Vinyl vs CD: Which One Sounds Better?

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[@PlayerFiveVids]

This video in a nutshell: "CD or Vinyl? Yes."

[@matthewrentz3427]

I don’t understand why all vinyl enthuses like my self wont just admit that: Vinyl is nostalgic and tells a story that CD’s don’t. Its takes us back to a precious time and memory.

[@matthewrentz2227]

@Superrooper Rall I apologize, your just smarter than me. Lol nothing better to do than correct grammar on the tubeyou? Lol.

[@davidkclayton]

Same deal with tube equipment. We're nostalgic to the old fermilure coloration, noise and distortion. You could prove this by a listening test with a panel of people that have not had the old tech experience

[@MegaTroySmith]

Not nostalgic for me💁‍♂️ I just personally like the big packaging and organic analog dynamic range ‼✌😁🎶

[@philipsfanboy6423]

Because some vinyl enthusiasts actually do know what to do to make them sound right.

[@vitorfernandes651]

Because that’s pretentious. I just care about sound quality that’s it.

[@ThatGingerPrick]

It's more about the experience and aesthetic that comes with vinyl for me

[@mercurialmagictrees]

morganjholt yeah it's certainly an important quality that inspired me to listen to classic rock music on the original format.

[@MarkTillotson]

Well that's a very real thing - I've been refurbishing my old Dual turntable in order to listen again to some dub reggae I only have on LP, but going against the vinyl experience is the polution of the music with clicks and surface noise (which is very noticable in dub it turns out, directly detracting from the music wheras its practically unnoticable with rock guitar!) My suspicion is that surface noise on the lead-in groove evokes a Pavlovian response of anticipation, would be interesting to make a device to emulate this for other formats and see if that's a strong effect.

[@xxsaruman82xx87]

Absolutely

[@edjim4238]

Yeah right.... Just like watching a Betamax music video, instead of a 4K digital HDR version. "the experience" BS

[@Jaburu]

you guys should go Laserdisc. best of both worlds lol

[@getnorgetout9425]

I have a 20-year-old CD that still sounds flawless and crisp

[@Badassvidsz]

I have Dave Weckl's the Master Plan 1991 release and buy and still sounds the same like the 1st day actually now sounds better because i have better CD player Actually the CDs has no problem no matter how many times you'll play them since of course you treat them good like no scratching them e.t.c They have no friction to deteriorate them unlike tapes & LPs have

[@amanor409]

Moon Shine I had a cheap CD player about 25 years ago that you could hear the disk spin in the player. When I eventually upgraded my player it did sound a lot better because of the insulation on the player itself.

[@sabbathbloodysabbath3351]

@Moon Shine It's about what kind of speakers u use. If the speaker is better, the sound will be better as well.

[@sabbathbloodysabbath3351]

@Moon Shine that is correct. I was only referring to difference in sound quality caused by the speakers you use.

[@bkkersey93]

I have the vinyl record of the Spyro Gyra album that also sounds flawless and crisp.

[@mjoelnir58]

From the picture i thought this is about misuse of steroids

[@klnine]

Might as well have been !

[@damienmercer4731]

😆😆😆

[@mostirreverent]

Lou Ferrigno

[@massroger110]

😂😂😂

[@tenrec]

We're here to...PUMP YOU UP!!!

[@TheJoebus666]

A properly mastered CD will sound better than vinyl, but in reality, dispshit mastering engineers compress the fuck out of music to make it "louder".

[@dtz1000]

No it won't because it still won't have the ultrasonic frequencies that musical instruments emit. At least vinyl has them.

[@cimarronhopper2261]

@@dtz1000 exactly

[@dkelban]

I’d love to get the drugs vinyl enthusiasts are on. My friend has a super high end stereo ( over $100,000.00). He got the highest end classical vinyl he had, extolled its amazing virtues, and put it on his $10,000.00 turntable. AND, he was right: I could hear every vinyl crackle PERFECTLY!!!

[@MrTmax74]

Lol

[@dkelban]

@@MrTmax74 thanks. I thought it was pretty funny too, but I didn’t tell HIM !

[@dkelban]

@siu-hung Hung : believe me, my friend had already thought of that. He has incredibly expensive record cleaners and antistatic devices... Really helps the pops and crackels come through clearly, LOL.

[@pwn3426]

LOL MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY. The pops and cracks just take me out of the daze every time lol.

[@krayozmines]

Woah. Does he work as a doctor or something? How can he afford all that?

[@josefermalino461]

I prefer CD for practical reasons: I can play at home and in my car anytime and anywhere..

[@malta9726]

Smaller and easier to store, cheaper, you can play it in anything that has disk entrance, you can transfer it digitally to files, it's not so delicate, yeah I prefer CD

[@uncrunch398]

I prefer CD for that and other practical reasons. Easier to rip to denser storage. You can get a 1TB micro SDXC card and for < 100 USD a phone that can use it, bluetooth or aux cable, with your preferred music app. You don't have to connect the phone to any service unless you want to use it as a phone or connect it to the internet on the go without a hub. Odds are you will never fill that up in your life time with just music that you'd actually play more than once.

[@ShlomirBareket]

You guys nailed it, I remember when CD's first came out, they used to have AAD, ADD , DDD and DAD on the discs to denote the recording, mastering path of the product, now you don't get that as essentially everything is DDD..REGARDLESS, you still need decent hardware to bring out the best in vinyl, the question of SPEAKERS needs to be covered in the mix as more efficient speaker will produce that 'warmer' more 'natural' sound vinyl enthusiasts swear by...

[@thinkzinc100]

100% agreed. I find most CDs are excellent. Only the "remastered" ones of the legendary recordings tend to be compressed. Any of the newer pop music is garbage anyway. Who cares if it's compressed? But on the compression argument, every vinyl record has compressed sound. The format is extremely limited in dynamic range so the engineers compressed the recording. The truth is: PEOPLE LOVE COMPRESSED MUSIC. An inconvenient truth that explains why mp3s and then Spotify were/are so popular.

[@moe47988]

@@thinkzinc100 mp3s and spotify were only popular for their convenience, and because the average person doesn't pay attention to details in audio, or even knows what to listen for.

[@UCS0608]

@@thinkzinc100 Spot on!!! Cd is objestively the best medium if you are aiming for the best way to reproduce what you did in the studio! Vinyl is all about nostalgia!

[@RogerBaswell]

Anyone who knows anything about this knows that the sound is due to the mastering not the format.

[@latourhighendaudio]

That is a pretty fair statement. Granted I feel analog tape gives a much more musical and emotional connection to the performance and digital sounds like a one dimensional cardboard cut out of the same recording.

