blahblahblah6]

​@Brian-qg8dg two words, permanence and control. In the 70's a singer named John Stewart had a hit with a song called "gold". Stevie Nicks sang backup. For some reason, the streaming services don't have the original. They have a version Stewart did when he was much older. His voice is very different. The backup singer sounds a bit like Stevie Nick's. But it's not her. The newer version is still pretty good. But, I like the original better. Again, the original isn't on the streaming services. But, I still have it on CD. The powers that be can't simply decide that the newer one is the one I have to listen to.

[@Beefnhammer]

Vinyl can sound very good, but anyone who thinks it sounds better than CD's (or any modern digital format for that matter) is delusional. CD's have unfortunately allowed producers to get away with horrendous overly compressed mixes that would never be playable on a vinyl disc, but that's not the CD's fault. At some point in time, loudness and compression became the biggest priority in audio engineering and it sucks.

[@ozzlayer]

I am a CD guy....since 1994. I collect only the music I like and I totally enjoy opening a CD, reading the booklet and admiring the art behind it. I prefer CDs over digital streaming, and i fkng hate ads. I dont have that problem. The only thing I like about streaming is that I can listen an album before I decide to purchase a CD or not. Hail Black Metal 🤘💀🤘

[@SugarSista820]

Hey you're like me 🤘🏾😎

[@Matt-fs1yy]

Fun fact: there's a hidden track on Full Moon Fever when Tom Petty says "hello CD listeners: if you were listening to a record or cassette, you would have to get up and change the side. In fairness to those listeners, we'll pause [long pause] -thank you, here's side 2".

[@WhitneyHouston4eva1]

This debate will go on for years. I started off buying vinyl in the 70s and continued through to the early 90s. When vinyl stopped being released, I moved onto cassettes as they were cheaper than cds at the time. I've been buying cds for over 20 years and will continue to do so until they stop producing them. The thing is a lot of people tend to stream these days. The argument on that on be cds and vinyl take up space in your home and streaming doesn't. I tried Spotify and can't get on with it. Will always prefer physical media.

[@BleakVision]

Spotify can't even sortiert albums by original release date, it's beyond ignorant of any library management. Disgusting.

[@rft2001]

Yes, streaming is just renting music. I want to own it. Music could disappear off of streaming platforms for various reasons. It could also be censored.

[@santamototla]

🤫 Say no more. If people realize it, vinyl records will depreciate and CD's will increase their price, so... we will spend more money buying our CD's.

[@igalaviz]

Why is that even a Question? CD is technically way better... But, you might like the Vynil experience better, it's just a preference!!!

[@jamesisaac7684]

It's not the Vinyl themselves but the content in them. Loudness Wars had ruined modern music.

[@graemeknowles1431]

CDS rule. Love them. Will always purchase Compact Discs as my music format.

[@christopheri79]

Perfect :-)

[@marianochvro]

I have both, CDs and Vinyl and in my experience not only does it depend on mastering cuts but also the kind of music. Jazz is miles away better in vinyl but Classical and Metal Rock are the opposite. I got rid of my classical records and are been replaced with CDs but no way I would do that to my jazz collection. Great video tho 😂

[@AlexandruBurda]

I have all my jazz muzic collection on CDs and it sounds wonderful. And for the arguments presented in the video and more I could say that it is light-years away better on CD (especially the pure sound, no distracting noises and the fantastic crisp sound stage - you can literally "see" every instrument with your ears). But also because I just like more to listen it that way. So in the end it is also a question of what we like and prefer. 🙂

[@marianochvro]

I have a few titles I can compare and no.. yet some are nice and clean on CD, the sound of the instruments are benefited by those imperfections of vinyl, or at least are miles away better to my ears. You may wanna try and do the comparison too 🙃

[@AlexandruBurda]

@@marianochvro I agree that some instruments, like saxophone (and wind instruments in general) used for jazz music might sound better on vinyl records due to the rolled off highs. On CD they tend to sound stronger and brighter, maybe a bitt exaggerated sometimes. When listening to Stan Getz albums for example I do feel this way sometimes. But for piano, drums or guitar, I strongly feel that they do sound way better on CD because of those details that are lost on vinyl and lack of distortion (wow especially). Again, in the end is a question of taste. And taste it is not debatable. 🙂

[@freiheit3566]

I tend to agree. It all depends to some degree on master source. I tend towards jazz on vinyl and classical (which really demands wider dyn range) on CD…preferably SACD

[@danmartinez5502]

You are correct about how Jazz and this is the best time to buy reissued Jazz albums. No other time in the last 40 plus years has there been so many great albums released on vinyl. Tone Poet and Classic series and Analog Productions are selling out .

[@artmanjohn2]

I like both mediums, I recently hooked up my turntable again, it's been around 30 years since I had it operational. Back in the late 70s into the early to mid to late 80s, I bought almost all the MFSL 1/2 Speed recording they released, at least the one I liked, and really was into the whole scene. Just my needle and cartridge was around 350.00 bucks, even way back then. Then the CD came along and I jumped into it totally, I bought all the gold CDs, MFSL, CBS master sound, etc. that came along later, I'm an audiophile at heart. So the last time I moved in the early 90s I just didn't set up my turntable. I was glad that music on CDs were in a medium that was tick and pop free. Now, recently I set up my turntable once again to see what all the fuss was about and realized how much I missed playing albums. I like touching them, cleaning them, just all the stuff you got to do to play music! The bottom line is , it's just a lot of fun playing LPs. Now as far as the sound, I basically just bough LPs that were audiophile recordings. I've compared my MFSL LPs vs MFSL ULTRADISC CDs and I have to admit on some albums they sound better on Vinyl to my ears and on some they sound better on CD, and a few I couldn't tell the difference. Now here's the deal breaker, I had a DVD-Audio Player that plays in 24bit and nothing compares to the sound quality, period. Of course it depends on the mastering but the best medium out there are on DVD-A and SACD players. Unfortunately, I chose the DVD Audio over the SACD player, it seems that the SACD player is the dominate player in the market for music available for purchase. The second time in my life I chose wrong in a players format. Back in the early VCR days I bought a Stereo BETA VCR Player over the Stereo VHS VCR player. Technically, the Beta was superior and a better designed machine, but through marketing and the powers that be the VHS became the dominate format! Anyways, I got both CD and LP formats set up and I enjoy them both! I got the best of both worlds, plus a DVD Audio player!