[@RogerBaswell]

@Infinite Possibilities True...but a well mastered LP can sound better than a badly mastered CD

[@Residentombraider1000]

@Infinite Possibilities Well said dude who ever you are well said

[@Wordsalad69420]

@@latourhighendaudio I also have an emotional connection to my physical CD. To say that you can only be connected to your music if you use an analog format is a bunch of nonsense. Believe it or not, but the process of reading the CD is actually an analog process. Instead of a magnetic head or a stylus, you do it via a laser and there are modules that translate the light variations into digital signals.

[@RogerBaswell]

@No Name Yes all records whether vinyl or CD are EQ'd during the mastering phase. Records are EQ'd during the cutting process and CD/digital when they are set up to be then made into a glass master or made available as files. It is this final EQ that changes the sound the most. Many hi res digital files sound better just because they have been re- EQ'd not because of any audible difference in resolution between CD and Hi Res files, which the human ear cannot in any event detect (despite what audiophiles claim) .

[@justinwang2250]

"Mhm. Yeah. Sure. Right. Interesting" + non-stop nods. Guy in red reminds me of how I like to contribute to group presentations.

[@James7995]

Well put. I agree completely. I love LPs because I tend to listen to the whole album. Digital tracks are my preference at work, in the car or when I'm doing chores around the house. But at night when I want to have an intense connection with the music I put on a record.

[@Ryokawshi]

***** No, you wouldn't. I've spent $2,500 on a *Michell Gyrodec SE* turntable which took 4 months to build in the UK, $1,000 on a *Michell Techno A' Tonearm* which took 6 weeks to build in the UK, and $950 for a *Sumiko Blackbird Moving Coil (MC) Cartridge* (2.5mV), $700 for the *Michell HR Precision Motor Power Supply*, and it's the greatest investment I've ever made. The sound is magic to my ears with my (New In Box) *Pioneer HPM-100's*, and (New In Box) *Onkyo M-504*, and (New In Box) *Onkyo P-304*. I've got an Okki Nokki RCM, and 100's of sealed LP's that I spent thousands of dollars on. Bands such as: Journey; Madonna; Commodores; Whitney Houston; Def Leppard; etc). The truth is, they all sound like they're singing right next to me. The "warmth" that you hear people throw around isn't exactly a "myth". With CD and the "Loudness War" going on, engineers have tampered with the EQ too much therefore ruining the original, natural sound. I am no longer in the peaceful state of mind when I listen to their digital counter-parts. In a blind test, there is a noticeable difference. My guests can all agree with me. It's an extra sense or some sort of unexplained feeling that I or my guests cannot even begin to explain. I'm 25 years old, and it's a stunning listening experience. Hi-Fi is no doubt amazing when it comes to playing vinyl. As for my personal opinion, Vinyl wins. If you guys have not invested into something as serious as I have, then you cannot comment that CD is better.

[@James7995]

Random access. Skip. Pause. Play. Records are more involving because they have to be. Maybe it's due to their purely lossless nature. Maybe it's mechanics, you have to be more deliberate when listening to record, you don't have have the choices.

[@TheRealJohnHooper]

Anime Maakuo Check dynamic range database..

[@gameboygamer1181]

lol thats a good point man i do the same listen to it all hey cd fast foreward..good comment

[@neilmcbride7345]

I have spent far less money on my turntable that you have and still share your sentiments. I don't think it's required to spend all that much money on a system to get great quality sound. More money can mean a more realistic experience, but I think it's important for people to understand that good sound doesn't have to spend $10k+ in audio. A very well thought out system in the $2k range (or perhaps less) can sound excellent.

[@eldorado61guy]

The old vinyl records were analog. The new vinyl records are digitally recorded. The issue is not the format, it's how the sound is recorded.

[@delatomvione9943]

The problem is not with digital as a medium. Digital can sound fantastic if you have a high linearity and precise analog to digital converter. Most DSD Native recordings sound almost identical to master tapes. PCM on the other hand does have a great potential but there is no analog to digital converter in the market that can record above 20 bits of linearity in real time so as a result there will be quantization errors and you wont capture the full resolution.

[@allthatyoutouch3164]

@@delatomvione9943 Why use digital at all ? Maybe it's more cost effective.

[@delatomvione9943]

@Allthatyoutouch Many reasons: accurate reproduction, no degradation or wear unlike vinyl and cassette, and preservation. There are also many other reasons that I can address but these are main ones.

[@allthatyoutouch3164]

@@delatomvione9943 The reproduction is not accurate and C.D.'s do wear.

[@MrsZambezi]

@@allthatyoutouch3164 CD's are as good as it gets and CDs do not wear. How can they?

[@aliceisinchains1]

So this is what Fez from That 70's Show is doing now...

[@Dank_Dank]

😆😆😆😆😆😆

[@Smaug1]

+Ricky X He's the Yes Man. :)

[@robertpackham6154]

He got swoll AF

[@Dank_Dank]

Robert Packham lol

[@austi16]

Ricky X roidoholics

[@BrianSmith-vl7xu]

For those of you who have now decided CDs are better and vinyl is worthless. Please PM and I will take those worthless records off your hands.

[@1980sGamer]

Uh that's the direct opposite of what's going on now. Vinyls' back baby.

[@deafbyhiphop]

Brian Smith funny how cds are becoming obsolete and vinyls are coming back lol

[@BrianSmith-vl7xu]

yeah i know. I guess CD's have been killed off by MP3 and streaming. Nothing against any format of course. They all have their particular purpose.

[@Stimpy130368]

Vinyl has outlived every medium - and there are LOADS of them - remember the digital mini-disk?

[@SPAZZOID100]

Deaf by Hip-Hop no such thing as “vinyls”.

[@Paul_Uhl_]

This is a great video, guys. Nice job and thanks for posting.

[@movienerd202]

You kids can have your fancy-shmancy vinyl records. I'll stick with my eco friendly wax cylinders.

[@Linkoid]

I bet you there is a person in the back there laughing his pants off watching a debate over CD and Vinyl while he's rewinding his reel to reel tape ;)

[@xerodeth542]

Nah. I'm loading up music to my SD card.

[@philipsfanboy6423]

Music in a gameboy cardridge

[@sjt66]

Awesome video as always guys!! Thanks for clarifying that. I have a Technics sl-1200 and love vinyl.

[@mattclover6784]

A really good video guy very informative. I've been playing vinyl for nearly 30 years and never knew half of what you discussed. Many thanks

[@APRIL2862]

I was deep into high end audio starting in the 1960's, so I experienced the vinyl thing to the max, when CD's came along I couldn't switch over fast enough! When you go to a live concert there's no clicks, pops or hissing, which you get from ALL records and none at all from CD's. So you have to pick and choose among the CD's to get the right ones, and besides even a decent CD player is far cheaper than your vinyl set-up. I've been there, done that and will stick to CD's! At 74 years old I choose the future not the past.

[@lehtokurppa7824]

Streaming has made CD's utterly obsolete. Their only purpose is if you wish to own a physical copy of your music. Vinyl remains this cool hobby, which arguably still produces the best sounds. Sure they are expensive and inconvenient, but if you don't want to be bothered by that, pay Spotify 7euros a month and you are set.

[@bkkersey93]

For a 74 year old you sure make stupid broad statements. Who are you to tell someone that ALL records have the pops and hisses? Maybe yours which you played on shitty equipment sound noisy but not fucking all of them smfh.

[@perma4702]

@@lehtokurppa7824 How does a vinyl arguably produce the best sound? If a CD sounds worse than vinyl, it's almost certainly a technical problem in conversion and not the format's fault itself. A CD file literally by laws of physics should always, always sound equal (if not using the extra space in it) or better than vinyl. PCM doesn't lose details in sound, if anything is damaged or non-existing in the digital version, it's the settings/set up's fault.

[@mden2490]

⁠@@lehtokurppa7824I use/ listen to all three mediums. I like the sound of Vinyl the best. Streaming is convenient and sounds great, but what many gloss over is that the monthly plans are getting more expensive and most people do not buy the digital album/ songs, and in the unfortunately you have nothing to show for all the money you have spent. $9.99-10.00 a month x 10years that a lot of money, and is what the companies are betting on,…the long run and that most people on average listen to the same songs and albums. Sure you will get outliers in the bell curve, on both sides, but these companies have done the research and know playing/ listening habits. In the long run people are paying and re paying for the same music over and over again. It’s the same concept as unlimited data on cell phone, that’s what most people get, but they hardly use much and on average use the same amount every month and very little of it on average. I use Qobuz to stream music, and the music sounds great, but I have more recently having been thinking getting rid of it and spending the money on buying CD’s, vinyl or even burning the digital albums on cd ( using wav or flac).

[@SnarkyRC]

I'm not big on streaming music. I've always enjoyed hard copies. I like CDs, Vinyl and cassettes equally. It just depends on what format I'm in the mood to listen to.

[@georgipartsalev6193]

That was very informative. Thanks!

[@HouseofJello]

Great video! Thanks for such a comprehensive explanation.

[@Mixing_It_Up]

Guys, I am happy to hear that CD has this much potential that goes untouched many times. Challenge for you people who are awesome and know the answer: Please list some AMAZING recordings that are on CD that you feel are a great example of CD's capabilities. I really want to hear these and am excited to see what's out there! Thank you!!

[@kpdelaney6460]

Velocity Design Comfort by Sweet Trip

[@dtours111]

Do you guys work out together?

[@brbweed6199]

The left one looks like he'd struggle with 20lbs dumbbells

[@thinkzinc100]

Did they PUMP YOU UP?

This never gets old. Thank you, guys!

[@philipii5386]

Fala tiozão. Espero que vc tenha visto que vc foi citado no vídeo do sandman e platinho.

[@kerryfoster1]

Took me a long time to get a CD player. My vinyl set up had progressed over years until I could hear all the dynamics and the 3 dimensional sound. Close your eyes and you could not tell where the speakers were - except for the cracks and Pops. Sound went way back and outside the speakers. Vocals you felt you could almost touch them. CDs only get this to some extent usually on quiet or simple passages. So glad I kept all my vinyl records including singles. Very expensive to replace them but they do wear out! I don't think young people listen to music sat down in front of speakers (like I used to) or even have the very precise system of vinyl set ups now.

[@mudstone6497]

Same here!

[@zendisciple3737]

Vinyl is my preference. Whether the sound is better or worse, I prefer it. Also, the 'highest quality' sound recording I have ever heard was a 12 inch single of Billy Joel's 'We Didn't Start the Fire' played through a very, very expensive vinyl set up, with expensive needle, cables, speakers, arm etc. A truly amazing and detailed sound. I have not heard anything close to this. There is also something to be said about the album as a complete experience. An album is far more aesthetically pleasing and has a comforting physicality that CD's can't match. I remember when CD's came out. Everyone was raving about them but at the time I was singularly unimpressed. To my ears the sound was not as good, lacking depth, though I am no technician. Perhaps the quality of digital recordings has now surpassed vinyl. Still, you can't beat listening to a good band on vinyl. A band who designed their music for the vinyl format so that each side of the album is an expression of their creativity, with different moods and tempos.

[@jerryspann8713]

Just because vinyl is your preference doesn't give you the right to decide what format I will eventually buy.

[@36742650885]

It’s way easier to roll a doobie on an album sleeve than on a CD case so...

[@monkeyrobotsinc.9875]

good one

[@rattlesnake1ful]

@jamsoup I really wish you people would stop referencing coke when someone mentions ganja. Disgusting.

[@rattlesnake1ful]

@jamsoup stfu crackhead

[@gilguy816]

Just found you guys and subscribed! I'm a 64 yr. old male who love's music and hearing people talk about like you two. Your show is different from the rest and I love that. So I'll keep listening and you keep up the good work! WarrenG

[@wtfcomments2585]

Keep regulating

[@krishtrinity]

Amazing channel..can't believe I missed it all this time

[@slyfox720]

For me when I want to actually listen to music and enjoy the experience i always go to my vinyl collection, but if I am multitasking and listening to musc i will go with my CD collection or my hi res audio files! I love the natural smooth sound that vinyl produces and it definitely sounds like you are there with the artist!

[@chunkylover5367]

I agree! From my experience, it depends on the source material (era, genre, etc), where it was recorded/mastered, the playback device, amp, and speakers. I ultimately enjoy FLAC CD replications the most because of the convenience. I don't think it is really worth paying the extra money for the expensive 96kHz tracks and above, but I wish CDs were 44.1kHz/24bit though for the dynamic range or possibly a lower noise floor.

[@vitorfernandes651]

You will never use 24 bit dynamic range. Ever. Unless you are an engineer mastering music.

[@dyrhee1]

Great explanation guys! Thanks!

[@jeorgealtagraciayunes5959]

Thanks for the videos. Good job!

[@jay7sa]

I enjoy buying and listening to vinyl from the 80's and 70's I'll buy modern CDs because I feel they sound better but the older vinyl I enjoy a lot

[@Swaitek]

I totally agree with you: vinyls may be technically inferior, but they make you feel like if you had been there. It's like having the band in your living room. I felt that when reaconditioned an old Dual turntable and I got shocked at how Genesis' A Trick Of The Tail sounds.

[@richardcline1337]

The end game is how well did the engineers do their jobs when it comes to music being transferred from the old studio tapes to CD format? Back in the 70's a group called Iron Butterfly came out with a record titled " Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida" that had wicked 17 minute drum solo on it. I liked it so well I immediately bought my own copy of the record. A few years later, ETCO came out with a CD version of that record. Talk about a train wreck! The background hiss was so bad that a lot of the drums were just overpowered to the point of being inaudible! I had both the vinyl and the reel-to-reel version of that album (and still do) and neither of them had that unbearable hiss! Normally CD's have a very sterile sound but not in this case!