[@NickFortier]

I have some vinyl. But cds are the best. Period:)

[@gregmarcus3064]

My system is modern. I play vinyl, CDs, and streaming. From my experience, CDs are a little bit better in sound dynamics over streaming. Vinyl is third. Here comes the big BUT. I enjoy them all depending on my mood at the moment. We should all just enjoy that piece of music at the moment. A good audiophile system is all you need and the entry to the hobby is not that expensive anymore. Just enjoy the music.

[@LockheedTutorials]

I agree. Ruined my vinyl collection just because they were accidentally stored in heat. Way too fragile and doesn't sound as good as CD.

[@brettgoyne9761]

Mike, thanks, good article. I collect both CDs and vinyl and play both through a good system. An important thing you missed mentioning is the 'noise wars' which severely restricted CDs dynamic range for many years and means they dont reach their specified potential.

[@audioarkitekts]

Thanks for the support Brett. I have a whole other video on the Loudness Wars. You should check it out!

[@audioaficionado9494]

CDs superior technical potential was wrecked by the loudness wars and poor recordings due to lousy mastering and mixing. Vinyl is harder to max out VU levels like CDs. I prefer CDs for a lot of convenience and sound quality factors compared to vinyl. I also prefer discrete solid state electronics to tubes for similar reasons. However I like both vinyl and CDs if they are high quality recordings. Same with the various components of my reproduction chain.

[@audioarkitekts]

I did a video a few weeks ago on the Loudness Wars. Sad period of time for music in general.

[@audioaficionado9494]

@@audioarkitekts unfortunately the loudness wars are still ongoing. Quality tops quantity so I can be very selective and not waste lots of money or even more valuable time.

[@audioaficionado9494]

I got a new one for a very reasonable price.

[@cjay2]

@@audioarkitekts 'period'? Hey dude, it's still ongoing as of 2024. Rip a CD and look at its waveform on any audio editor.

[@manchesterexplorer8519]

I've been a Vinyl hardo for the past 6 years or so while listening at home and stream at work . I recently picked up a nice pair of vintage A/D/S L810 speakers about 1 month ago that are in showroom condition running through my vintage 1985 Yamaha R9 . Long story short I played a few records through the A/D/S speakers and then listened to a few CD's and let's just say the roles have flipped as CD's simply sound better especially through a nice set of speakers . I've compared the same exact artists , songs etc.. between the two and there's no debate listening with my ears anyways . Do I still enjoy Vinyl ? Yes I do as I own about 600 records but the CD sounds better hands down and it's also nice to be able to just hit the back button on a remote to repeat a song . People are getting caught up into the aesthetics of Vinyl records as to also buy them as collectors items as if they're baseball cards or comic books and because they're not cheap people have to claim that Vinyl sounds better using every excuse in the book to justify the cost , but the CD wins hands down as far as sound through my ears . Being born in 1976 I remember listening to a CD for the first time vs Vinyl around 1988 as there's an obvious reason as to why the CD won and took over Vinyl to begin with . With Vinyl prices going through the roof new and used I really haven't been buying Vinyl Records lately . Vinyl is also getting hard to find at thrift stores while CD's are plentiful for $1.99 each as I live a 2 minute walk from a very large and busy " Savers " thrift store so I can at times walk out with 15+ cds that would cost the same as 1 new Vinyl record as this alone is great !!

[@TheNoncritical1]

After comparing music that I own duplicates of in CD and vinyl, I have to admit that I prefer the sound of the same materal in CD over vinyl. I have a considerable collection in both formats, and will likely add to both. However, going forward, I will only add to my vinyl collection if the material isn't available on CD.

[@stephaniebri5837]

I've never understood why people preferred inferior vinyl over the superior CD. Yeah I own a few records just for the collector aspect, album art etc, but I have thousands of CDs and a dozen records.

[@moonytheloony6516]

I'm clearly a bit late to the show regarding this episode but when I read the comment by the channel's creator, I was intrigued enough to watch... This may be a bit wordy like a term paper of which very little will make any sense whatsoever, but at least I warned you the reader in advance...😜 Also the following is my opinion which is all that matters regarding my music. After all, I paid for it. You don't have to agree with me, and I assure you I will get a good night's sleep whether you do or don't agree... Might as well mention some of my gear to create the back drop. Feel free to share what you have. I have a Fluance RT-85 TT with a Sumiko Moonstone cartridge connected to Schiit Mani 2 Phono preamp. Its not McIntosh by any means. but it's not Fisher-Price either. The RT-85 is nothing short of outstanding. It's a lot of bang for your buck. I've got two disc players. The first is an Integra disc changer with a built-in Wolfson DAC. The other is an impractical but FUN Sony 300 CD changer connected to a Schiit Modi 3+ DAC. They both sound fantastic. My speakers and subwoofers are all Definitive Technology. My receiver is Sony STR-ZA3100ES AV receiver. It's my audio beastie that handles everything masterfully. I'll cut right to the chase....I agree with this video. CD's are superior for many reasons. They are more practical and clearly cheaper as of 2023. I've not bought a record for 8 months because the prices are ridiculous. I own roughly 55 albums on vinyl compared to 1,000 CD's. It's not a Smithsonian collection volume-wise but 1,055 combined pieces of physical music media is a lot. Records...it never fails, no matter how careful one is with records, a record will somehow get a scratch bad enough to elicit a loud enough pop or do the permanent skip of death...I've had this happen from time to time. It's not often but it's often enough to remind me that CD's don't have to deal with this nonsense...just sayin' On the flip-side, pun intended, they are a TARDIS of fun to play and be reminded of my earlier years when the world was vinyl & tape only. The warm sound of a record is a comfort food for the ears. CD's generally sound superior no matter the genre. They are cleArly more durable, easier to store. The audio detail is amazing. I know, some say or insist Jazz is better on vinyl. Not to me. It's close though... I'd say it can, at best on average, run about a notch below CD quality which to me is still quite fantastic. I've got several excellent Jazz albums on vinyl but I have 8 times as many on CD. Love 'em both. Ease of use... well yeah, nothing like the beauty of a 6-Disc changer or a Sony 300 CD changer, just press a button and it's a day at the races for me without leaving my recliner. Storage...CD wins this by a landslide. I'm not going to point why... Album Art....this is where records will always reign supreme. Did someone say KISS Destroyer or Rock and Roll Over??? Cash...no not Johnny but the green stuff, you know, currency. TT's, a good quality one at least, aren't cheap. $200 will get you a good brand new one to start with. Used ones can be had for less but used TT's can be a bit tricky. One must be careful. However for $55-$110 clams one can get a good CD changer. Can they be tricky? Sure but not as much as a fully automatic turntable, and used TT's are a tougher to ship than a CD player. More things can be damaged on a used TT during shipping. But that's just me. I love EQ's and I'm glad they're getting a bit more popular again courtesy of Schiit & Bellari. Just thought I'd throw that in there. Cassettes are fantastic as well and are making a comeback much to my surprise but I digress. I love streaming music as well. Why did I share all of that?There is no such thing as a wrong choice for what you prefer as a music source. A quick note about gear. There is no wrong gear or right gear. There is only your gear. And if your gear or a particular piece of kit makes ya happy then it's priceless. Am I an audiophile? I like the Audiophiliac's definition of audiophile...it's accurate in my opinion, so yes I am. If ya disagree, take it up with Steve Guttenberg at his channel. Passions and Passionate people who are very passionate about their passion for music... People are passionate about what they prefer for themselves, however what gets lost in this passion is forgetting that your passions are strictly your own passions. They are not the identical twin governing rule regarding passions for everybody else. We all have different ears, the beauty of this is that these ears are never wrong for ourselves because we own them, but what that also means is that they will never be right 100% of the time on behalf of the remaining 7 billion who live on this planet. This was a fair & honest video that provided evidence to support an opinion based on a finding. This is how critical thinking is done.