[@brianlagace57]

In the 80s sound quality on a record player wasn't as good unless you spent a fortune on a good needle. No scratchy static on cds compared to records they must use some computer technology today on a record player to eliminate the static from scatching. People would pay as much as 1000 dollars for a good needle for a turntable to get the best sound out of a record cds were a cheaper way to get good sound quality and the laser would not wear out the disk on cd players and cds took up less room than records in your stereo cabinet and you could buy a cd player capable of holding as much as a hundred disks so you didn't have to handle your disks once they were in the machine. Today we have a internet and technology to have a music collection in a thumb drive and record player needles can be manufactured a lot cheaper than in the 80s and technology has improved 1000 times what it was like back then a nightclub to get the best sound out of records back in the 70s and 80s would spend thousands of dollars on a good sound system with a top end turntable and cartridge

[@gamble777888]

I guess the question is how much of the feeling is placebo and how much of it is actually a product of the sound coming from the player. I love Vinyl but I still wonder if that's the case sometimes. Objectively the sound of my digital files is fantastic but man I just enjoy sitting in front of my hometheater and putting on a Vinyl,

[@dtz1000]

That's because vinyl retains the ultrasonic frequencies of the musical instruments. CD does not retain those frequencies. That's why CD sounds like crap to many.

[@meesz0r]

thanks guys finally some straight info on the subject.

[@georgenico8257]

Great video guys. Quick question, how do we know if a recording was done well? I want to start collecting more music...what should I research before deciding whether to get an album / single on cd or vinyl. Thanks!

[@JohnHitman]

it's not the format that make music sound better, it's the way it was mastered. CDs mastered in 80's sound better than CDs today because the dynamic range compression wasn't horrible. I have a CD with a song from 1985 and the same "remastered" in 1996. the remastered is louder. still sound ok, but not as good as the original 1985 master.

[@fraudsarentfriends4717]

Compression only effected some music that was being played on the radio.Not all music on CD.

[@user-pf7qg9lc6p]

remaster vinyl sound better than original, what i am noticed, even cd not sound that good, on vinyl is only best sound, not any digital able that, full fact!

[@MrSlipstreem]

It's still present on many commercial CD albums. The loudness wars are still very much alive I'm afraid, although some studios do go to great lengths to avoid it unless the producer demands otherwise.

[@doublebubleguy12]

ALL HAIL THE PC MASTER RACE!

[@anonunknown7999]

I think dynamic range was a consequence of the technology in the 80s. They couldn't accurately measure the dB of the audio, so that's why old CDs never hit -0dB. Also, when you buy a modern song in vinyl, you often find it has more dynamic range for some reason, perhaps the producer uses less limiting for vinyl presses?

[@MegaF1guy]

Digital is perfect sound forever as long as you don't try vinyl. My pick is vinyl, truthfully though...... Listen to whatever makes the listening experience good for you. Cheers

[@mikeverdi]

Very helpful, thanks so much

[@imerflores1167]

Thanks for all the info.

[@Methodical2]

I tend to listen to the entire record when playing on a turntable and I tend to skip around when listening to CDs. If you want to hear a loud CD, check out D'Angelo's first CD. It's definitely was recorded waaaaaaay tooooooo loud.

[@jeffthrow6892]

Probably one of the better vinyl vs. CD videos I've watched.....many good points made. I've collected music on both formats for many years & will continue to listen to both. In general, I tend to prefer the CD format, & I've always felt that for vinyl to have any chance of sounding as good or better than a CD, some serious money must be spent on the sound equipment, which not all of us can afford to do......

[@tomturner733]

I have a load invested in each format. Vinyl is better and if you are reaching for that holographic musical performance that's downright spooky it's expensive for sure. And finicky. I sprung for it because I'm not getting any younger and I wanted to see where it would lead. It's better than I had hoped for.

[@prep74]

Tom Turner Speak for yourself. Most audiophiles want an accurate, clean sound not a coloured distorted one that one individual may perceive as "halographic".

[@tomturner733]

prep74 I was speaking for myself. JMO

[@prep74]

Tom Turner I pay you that.

[@tomturner733]

prep74 For some pretty good info from a mastering engineer go to Steve Hoffman-What sounds just like the master tape. Interesting.

[@LIFT4POWER]

I would love if you did a video on all the formats currently out there and upcoming formats.

[@yogi9631]

Debunked long ago back in the late 80's and early 90's. Vinyl wins hands down if set up properly. It just have that life like sound, resonance etc that the cd's just can't quite capture. BTW the phono stage in the amp plays a huge huge role.

[@yogi9631]

@MF Nickster I'm no audiophile nor a proclaimed possession of a pair of golden ears. But boy I had a few opportunities to hear some relatively expensive gear without going to insane levels and the LP simply sounded better through and through. It just has the sound, the tonal warmth and sense of presence that no amount of technical data/readings can explain. Have you had the chance to hear a properly set up system? I'm all ears and would be happy to review your suggestion and more if you have.

[@Pauldjreadman]

I think the man reason CDs have slid in sales and quality is the fact, the mass production version is not the same as the original disc. Vinyl is the longest running pressed format in existence, which will never be touched

[@chookechooke9032]

no it has more to do with ongoing digital evolution. 20 years ago CDs were the only practical way of accessing digital audio whereas now you have downloads and streaming for distribution. analog on the other hand is a dead format which stopped evolving decades ago. the ultimate expression of consumer quality analog was the hifi vcr with sound quality specs that almost match the CD. only the inferior record format survives in a niche market as unlike the superior hifi vcr and reel to reel formats, there is plenty of recorded material available.

[@prep74]

+Dog &amp; Crow No, the reason why CD sales have slid is because this is no longer the only way consumers can access digital audio. Digital distribution has evolved to downloads and streaming which have now overtaken CD sales. Analog formats are now dead in the sense that they will no longer evolve from here. From that perspective I agree with you that records will remain in existence in a niche market. If there was no digital audio I'm fairly confident records would be have been obsolete by now. Developments in tape technology was increasing at a rapid rate in the 1980s and the HiFi VCR in audio mode was far superior to the record, it even matched the CD on some measurements. In the late 1970s, around the time of the analog video disc and optical record player, there was some talk among the major manufacturers of creating a new optical record format, which would have required changes in record production. This would have been a significant advance in analog records but plans were shelved once the CD was introduced.

[@Nothing_serious]

Pauldjreadman CDs are outdated. Blu-Rays are the way to go now

[@xfilesfoxisdead7979]

Cds slid in selles couse piracy. Period.