[@audioarkitekts]

I love it when my videos can inspire thought and emotion. Thank you for sharing this, and I appreciate your feedback and story. I think you have a winning system. Let me know if there are certain topics or subjects I should tackle, I love feedback! 😀

[@alex9920ro]

CDs are better because of the sound quality and the features they have. They are also more compact, easier to store and you can pause, skip or repeat tracks, something useful you cant do on vinyl.

[@bondgabebond4907]

Great ideo. I, too, would like to see a revival of the CD. I have collected vinyl since the late 60s and have enjoyed them. I've played them to death and in some records, it shows. But I love CDs for the reasons you stated. Just for kicks, I have taken my entire library of 6 The Alan Parsons Project CDs, ripped at a higher bit rate on my PC, copied them to a thumb drive, ran over to my other computer and played the music through one of the cheapest 2.1 speaker systems today, the Klipsch Pro Media 2.1, same speakers connected to my TV. The music sounds absolutely fantastic. Those are exceptional speakers, not only for sound quality, but for the ridiculous price of $130. The CD is very versatile. Oh, I also take this music on the road, playing music in my car via the thumb drive.

[@RealHomeRecording]

I mix music on Klipsch Pro Media speakers!

[@thetruthserum2816]

Thoughts: My first CDs were Steve Miller's Abracadabra album and Genesis Invisible Touch. They still sound the same today as they did back then. I remember the feeling of feeling closer to the master recordings compared to vinyl, and potentially less coloration due to mechanical resonances such as the stylus, tone arm, and other components that may have contributed to resonance. I remember what seemed to be a greater dynamic range and less coloration. Being able to play CD's in the car was also amazing, as tapes were pretty lo-fi with their low dynamic range lower frequency response, and tape hiss and compression. Going forward, maybe we should be releasing Blue Ray Audio sampled at 96KHz for newer digital masters. I'd also like a Blue Ray 256, and an open source 256 track per song playing format where the master tapes could have track isolations so I can listen to each track independently with an open source playback format. (not STEMS, but the original tracks). Then record companies could go back to the master tapes and track bounce them to a format capable of independent playback of 256 tracks. I'd love see this done before master reels start getting lost to the ravages of time. I have a feeling that folks that love vinyl like it because of the nostalgia, prefer the coloration that it provides, and for old school records the "pure analog" idea, as well as the large format artworks, etc... Vinyl is also cool for having been the medium of the DJ and especially the scratch DJ, which used a record player as an actual performance instrument to create entire genres of music using existing records.

[@C0nchis]

I agree. And there is also the fact that I very often listen to music while I drive my car. For a practical reason, the digital format - not just CD but also FLAC or WAV, etc - is more immediate, more accessible. And yet it sounds better, I think.

[@klenchr3621]

Analog requires a great degree of precision in hi fi components. Take cassettes....a 3 head player will usually sound superior that a cheaper version because of components but you have to clean it and keep it in working order.. Then you have to pair it with an amp or quality receiver thats engineered to match or you will get a distorted sound or a sound thats different than your buddy that has the same player. All this applies to vinyl too. Vibrations, tone arm, platter, etc distort sound. So analog is going to be super expensive to get the right mix of gear and all this before you even drop a record on the platter or pop in a cassette....all formats that degrade after the first few plays. Cds have their issues though....disc rot is a thing and will plague our older cds within a decade. Also there is a lot of snake oil regarding CD transports. Seriously we are just moving 1s and 0s...most players with a mid range receiver and speakers will get the job done. With digital, its all about the dac and the speakers.

[@Eddy0042]

I love both Vinyl and CD. Technically there is no contest, CD is superior which is the point of this video. In practice it's a little more complex. I believe that most of the problems were caused by the bad mastering of many CDs (made worse by a desperation in the 90s to get everything on CD to make money). By not mastering properly for CD many CDs are no better, and mostly worse than the master used for vinyl (despite vinyls limitations). Then there's the loudness war (many CDs have been mastered to sound better in the car or on a cheap system because the target audience are not audiophiles and don't own good gear). All of this means that if you're an audiophile, you are right that your vinyl sounds better than CD (you have the gear to hear a good master), but if you're a casual listener your CDs will likely sound way better and are more convenient. BUT if you have the gear, and you have a well mastered CD (good luck) then you will beat vinyl hands down every time. Trouble is many people are not comparing apples and apples and arguing over what the other person hears. Remember the music world is 30% music, 30% engineering/mastering, 30% business, 10% format. You get a great artist, with a great engineer and a good label that doesn't interfere and the format won't make much difference (8-track excluded ;-))

[@anonamouse5917]

When I got my first CD player and played a disc for the first time, I felt like I had a Studer with master tapes in my living room. For the first time my noise floor was so low that I could hear the hiss and dropouts from the master tape! Guests were puzzled by the lack of options. Where's the dolby switch? EQ? Bias? I responded with, "It's beyond the need for those things." In all fairness the first CD players had their outputs set too high and would overload the inputs of cheap amps. Today most have great error correction and SPDIF out.

[@DaveGOfield]

I'm a musician/music nerd and an electronic engineer, so I'm familiar with Nyquist-Shannon theorem, bitrates, signal to noise ratio, DACs and all that jazz... Dude, you can't imagine how many times I've talked with vinyl snobs, bringing up all the issues you pointed out (lack of dynamic range and frequency response, harmonic distortion, etc). It's useless, they're like a cult. They think they have superior ears and can hear stuff us mere mortals can't 😅, all of that while playing their poorly stored LPs, made from digitally mastered albums on the cheapest all-in-one turntable possible. I collect CDs and use a CD transport connected to a DSP system and of all the configurations I've tried so far it gives me the best results. Thanks for the video

[@HelloKitty-x4u6d]

90% of enthusiasts are like that. They can feel the difference between opinion/preferences to facts.

[@izitsomojo]

Yeah! Totally agree. I cant work out why idiots want that dumb ex media? CDs play for 60mins plus, LPs 40, 20mins a side, scratch, warp, cant play in the car, scratchy noise. And LPs do not sound "better". No argument. And look at the prices! I notice now that music artists are releasing cop out albums at 45mins only. The fad will crash and burn, CDs will come back.

[@audioarkitekts]

Agreed. Old vinyl has its collectibility factor but CDs will be the last great physical media medium.

[@barrykrakovsky756]

I doubt you'll be able to end this debate, despite your "facts". I listen to both and prefer the sound of vinyl. For me, there's simply more "there" there than with CDs. You are correct regarding price, convenience, storage and upkeep. If I was a young music enthusiast CDs and streaming would be more practical. And yet, I routinely see twentysomethings in the record store I have been frequenting since 1976. They seem happy buying used and new records while playing them on their $150-$300 turntables. Should I remind them that CDs have better measurements? My use of vinyl as a playback medium is largely a function of age, I'm 63. Ultimately, the music is more important than the medium. And while live music, in the right environment, is preferable, there's something to be said about playing my still pristine copy of John Coltrane's, "Lush Life" (1961) while in my pajamas and at my convenience. This 60-year-old record sounds fantastic. In mono no less. No surface noise. No warping. Just the music. Yes, I had to invest in a cleaning machine. And yes, I have an SME tonearm and a very good cartridge. But still.

[@audioarkitekts]

I thi k you have some great points. Some people just prefer vinyl. However, those young people that you see purchasing these records in droves at your local shop.. Do you think they know what a proper vinyl setup is, or do they even have one? Or are they just there, buying vinyl because that's the "cool" thing to do.... fads are great, every so often they come and go, however I don't want physical media to be a fad that passes. Your generation was and is serious about the ceremony of playing vinyl records and I respect that. How many of these new age kids that treat this like the hackey sack or the fidget Spinner are going to lose interest be because our attention span won't allow for the same ceremony...

[@danmartinez5502]

@@audioarkitekts The so called vinyl fad has been going on since 2014. Vinyl is now outselling CD's. It's mainly the Analog sound , it always wins. If it wasn't that CD now needs a DAC in order to sound good. Vinyl doesn't need tricks to sound good just a decent turntable and a decent amp with some speakers.

[@bimmer100timc]

However CD's have only released about 20-25% of what vinyl has released. Therefore anyone truly wanting a wide range of music will prefer vinyl since it was never released in any better format. I prefer a lot of japanese jazz. and have 2000 albums worth well over 250K however a tiny percentage of them was ever released on CD. I do have a lot of CD's too and love the format but it's massively limited. I prefer vinyl even though it's not most ideal from a technical standpoint. I still love the vinyl pressings and the sound they have. My sound system is ridiculous to say the very least. And both CD and vinyl sound the best they can, yet oddly I still gravitate to vinyl most of the time.

[@audioarkitekts]

Thanks Tim for the awesome feedback. Vinyl will always have a place in the HiFi history books and it's awesome that it has kept analog physical media alive during the digital age! 😀

[@mikechivy]

I’m sorry but, but you don’t have 2000 albums worth “well over $250k”. You’re delusional. Rarely is any album worth over $100 and you’re AVERAGING $125. I’d sell now cause if you’re lucky you’re not going to get HALF that especially if opened. Sorry to say your collection isn’t nearly as valuable as you seem to think. Whatever helps you sleep at night .

[@bimmer100timc]

@@mikechivy maybe safe to assume…. But you are just assuming… don’t be so sure. :) since you have not seen my collection nor likely educated in rare Japanese albums. You would never know anyhow unless you knew me or the albums in this collection. It’s a reasonable guess to think I’m over estimating the value. But the estimate is based on fair market value which the collection had been professionally appraised and fully insured. Just on Discogs, I have some of my collection logged “1300albums approx” and value according to Discogs on these is 162Kusd… I actually had paid a fair some over what the albums are worth. Don’t care, as I collect for music and buy from private collectors and auctions to add to my collection. To be very clear, I don’t collect vinyl for money, I’m passionate about the music. So you saying I should sell now is silly. I’ve turned down insane offers for many albums in my collection as money is not important. Delusional? That’s a bit harsh. How old are you?? 15? I’m a very serious collector of Japanese jazz from 50-80’s primarily 60-70s and have one of the most complete collections of rare sought after albums. No room for filler, only room for killer. Hope you enjoy your music, I don’t appreciate your negative feedback. I do understand you having doubts, but believe your comments to be overly harsh.