[@darinb.3273]

When CDs 1st started being made the engineers RESPECTED ... 0db and I have CDs that that further respected as well on the 100% scale the highest was 97% (just under 0db) compression was used VERY sparingly or not at all ... then later on the dynamic range was taken away and what used to be the loudest parts was slammed in the wall that would make Mount Everest cry what used to be very quiet parts was now all up in your ear ... loudness war in only two words

[@damaincrespo8121]

You guys just confirmed what I've been saying for the last 25 years.A good analogue recording will almost always sound better on vinyl while a well recorded digital recording will sound better on cd.I just don't understand why Audiophiles continue to wage bitter war of words on this.

[@flappospammo]

but then all those high end bullshit artists with their magical snake oil products would go bust

[@flappospammo]

so defensive wonder why ?

[@Soldano999]

Damain Crespo wrong, analog sounds are recorded in 24 bits and a CD can only do 16. So technically the Vynil is still superior because it can play 24 bit quality music, which the CD cannot.

[@SinnerSince1962]

@@Soldano999 And you can tell the difference, right? You're hearing and comprehension is THAT good? Let's play them both and I'll buy you a steak dinner if you get it right 5 out of 7 times which one is which during playback.

[@cbcdesign001]

@@Soldano999 Talking about bits recorded as a vinyl analogue recording is madness. CD is the superior format with a higher dynamic range and a higher signal to noise ratio, that's an inescapable fact. That doesn't mean a CD recording will be better than Vinyl and could easily be worse but there is no doubt in terms of capability which one is technically superior.

[@sickjohnson]

Thanks guys! I thought that this was put to rest because when they mastered all the vinyl it was done digitally...no? I always liked both because where some music shines on one format and not the other usually as well as your setup/gear you had as well but it always came down to how well it was recorded and mastered. You build a system with the equipment that makes it sound the best, to play the type of music you love right?

[@puneetbajra]

Hi guys great informative video again 👍👍 I just bought a Sony CDP X 3000es. And you happen to mention that CD will go obsolete soon. I’m all for vinyls. Do you think I paid a lot for this CD player $780? Thank you

[@andya2665]

When I first saw this I thought Lou Ferrigno was an Audioholic.

[@RyanKentBarnhart]

Nailed it @8:17. Vinyl's greatest strength is the physicality of it, the ritual, focusing on and listening to an entire album, etc. I listen to all modern formats, and try very hard to approach the digital formats in a vinyl way. If fact I'd love to have a CD player with a visible platter, so that I could see the CD spinning. Any suggestions?

[@prep74]

Try focusing on the music instead. The visuals are a distraction to appreciating find sound. But in regards to suggestions, none from the top of my head, but there are some "high end" top loading players which you can see the CD spinning as well as the player looking like it an expensive, sophisticated piece of equipment. It is the same eye candy approach used for high end turntables because marketing departments understand the psychology of expectation biases and placebo effects which in turn, allows the product to be priced much higher to audiophools than what it's truly worth.

[@Nothing_serious]

Ryan Barnhart Like what the other guy says just listen to the music. Doesn't matter what you have to do or what it does and just appreciate the music.

[@xfilesfoxisdead7979]

Ryan Barnhart try CEC CD players. They are top loaders with visible disc spinning. I have cec CD player and really ritual is like vinyl.

[@vaughntonkin539]

@@xfilesfoxisdead7979 I rather see a record turning than a high revving CD

[@nicholaskapka7585]

Great job

[@ktmbilly3963]

Awesome 👍 I subscribed .

[@samfisherkiller]

it is more of a convenience factor. in the car you listen to CDs or mp3, and at home you listen to vinyl. I love my mp3 music, and I have several albums that sound fantastic, but vinyl will always have a place in this world and my heart.

[@prep74]

When you say "you" I presume you mean "I"? I listen to both vinyl and digital at home, some albums sound better on vinyl and others on digital as it always gets down to how well it was mastered. Anyone who claims one always sounds better than the other either has a poor stereo system, poor hearing or simply are not true audiophiles. But the best mastered digital smokes vinyl as it should as there is not even one analog measurement where vinyl matches, let alone exceeds, that of a CD - it is a lower resolution format.

[@prep74]

Actually I think a mid rate MP3 is a better format to compare with vinyl as they are similar in resolution. A fairer comparison for lossless digital formats should be the better analog formats such as reel to reel or the hifi VCR - at least their analog output specs are closer.

[@bkkersey93]

@@prep74 Everything else you said besides your iditoic last sentence in your first comment is true.

[@prep74]

@@bkkersey93 Why is it idiotic? Because objective facts do not align with your beliefs - now that would be idiotic. Vinyl is lower resolution than CD, ie SNR of CD is 92db and dynamic range is 96db compared with vinyl (at best) 60db. Noone with an understanding of audio science or audio engineering would dispute that.

[@michaelgriffiths2130]

@@prep74 I binned all my MP3 rubbish years ago along with my VHS tapes

[@DjJoeyJoe]

I've always loved the sound of vinyl but with a lot of music being recorded in digital to begin with when they transfer that music to vinyl it's not as clear or loud but what is key is artists need to make sure they have a great mastering engineer for both formats. I will say that cassettes also was a great format but that's another discussion.

[@richardcline1337]

Sadly, a LOT of great music that came out on vinyl, and even a lot that was recorded on the old 8-tracks, never made it to CD format. All of that music is gone, lost forever unless you are lucky enough to have saved your old vinyl records. One sad thing is that these new Crosley Cruisers and others are destroying a lot of good vinyl because people don't know to replace the stylus (needle) periodically. They come with a cheap sapphire and that should be swapped out for a good grade diamond as soon as possible. Doing that periodically will insure that, even as cheaply made as the CC is, it can still give a long life of good vinyl playback.

[@electricjoe5963]

great stuff guys, your budy Hugo has a cool sense of humor.

[@Stretch1931]

Very well done. One thing to add, that I have reviewed on other sites, is the quality of digital recording will vary of course, depending on how they recorded it, but also how they play it back. So you can have a DVD audio disc, which I think has 192kHz/24-bit, while CD audio discs have 44.1kHz/16-bit. But also, you need equipment that can replicate the same quality, or else you'll be losing some of the precious data. So for example, to get the best audio experience from a DVD audio disc, you would want to make sure it had a 192kHz/24-bit DAC. But to get the best audio quality from a record player, you might want to just upgrade your stylus. That's it. No other fancy components to have to worry about.

[@jscottcurrier]

One other problem with vinyl records is that the sound isn't intelligently recorded onto the disc. On a CD the data is CIRC encodded. I look at a scratched Cd and try it, most of the time the data is read error free. The CD is encoded in such a way that data can be corrected if corrupted by small scratches and other marks. A vinyl record would need to be thrown out and replaced. Try this test, record a record and a cd from the same master. Take a needle and put a bunch of scratches all over the CD, do the same with the record. Play both. See which one you like better. You're unlikely to hear the scratches on the CD because of the CIRC encoding. The vinyl record will need to be discarded and replaced.

[@jesikebiking]

Records hands down!!

[@GodzillaKaijuGK]

jesikebiking TEAM RECORDS!

[@cameronrobinson7400]

@@GodzillaKaijuGK YES!!!!

[@GodzillaKaijuGK]

@@cameronrobinson7400 Yeahhh!

[@idmhead0160]

Hans and Franz nail it again! Good work guys.

[@SY27196]

Okay it is all about what happens at sound recording Thanks for clarifying I always had tbis questions

[@aleckermit]

I prefer 320kb/s mp3 sound-wise, but I love the intimacy of vinyl records.

[@hellobooom]

Lol funny

[@osoco7294]

I copied the whole comment section to Balabolka. It takes almost 8 hours to listen. I assume that it's going to be interesting.

[@jzen1455]

I love the warm firey crackle and deep bassy bell tones-that resonate deep down into my bones and soul-of vinyl. The EQ of CD versions are usually more balanced creating a sound that’s more articulate and pops out, but it tends to sound sterile.

[@VBshredder]

Nice comparison. I like that you can recommend a turntable without arguing it's a better sounding format in general. At the end of the day, it's a fun experience to throw on a record and sit and listen, imperfections and all. Even if it's 100% nostalgia, if it makes for a more enjoyable experience when the mood strikes, it's worth it.

[@sobolanul96]

Bad mastering is ruining the music. When will the recording studios stop adding db's and actually start processing the sound? In the past they took great care of how music sounded. Now they just ruin it. You can see how bad it is when a 60 year old record sounds better than a brand new cd.

[@VBshredder]

Yes, 100x more than format wars, when you get a brickwalled new album from a favorite band, there's no hope for it to sound good. You're just left wondering what could have been.

[@hurkamur1]

I have analog recordings from the 50s and 60s that kick the living shit out of 99% of the digital recordings made today with, mastered on computers . You cannot replicate the liveliness from listening to an analog recording on an analog format. I do love my sacds though.

[@prep74]

I have many records of this era too. I think you'd find they would kick the shit out of 99% of analog recordings made today as well. This is nothing to do with digital/analog per se but rather a reflection of modern mastering techniques. Your SACDs are a case in point. They have been mastered to suit a more audiophile audience but there is no reason why that mastering could not be put on to any other digital format, in fact I have several CDs that sound better than their SACD versions because the later DSD remaster was not done as well.

[@hurkamur1]

prep74 I agree, I also find it a bit comical how people talk about how bad CDs used to be, yet people actually in "the know" seek out early CDs because of the lack of compression and the flat transfer. Imo, some of the earliest CDs sound the best compared with today's masters.

[@brbweed6199]

hurkamur1 who tf cares about cds or vinyl just get a smartphone and a good sound system. Keep praising the delusional 'good' sound of your vinyl Also this cd mastering debate is absolute bs get real engineers know it better

[@NaturalFork]

I hope CD format never dies.

[@careysfever]

NaturalFork actually many stores are starting to stop selling cds, like target and Best Buy and starting to sell records

[@TheAirConditionerGuy]

It wont

[@pikachoo6803]

Superbly explained 👍

[@mondoenterprises6710]

Good video with lots of great info. CD is my format, but that is mated to good mid-fi hdmi system, plus room treatment. I find I can get a nice warm vinyl sound that way w/o all the hassle of vinyl and with better clarity. A good home theater system allows for this dual use if configured correctly, good movie watching, good music listening w/o breaking the bank. But it does take some time, learning, patience, and research. My design goal was all centered around how to avoid 'listener fatigue'. I went from barely being able to enjoy an album in the room to being able to listen for hours and crank it up at the same time using room treatment, room correction, and correct components.

[@Billy123bobzzz]

Well done! This is the one video on this channel that actually was clear and informative (with accurate information). The video answers the question in the title of the video, i.e. "which sounds better", and the reality is that depending on all the factors, one can be noticeably "better" sounding than the other depending on the arrangement of all the factors. Was they left out is that there are even more factors involved, such as psycho acoustic factors, some people simply respond to some sounds better than another person does. This characteristic is very evident in the vacuum tube vs transistor war, and is very prevalent in the audiophile sector. There are also people who are stuck in their head with which one is better so they just will not give up on their chosen format because that format is "logical" to them as to being somehow better.

[@thinkzinc100]

How much money would you have to spend on a turntable setup to match the sonic detail of a CD played on a mid-range CD player? Regarding the compression argument, the vinyl has compressed audio every time (because of it's extremely limited range), where the CD MAY have compressed audio. Further, many modern albums were mastered from a digital recording. Going beyond all of this, HiRES digital through a good dac smokes vinyl and there's no degradation every time you play it. Vinyl is a format for fetishists. There's more involved with accessories and tweaking than enjoying the music. I love many formats including vinyl but arguing that it's a superior format is a fool's errand.

[@philipsfanboy6423]

The specifications of vinyl might be less but you totally forget that when you actually compare them to each other, a vinyl record also barely gets any damage when the cartridge and tonearm mass matches well and set the tracking force / anti skate right. I don’t know what you’re referring to with ‘limited range’ but in case you mean frequency range that can differ, a vinyl record can have a frequency range of 7hz - 50khz and higher.

[@philipsfanboy6423]

And about the turntable, around €200 if you know what you’re buying.

[@esotericaudiophile3884]

I got the best of both worlds, I designed devices and very special cables that transform CD output to that "Vinyl Sound" but with no pops and hiss! Pure analog sound, no jitter! Hopefully one day, I will launch the devices / products... It's an amazing experience to listen...

[@StavroJones]

Good analysis.

[@silhouettoofaman2935]

At the end of all this bickering and backlashing, you just have to ask yourself this: "¿Por qué no más dos?" Seriously, if you're that into music, just get either a CD or a vinyl record! It's not that hard, people!

[@zicada7661]

Vinyl sounds better because of placebo. If you want something to sound better, it's very easy to trick yourself into thinking it does. I used to be a DJ, i love vinyl because its tactile and wonderful. In a club nobody could tell the difference anyway. If you want excellent reproduction of the original sound as recorded, get as close to the original production as possible. These days that means get the master digital waveform (huge). If you agree frequencies your ears and brain cant pick up don't make a difference, you can get that size down a lot, which is essentially one of the tricks done to original productions in order to get the size down to fit a cd. When in doubt do a proper "pepsi challenge".