[@thefreestylefrEaK]

I agree CD's are better in just about every way (12,000 piece collection here). But I do enjoy vinyl (grew up with it) and encourage anyone to listen to whatever medium they appreciate.

[@jamesisaac7684]

​​@@poppunk-z7d5kdidn't you read the last comment? IT'S just prefrences. Vinyl are more beautiful and is superior from aesthetics POV. CD looks and feels like a plastic toy.

[@HorsepowerAddiction]

I love vinyl from a DJ prospective. I love mixing vinyl. However I agree that CD has the better sound. When they first came out I bought some CD's that I had on vinyl and the CD version sounded heaps better. Cleaner. You could hear instruments, drums and hi hats, much clearer and the bass was heaps more. You could hear lower bass tones plus the upper bass was punchier and the voices midrange stood out more too. Those days, music was recorded beautifully. Nice and clear. Today recordings are atrocious and muffled which even makes those old cd's sound heaps better than today's flac files. I don't know why these sound engineers all don't produce clear sounding music anymore. Sure, it's louder and bass heavier, but the quality is not there. It's muffled. Especially electronic dance music. I love trance but the recordings are terribly mastered as an example.

[@stighenningjohansen]

My first CD player was a Philipa CD 303, today I listen to Spotify Premium. My equipment is a SONY 50W midi rack, a 500W class D 15in sub and Dali stereo speakers. And then I put a CD in in it, pressed Play, and it was a shock. Was years since I listened to a CD,. Now I was shocked, must be the best sound format ever. Was a very big difference from streaming..

[@ClarenceEwing]

This is a very good video you have here. I would add one more thing about physical media vs. streaming: It's probably my age, but I still find the idea of having to either pay a fee each month to hear the songs I like and/or sit through commercials when I'm listening to songs morally abhorrent. Whether it's Vinyl or CDs, buy it, take it home, listen as many times as you want, because it's YOURS. Also, there are examples of poorly mastered CDs and poorly mastered vinyl everywhere. HOW the music was put on the medium matters as much as WHICH medium is being used. I feel like that doesn't get discussed enough.

[@blastfromtheeast]

CDs are always better sounding than vinyl, easier to handle, less costly, don't wear down with time, great format to build a large collection in a short time, outputs far less player to player sound variation, negligible noise, high SNR, . . . Need I say more??

[@audioarkitekts]

Exactly right

[@thomasward00]

I agree 100%, this was settled in the 1980's.....

[@vagabond197979]

I don't know if I could pick between vinyl and CD but as I get older and more crotchety the convenience of CDs is becoming a bigger factor. Also, for classical music CDs are almost always superior for me. There is so much more quiet time between instruments and each little pop or click just ruins the experience. It needs to sound CLEAN.

[@mrhbsaucepunkrocknewwavevi7946]

I first started buying vinyl in the mid 1970's, loved the feel, the sleeve and inners. Started buying CD's in the mid 1980's and loved the sound on that too although you do miss the downsize feel of CD's to vinyl LP's. 1990's came the mini disc and may fave format. You can delete tracks and put on new one's, editing is brilliant and you can name the tracks but again not great when you make up your own mini discs and can't make up a cover like you could if making your own CDR's. Quality of mini discs are amazing. I'd make up mini discs for listening at work (was a postal worker) and record them in LP mode and get double the time so 160mins on a 80min disc and couldn't hear the loss in quality (well to my ears anyhow). Loads of my vinyl was rare so sold it all for stupid money so it's job done. Respect people who love their vinyl just like me but digital for me and don't have to get up to turn it over at our later stage of life.

[@slipwagon7944]

I prefer the sound of vinyl but I like CDs too. I feel both formats compliment each other with their strengths and weaknesses.

[@Mariofans-gn1lu]

cds were made for a movie player and tv to sound good sir

[@beastoid2492]

I mainly get what I can find cheaper lol. If the Vinyl is $.50 while the CD is $1, then I’ll get the Vinyl. If the Vinyl is $70 while the CD is $5, I’ll get the CD.

[@aaronjoley4491]

And here I thought only vinyl enthusiasts were snobbish in their defense of their preferred music listening format. Turns out I was mistaken. I like both formats and utilize them both. This fella, in defense CD’s rivaled the arrogance of vinyl snobs in the first three minutes….which is when I tuned out and commented. Carryon without me. Cheers!

[@danmoss388]

The cd is flawless, it doesn’t get its sound effected by a speck of dust . I’ve got CDs older than work colleagues that sound as good as the day they were made . I’ve had vinyl that skips from its first play .

[@audioarkitekts]

Couldn't agree more

[@moodlefyful]

I enjoy both formats...and it's definitely good to chill and enjoy the music whilst not connected to the internet...the cost difference between both is crazy...because of this I may pick up the CD version of an album instead of the vinyl version, a good example would be the last Iron Maiden album..new to the channel and it's enjoyable to get a different insight...subscribing from Ireland!

[@Brian-qg8dg]

Why bother with CDs, when steaming or downloading is practically free? And you can record streaming contact too, you will have the most recent remastered version with all the extra tracks etc etc. I believe you can stream or download at a higher resolution tha CD. So again, why bother with CD?

[@Brian-qg8dg]

@@moodlefyful again, why use a physical means if the sound is freaking same? Makes absolutely no sense

[@shadouk6737]

I don't doubt the specs of CDs, I still play and collect them, but many of the older analogue albums still sound much warmer than those recorded digitally. I have a 1969 near mint pressing of The Beatles Abbey Road and it is still one of the best sounding recordings that I've heard on any format. No loss of sound quality on this 1969 pressing which has been payed countless times. I still have an old Pioneer PD7010 CD player from 1985 that makes CDs sound warmer than a more recent player I own. I think at the end of the day, if an album has been expertly recorded, produced and mastered, then it will sound fab on any format.

[@takeiteasy6154]

Vinyl wears after repeated playing and Abbey Road album does not have the high frequencies of the instruments. Hence the sound distortion is kept low because its upper end and sibliance that distort with vinyl.

[@shadouk6737]

@@takeiteasy6154 I don't have Abbey Road on CD to compare it with this original pressing but it sounds immense to my ears and alive. Whilst CDs are crisp and clean, they lack the bottom end which is why I suspect people spend so much money on vinyl - it feels like a live experience.

[@takeiteasy6154]

@@shadouk6737 I know what you mean, it's to do with eq done before cutting and distortion inherent to vinyl , if you digitise this to pcm, you won't notice the difference, nothing wrong with the cd medium, there is a bass lift around the 70hz area in vinyl that gives the bottom end more punch. Just my thoughts.

[@Rock-Pirate]

I went from cassettes to CD's back in the early 80's. See no reason to change. Perfect sound forever! If I want that warm analog sound, I'll put two pillows over my speakers.

[@audioarkitekts]

Couldn't agree more 👏

[@Rock-Pirate]

@@audioarkitekts Glad to share your opinion! Have a great day! ☠️🏴‍☠️

[@beetlebum7760]

Do you really think that so many people would like to listen to vinyl records if they sounded that muffled? Sure, there are vinyl releases where that's actually true, 70s reissues of Steely Dan LPs come to mind. But if your vinyl release is well-produced, e.g. like the Blue Note Classic Series, it sounds just as crisp and clear as the CD version.

[@takeiteasy6154]

Absolutely true, unless it's mastered well and you have a decent set up for vinyl. I would not repeat play vinyl as it does degrade.

[@batmanbatman6299]

Well said! Vinyl lovers trust their imagination more than science!

[@audioarkitekts]

Yes they definitely do

[@PedroCaminoMUFC]

@@audioarkitekts Placebo effect.

[@JerryWCarman]

I didn't just come up with my opinion lately. It's been about 40 years, and CDs are far superior than vinyl.

[@starker1971]

I want to share an experiment. Note, I haven't began to address the potential of more modern CD playing equipment with better DACs or separate DAC equipment. Table is Kenwood KD-4100. Cartridge is a Shure R47xt with an upgraded stylus. Shure N-70EJ stylus made by JICO 0.3 x 0.7 elliptical diamond tip for high fidelity Made in Japan, genuine JICO stylus with each stylus quality inspected & sound tested Lightweight aluminum alloy cantilever 1.5 - 3.0 g tracking force I did a test where I used my iFi Zen Phono pre amp fed into the RCA switch device. (also repeated with the Schiit Mani 2) RCA inline attenuator that I use to match up the pre levels of differing inputs. The other input was a Onkyo DX C-100 5 CD changer. Downstream is a Sansui 2000 feeding JBL Studio 590 with easy switching to Klipsch RP-8000F II I was listening to Side 1 of Toto IV comparing to the same on CD in the Onkyo. With pre level as matched as well as I could get them and the media matched in timing.. I performed A B switching between CD and LP The highs of the CD did sound much clearer than the LP with the LP sounding somewhat muffled. LP did seem to have a thicker bass characteristic, but that could be an emphasizing effect due to lack of highs. I know I will likely bet better results with a better cartridge. I am considering going to MC design. I have some doubts this additional upgrading will be highly beneficial. As mentioned before, I haven't began to compare this to better CD transports and DACs. Vast savings, and benefits of convenience will result when stopping the LP rabbit hole. This would be in favor of directing that money towards more CD library, with better sounding, more cowbell.

[@allthatchas]

With regard to the sound, I absolutely agree. However, there are two things I like better in LPs. First, the covers. Having an LP cover in my hands gives me more pleasure than the small CD covers. And the vulnerable plastic cases for CDs should never have become a standard. I am bewildered that after 40 years of CDs, they still come in these cases. Aargh! Second, the shorter duration of play. When I was young and there were no CDs yet, I hardly ever played the two sides of an album consecutively. After 20 minutes of something, I craved for something else. And I really listened to these 20 minutes. With the advent of CDs it became common to fill the medium to capacity. However, to listen to the same music for 70+ minutes makes it much harder to keep listening intensely, and to really appreciate all the songs. Nevertheless, I nowadays play CDs much more often than my vinyl collection, because they are so easy to use.

[@ColtLuger]

I use, and love both formats, one thing to note about CDs is that, in the last 20 years a lot of CDs, especially remasters are brickwalled causing a very big impact on dynamic range. I have many original CDs from the 80's, and, although I have turn turn the dial up higher, the sound is more natural and less tiring to listen to than remasters. This of course is not a fault in the technology, but rather a dubious attempt to trick the listener into believing the CD sounds more, lets say, energetic. I'd like to know your thoughts.

[@jeffl915]

I am familiar with all of the pro’s and con’s of both formats. For myself, there is no collectibility with the cd, and I own hundreds. When it comes to sound quality, I think mastering has everything to do with it. I own many records that sound better than cd, and CD’s that sound better than vinyl. Personally, I do not find taking care of my records a chore. Once in a while, I run them through my VPI machine, and they are good for quite some time. I also have records from high school, that still sound great, and have little or no surface noise. With a decent cartridge and needle setup, a record can last a lifetime, without developing surface noise. When I want to totally listen to music for convenience, I just stream, no turntable or CD player needed. I also own a reel to reel deck, and that format is by far the best sounding, Especially the 7 1/2 ips recordings. Anyway, enjoy your music how ever you like, it’s meant to be listened to.

[@dannyroberts4593]

Best comment. Enjoy the music and dont get sucked into "the industry war" MASTERING is key!!

[@DianaSusanti]

Actually as an early Gen-Z, I'm more inclined with CDs after all, as I grew up with CD more. For me, vynil is strange format for me because I'm not familiar with it. I have some cassettes too but I'm not too familiar with it as well. For audio, of course CD are superior. Even if my desired album still available on the market, I will chasing it down. Because honestly, even though there's iTunes that sure after purchasing digital files will be mine, but CD have superior audio than iTunes or any digital music store.