[@latourhighendaudio]

Wrong

[@henryposadas]

I understand the argument but even if it is placebo in the end some people (like me) actually likes the sound of vinyl records. It is hard because listening although dependent to sound is different from it as so much as listening is psychoacoustic. Also instead of debating on why digital is a more accurate representation of sound, people should research on why some people "hear" digital music as cold apart from the placebo effect. I'm not sure but apart from the warmth that I feel from listening to analog (which you can explain as placebo) It sounds as if digital music either takes out certain harmonics or frequencies that we cannot hear load enough to accurately tell but we can actually feel. Again this is not an accurate description but this is the most accurate description of what I hear. Again maybe it is just a mixing issue or maybe today's mix is not done with enough care and dynamic range but in the end this is what I perceive. As much as I want the convenience of digital music, it is the feeling of actually listening to the song and feeling something about it that I miss a lot. Something that I just rediscovered after listening to vinyl again (after 20+ years).

[@henryposadas]

Btw sorry for my spelling and grammar. Haha. I can't seem to find the edit button on my iPad.

[@prep74]

+Henry Posadas Why do you need to do research on why some people prefer the sound of vinyl? The majority of people, as shown in survey after survey, prefer the more accurate sound of CDs. The technical facts and sonic measures support that CDs sound better. Therefore, a better subject for research which sits better in the realm of psychology than sound science, is why some people that prefer vinyl feel a need to dapple in psuedoscience and magical thinking to justify a legitimate sound preference.

[@2112bangkok]

Bought my first CD player in 1985. What are your thoughts on reel to reel format?

[@prep74]

Reel to Reel used to be the benchmark of hi fidelity reproduction prior to the 1980s. I good quality rtr such as a Studer or TASCAM (I used to have one) would easily outperform a turntable. However they are inconvenient to use, expensive, require regular maintenance and getting good quality pre-recorded material was getting harder as the 1970s progressed. From the 50s/60s it really only appealed to the very high end audiophile or the hobbyist. Your 1985 CD player would probably outperform even the best of the rtr in any analog measurement - though finding well mastered CDs can be a challenge. The rtr was also bettered by the HIFI VCR, though again there was not much pre-recorded material available and by then, digital pretty much took over.

[@CaptainHandlebar]

Very informative

[@jkairi4]

How can you consider audible noise, hiss and pops, that you get with vinyl ,high fidelity? I think you guys are sharing a preference and to some degree engaging in nostalgia when you speak warmly about vinyl.

[@jamescarter3196]

And you're obviously showing your lack of knowledge about what good vinyl sounds like. Hiss isn't specific to records; I've got records where you can hear the tape hiss drop off after the song is over. I also have many records, not all 'audiophile' specific, which don't have pops, crackles or other 'audible noise' any worse than CDs; clearly you don't, so it just means you're not an experienced record user. I don't even have a lot of fancy expensive gear, but I know how to use records and get the most out of them, and I know firsthand that your comment reflects ignorance of the subject. You're talking about bad records and pretending you're talking about ALL records. Well, bad CDs sound much worse than records because they won't even play at all, and a bad record will at least still play.

[@mrhoffame]

Very good talk guys. Really liked what you are saying. I persoanlly think that if you force yourself to choose vinyl over CDs or vice versa it is not much different than only listening to one genre of music. Why lock yourself in that box. CD and vinyl each have something that the other doesn't. Some are measurable differences and some are not measuralbe. I think some music lends itself better to the vinyl format and other music to the cd format. Heck, if you talk about earl 80s thrash metal I actully think that lends itself better to the cassette format lol. In my world I just choose to enjoy all three and have purchased many of the albums I love on cd and vinyl.

[@prep74]

+mrhoffame Everything that can be heard can be measured and it is. It is typically only charlatans that resort to special pleadings. Having said that I agree that format is not as important as the quality of the recording or the mastering effort that was put into that format which is why I run both digital and high end analog at home.

[@mrhoffame]

prep74 Not sure I understand your point, but thanks for replying. Have a great one!

[@prep74]

+mrhoffame Basically agreeing with you about not locking yourself in a box, some recordings have been mastered better on vinyl and others have been mastered to take advantage of digital. But also disagreeing with you on the other point that some differences are not measurable. If that was a case we would know what we need to measure and would have come up with something to do so. The only thing that cannot be measured is why some individuals prefer one format over another even if the mastering quality was similar - that belongs in the rapidly growing field of psychoacoustics.

[@mrhoffame]

prep74 Maybe I wasn't clear. I'm not saying things are not measurable. What I was saying is that what rings right in one person's ear is not a measurable thing. It is extremely subjective. Kind of like saying you can measure the PSI of a person pressing their hand against your back, but if you ask one person is that massage feels good they say yes. The next person says it's too hard and painful. That is kind of what I think about when people start using measurement to determine what format sounds better it's measurements or if it sounds better are two very different things that get lumped together a lot in the audiophile community.

[@prep74]

mrhoffame Sure but don't you agree that there has to be some objective standard of measurement given the preponderance of subjective opinions, particularly when an individual's subjective opinions of audio can change over time and can also be influenced by expectation biases, cognitive dissonance etc? I sort of get what you are saying with the pain example but hard measures such as signal to noise ratio or dynamic range are not based on subjective notions or averages of what a person feel, such as pain; in audio these are precise measurements and used by all hi fi manufacturers when designing and testing their products. They correlate closely with how people perceive sound quality despite some on the outer. For example, I suppose someone can subjectively tolerate a higher noise to signal or lower dynamic range than others in their music, and it may not be tragic, but the higher signal to noise ratio in particular will reduce resolution by masking more of the nuances - that is not a matter of subjective debate, the masking effect is real and if someone subjectively prefers greater masking then it can be confidently stated that they are not really into hi fidelity reproduction than someone who prefers music to be unveiled.

[@grahamfield6173]

thanks for this

[@jburgie]

Hi Guys -- Thanks you for the very informative video on CDs vs. vinyl. I'd be interested on hearing your thoughts on MP3s. I find them irritating to listen to because it seems the high frequencies -- cymbals, the "sss" sounds, etc. -- are off somehow. Maybe clipping? Thanks.

[@sfsgsw666]

But since this video, CD has really taken off again. In terms of heavy metal (my preferred genre), CD is certainly the better format given how tight the instrumental work is. I don't mean the rubbish that people often consider "metal" these days in the US and Australia, I mean the European bands that have that much more instrumental talent. I do think Vinyl is much better for older recordings from the 70s and before, but that "warm" sound you hear completely muffles out the noise during recording. However, that noise you do hear is generally, as mentioned in this video, the mechanical nature of vinyl. If you like that, that's absolutely fine, but I would rather hear the individual notes as crisply as possible. CD for me.