[@Joe-ny2up]

My brother-in-law has become a supreme middle-aged suburban vinyl cork-sniffer the last 3 years but he has the most heartless, unoriginal, boring, cliche vinyl collection ever. Oh wow, Michael Jackson? Fleetwood Mac? Taylor Swift? Adele? Led Zeppelin? Billy Joel? Prince? It's ok.... I guess, but also kind of embarrassing. Over 100 records and not one you haven't heard of, not one shred of a unique stamp. I am not cool because I have probably 1,000 cds, but I also have a soul.

[@garyolshan4177]

I just bought a state of the art Gold Note 1000 CD plalyer and was blown away by the soundscapte, detali and separtion. You are right, the sound was superior to my recoreds

[@BryanRuby]

I have a nice life-time collection of vinyl records, cassette tapes, and CDs...and I enjoy them all. I wasn't much impressed with the quality of streaming music (mainly lossy MP3) until the emphasis in lossless Hi-Res music (prefer FLAC) of late. If you're going to make the argument that CDs are better than vinyl, there can be easily a lot said that Hi-Res music is better than CDs. I think it really comes down to what the current generation of music listeners think is cool at the moment. My teenage son loves vinyl records, streaming is acceptable to him, and that CDs are lame. He unfortunately equates to the time he listened to CDs which was toddler and children music where I equate CDs to my 20s listening to hard rock and alternative music. Enough of his friends are into vinyl that it's part of their culture now. Their enthusiasm for vinyl in turn prompted me a few years ago to take my vinyl records out of the closet (been there for 20 years) and buy a new turntable. Honestly, I don't care what format someone is using to listen to music...as long as they're appreciating the music. The format that excites you enough to listen to the music over others is the better format.

[@takeiteasy6154]

I think this is about how faithful is the master recording at home.

[@raspeaker3941]

Thank you for your clear-minded and common-sense commentary that is rooted in facts! You make several excellent points, but I believe the one MOST overlooked is groove wear. I bought, for example, an early pressing of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" that was owned by a musician who had just passed away and had taken great care of his records while he lived. There is hardly a scratch on the record, and I carefully but thoroughly cleaned it. Nevertheless, it has poor sound quality due to years of groove wear -- just like many other older records I have from classic artists (though I will say my brand new "Kind of Blue" LP by Miles Davis sounds amazing). It seems to me that people my age (late 60s) embrace vinyl out of nostalgia, while younger people embrace it out of novelty (I even know some who are seeking out audio cassettes and who even seem to prefer VHS to Blu-ray video for this novelty factor). I am a true audiophile who just wants to enjoy the music I want to hear when I want to listen to it. My CD collection provides this enjoyment (and yes, I have a high-end turntable and cartridge).

[@freiheit3566]

Prepping vinyl before playing, I consider it more of a ritual than ceremony😉

[@audioarkitekts]

A ritual that is appreciated by many and I totally respect that.

[@lonniepaulson7031]

Thanks for the objective truth. That's all that counts. I play the violin and viola. I have a collection of classical music. The stringed instruments sound so much better on CD. I believe a CD is the closest recording to live music. I will continually buy CDs. THANKS for your video

[@domizidor]

Hey guys, I just discovered this channel cause I´ve been searching some info about cd´s/hi-fi etc. Speaking about this, Im huge fan of listening music and musician (but I do not consider myself to be audiophile) and beginner in collecting vinyls. I always wanted to have turntable and all music I love on vinyls. So I get turntable at some point and began. And right now in last month maybe, after two years Im bit in crisis with this. Cause there are things which annoy me. First and foremost I quickly found vinyl nowadays is expensive. As a regular person who wants to reach 100+ albums should pay 30-50 euros per vinyl? thats a lot considering CD is usually 8-15. Than quality of pressings varies. A lot. So sometimes Im so stoked about some album and than, I´m dissapointed or angry. For example pressing of Kiwanuka album with same name is absolutely horrible with lots of distortion or even scratch loop (tried two, they were dead same). So quality of sound is sometimes like lottery. And than, dust issues, turntable service. I dont have any expensive system here, just decent entry stuff. And recently I tried David Bowie´s next day which I love, and have both vinyl and CD and they sounded different. I had to put treble down for cd... With this particular album I like it more on vinyl. It just got great midrange. But maybe you can get that with cd player and tube receiver. I dont know. But its not just about technology I think. People often dont realize its first and foremost about sound engineer/producer who actually record album and than people around master version for vinyl. Just simple decision to put your album on vinyl doesnt make it sound great. If its shit, vinyl wont make it better. So it varries from album to album, and Im not sure for if its worth it. So I will buy some cd player and will buy some albums on CD´s too. Maybe more on CD´s than vinyl... this was too long, sorry :)

[@adamwilson1691]

As a long time collector/listener of both vinyl and cd, I can honestly say the cd wins this argument hands down.

[@audioarkitekts]

Couldn't agree more!

[@splintercast8092]

Also, CDs benefit from the fact that you don't have to turn them over half way through your album. It's akin to having to stop for advertisements half way though a TV programme.

[@manchesterexplorer8519]

It's also a plus to simply press the back button to repeat a song that you want to hear again . Also many artists will have only 2 good songs on an album and it can be torture listening to filler songs on a record at times but with a CD you can skip directly to the 2 good songs .

[@Jaezon]

I remember when CD's started to take over Vinyls, and everyone was going on about how incredible the sound quality was compared to Vinyl. Information at the time was also provided to educate people on the improvements to sound that CD's contained.

[@Andrew.G.Junior]

I have to admit I totally agree with Mike. CDs are more durable than vinyl and sometimes the clear sound without all the popping and surface noise is just better for everday music listetning. And I am saying it as a vinyl collector ha. To put it this way: some music sounds better on CD and some sounds more organic and warmer on a good quality vinyl. And there is the equipment factor as well, so it really depends on what hifi system you are using. So after all it is really a matter of personal preference. I collect both formats as they are giving me a much more genuine listening experience than any low-quality over-compressed streming formats. In my honest opinion. :)

[@audioarkitekts]

That's a great balance and outlook on audio. I don't despise vinyl, at the moment it's really keeping physical media alive. I just want the CD to have its day too lol 😆

[@Andrew.G.Junior]

@@audioarkitekts I agree 100% my friend. This entire 'vinyl vs cd issue' is bulls..t in my opinion too. Listen to whatever format you prefer, embare the music, support the artist - this is how I see it.

[@alexg4284]

I recently got back into physical media, started with vinyl as it seemed like the “done thing”. Didn’t like the faff. Then remembered the wonderful CD. I grew up in the 90s when CDs were king. Got myself an atoll CD200 and absolutely love interacting with it. Gives me that record feeling but with much less hassle

[@machavez00]

I recently bought a Sony UBP X700 4K player. I was pleased to discover it plays SACDs. My first purchase was the Analogue Productions SACD of Pink Floyd’s Animals 2018 remix. It sounds amazing. I’m sure you know of The In Groove here in Phoenix. That is where I bought it. The owner did a video on how there is 40% defect rate on the vinyl copies at his store. 40%! BTW, I have over 250 CDs since ditching vinyl in the 1980’s. I don’t remember what I did with my turntable or LPs, they might be in barn at my mother’s house.

[@williemclean3224]

What I listen to depends on my mood at the time. I have CD’s that sound good and some not so good. I have records that Sound good snap crackle pop and some audio file records that are expensive that are dead quiet. I stream music, I listen to CD’s and SACD’s. It all depends on what I feel like listening to at the time, oh yes and the Cold Coronas help.

[@pow9606]

I'm wondering whether copyright worries is the difference. ProTools has the capability to reliably record up to a 32-bit depth and up to a 192kHz. I am wondering whether recordings at studios are made at much higher quality than CD then downsampled to 44.1k for CD. Maybe vinyl gets the full master audio file converted to analogue and not the 44.1k CD file. The reason is that vinyl is difficult to copy and reuse to create other music.

[@audioarkitekts]

Hmmm... I think you are on to something here! 🤔

[@HelloKitty-x4u6d]

3:07 Vwestlife did test that theory and it's heavily exaggerated. Ut does loss it but it's absolutely munuscy, almost impeccable

[@AlexGledhill237]

CDs are cheaper, you can listen to an album without having to turn them over, you can put multiple CDs on shuffle, and can play them in the car. They are also more resistant to damage than vinyl.

[@DougMen1]

I gave up the hassles of setup and maintenance of turntables, cartridges, and albums decades ago and I'll never go back, and that isn't even talking about the increased storage space required, which is impossible in my tiny one room studio apartment. In more than 30 years I've had only one CD begin to skip, and all it took was a shot of Windex to fix it. When the CD format first appeared an album cost $6 and a CD was $15. Well, today CDs are still $15 or less, and albums are $20 or more!

[@JALC-x]

I think comparing CDs and records is unfair in a way since they deliver the audio entirely differently; digital audio is objectively superior to analogue in terms of performance. with that being said when you compare them for the cost of an album, the cost of entry for a decent setup and the ease of use, CDs win for sure. I think the only way to really win when collecting music is deciding what albums you want first, and then which of those you want to experience on vinyl for the more intimate feeling or which of those you want to prioritise the fidelity with a CD player. of course with CDs avoiding the overhyping issue of records they're still dirt cheap so it's very possible to just buy 2 copies of an album which is what I've been doing, but there is always choice and it's never about having to choose a 'team' to be on

[@audioarkitekts]

I think you're absolutely right. It's not about being in different camps, my goal here was to state the obvious as you did here in the comments. I personally own a turntable and a few dozen records. However, I only play them maybe once a year. Digital has just become increasingly convenient. Thank you for the comment and for checking out the video.

[@parkerstange851]

There's nothing like dropping the needle on the record, but I get that cds are more convenient than vinyls. It's ultimately a matter of opinion.

[@3lluminatiii]

Okay, I just came from a video about vinyl vs. cd and I didn't appreciate how they beat around the bush. I understand they wanted to be nice, but it's not what I wanted. I like your straightforward attitude. I feel like the point of vinyl depreciation happening after being played so many times is a great point, because I'm the type who will listen to songs Repeatedly over the course of Years. I'm leaning towards CDs.

[@marcoluca6552]

I would like to take off a curiosity that I have had for many years: with the progress made in the last years of digital and vinyl, if I had a 1800/2200 pound budget, between a Rega Planar 8 turntable and a player in this range like the Technics SL-G700M2 for example, which one would sound better for Pop and Rock music, no classical and no jazz , and no loudness war (only 80/90' music) ? Does a player in this range still sound "digital" ? Does one need a higher budget to hear "analog" like a vinyl in this range ?

[@k9burnouts544]

I Just began to "Love" cds 4 or 5 yrs ago. They always sounded cleaner, but I was not crazy about the packaging . Slowly I came to like the size and with bi-focals I could actually read the liner notes. Even the case protects the cover art and they take up so much less space.

[@davidkornblatt851]

There is CD rot to worry about. There is also the player breakdown on a cd player. Then there is the loudness war of 1995 to now!

[@ROBLOX-1gv7ej2j]

Nah cds better it canplay on the xbox So cd do not rot

[@Libby_290]

No dude cds Do not rot the way better. More easy to use and they Mach dvds movies

[@afistfulofpimples1745]

There is no such thing as a loudness war

[@thedawnoftheblackhearts2745]

Phillips and Sony didn't spend half a billion of dollars to provide the market with something inferior to vinyl.

[@andygilbert1877]

Good point, and DACs have improved vastly since the 1980s.

[@markkasick]

Being a vinyl and reels to reel user before there were cds, I am the last person in the world that thought I would be saying this... most of my listening these days is Apple lossless for 10 bucks (soon $11) a month. I think my CD player sounds better (maybe) but the difference is marginal at best.

[@audioarkitekts]

That's good to hear, the transition from analog to digital has taken away the ceremony but given us convenience. The real question is... is the convenience worth it?

[@markkasick]

@@audioarkitekts I think so, though it’s possible that the cost may steadily rise. I listened to the Buddy Guy biography in my car (books on cd) . Was able to listen to recordings on the fly as he mentioned them. As a result just widened my knowledge of Chicago blues. Pretty cool.

[@predeterminedmeat5024]

I don't know about that. I always thought it was bogus but recently i've been comparing my viynls to cds (trough the same system) and the viynls sound a lot fuller. I don't have a clue why.