[@al35mm]

The reason why the track "exploded" when you switched from flac to vinyl is that reduced dynamic range of vinyl = compression. It was vinyl that started the loudness war. It's part of the reason why audiofools prefer the sound of vinyl. It's perceived by the brain as sounding bigger and better in a similar way to clicking a loudness button or turning up the bass and treble (please don't do that). It creates an audio illusion but is not a faithful reproduction of the original sound the mix engineer produced and wanted you to hear. By contrast, digital gives you a very faithful reproduction of the original sound. This can be demonstrated by going to a studio, producing a digital mix, cutting it to vinyl and taking a digital copy. Now play the mix again and it will sound just as you intended. Play the digital copy and it will sound identical. Now play the vinyl and it will sound completely different. Audio quality is the ability to faithfully reproduce the original sound, and that is why I get so pissed off with audiofools ranting that vinyl is better quality than digital! Glad I got that off my chest.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Exactly you said "cut a digital mix" of course it will sound better played back on a digital format, just as he said. People that like vinyl tend to also love analogue recordings and music recorded and mastered from the original tape specifically for vinyl sound better than digitally recorded music transfered to vinyl, it doesn't take a genius to work that out. I play both and have great sounding CDs and great sounding vinyl, my great sounding vinyl sounds better to my ears that my great CDs, if that's just "perceived" as you say, well my perception is all I can go by, so if it's perceived to me to sound better then it sounds better. Perception is reality after all.

[@EminoMeneko]

Agreed too. :)

[@21minute]

I can’t agree with you on blaming vinyl for the loudness war. Blame the people poorly mastering CDs, not the preexisting format.

[@Soldano999]

You can take any quality of digital format and print it on Vynil, Vynil can handle it. You CANNOT make a CD sound like 24bit studio quality. CD's only do 16 bits. Therefore your argument is invalid. Vynils ARE the closest to reality, CD's are just an approximation created from bits. In ten years there will be no more CD's but Vynil will still be a thing.

[@lilspnce49]

How can you tell or find out whether an artist recorded their album in the digital or analog format? Does it tell you in the album booklet? Im confused how you would know which method they used to record. Thanks

[@finlaymcewan]

I currently listen to music through headphones from cds and want to upgrade my setup. I'm stuck between either getting a Dac (improve cd quality) or buy a turntable and preamp (get into vinyl). Bear in mind I can still buy cds if the cd version of said album is better, just which is most worth it: having the option of vinyl or making my cds sound better?

[@jtownshend]

I agree, CDs are better. I used to listen to the Beatles albums throughout my adolescence and adulthood and when I decided to buy the digitally remastered version of these same recordings on vinyl, they sounded better than those I used to listen to back in the days. Same thing for Elton John albums. I bought the 'Classic Years' collection released on CD in the early 90s, remixed and remastered by Gus Dudgeon, the same guy who did the original mixing in the 70s. It kept the same feel of the original recordings, but with improved quality. Sometimes, the difference was huge. Such is the case with the live album 11-11-70 whose British mixing was dull and the new digital one hot and rich. Another thing that makes CDs sound better is the fact that from the first to the last track the ratio between media and data is kept, as for vinyl due to the difference of diameter as the needle runs the grooves closer to the label, dicreases and this ratio is not kept and consequently sound resolution is lower. Pete Townshend used to say their best gigs had bad terrible sound.

[@prep74]

+jtownshend The 2009 CD remasters are currently the definitive version for sound quality. Before the remasters I would have preferred the original early press vinyls for all albums except for the 1987 Sgt Peppers and White Album CDs.

[@bkkersey93]

@@lowjamz828 Vinyl is better dude.

[@Synthematix]

modern vinyl is mastered from a digital source anyway bet the hipsters didnt know that

[@prep74]

+Eric Sveinson No, it is all digital these days. In fact, or inconvenient fact to some, is that digital found its way into vinyl before CDs were introduced. Since the mid-1970s, vinyl mastering houses have been using digital delay lines instead of analog delays on the signal going to the lathe that cuts the spiral groove. So even in the unlikely event that 100% of the recording, mixing and mastering was done entirely using analog gear and media, the end of the vinyl mastering process may well have involved a conversion to digital and back. The only way you can be sure that a record is completely analog is to find a pristine record pressed before 1975. But even then, the whole point of going digital is for better sound quality by eliminating the inefficiency and loss from analog processes.

[@jankafka7330]

+Synthematix Wrong! Not all modern vinyl is mastered from a digital source. Of course, it's the Internet so facts don't matter...

[@prep74]

+Jan KafkaApart from a handful of boutique studios catering to the "must all be analog" minority, nearly all of new records are from a digital source as there are few recording studios that still do analog recordings. Apart from the excellent, though very 20th century, 24 track analog recorders being superseded by digital, even basic things like good quality blank tapes are hard to get these days. As with any format, the vinyl record should benefit from a higher quality digital source providing it is mastered properly. In any event, as I said before, if you wanted an all analog recording, if that is your thing, then the only way to be sure is to pick up a good used LP that was pressed before the mid 1970s as digital delay lines came into wide use before the late 70s which meant that the process of cutting the record through the lathe would have had a conversion to digital and back. A lot of people don't realise that digital came to LPs before the CD, and it did so to improve the sound quality.

[@latourhighendaudio]

Not all records, some newer records are sure, all depends on the band and label it's pressed on, so again that would not be a accurate statement

[@brentaudi9354]

The Turntable you showed in the video has a damaged stylus on the Cartridge. It is bent to the left when you are looking towards it. Did you not notice this??

[@slarbiter]

Most new LPs come with a cd copy or mp3 download which is a plus :P

[@kaasis85]

CD wins hands down simply because most modern music isn't even available on vinyl. I want to listen to music I like not frequency response diagrams, warmness factors and other technical bits and I don't want to limit myself to recording my grandpa played or a few modern releases.

[@careysfever]

Cas Perry um, maybe you don't know that there are dozens of new artists on vinyl!

[@jamescarter3196]

Actually CDs lose hands-down in that argument because they didn't exist for the first 100 years of recorded music, and there are still hundreds or thousands of albums which have never appeared on CD, and I don't just mean low-budget unknown stuff. You have chosen to pre-limit yourself to CDs, and you make it clear that you don't want to know anything about how sound works, so maybe your comment was just something to make yourself feel good about your technical ignorance and minimal knowledge of music. "I want to listen to music I like not frequency response diagrams"--- and how is this something in favor of CDs? Oh yeah, it ISN'T.

[@ericimi]

Almost all modern music is available on vinyl . Trust me .

[@gamble777888]

Not sure what you listen too but every single major release nowadays gets released on Vinyl. Vinyl's outsell CDs 45 million to 33 million in 2022, and if the trend of the last 10 years+ is any indication the gap will be wider in 2023. It's the dominant physical format by a mile.

[@kaasis85]

@@gamble777888 I posted this 7 years ago. The market has changed drastically since then.

[@Gez492]

Absolutely on the money. Most Anything that was master recorded on tape will sound better on properly cut vinyl. Digital can sound really good mastered to vinyl but its totally dependent on the expertise of the sound engineer. The issue right now is unscrupulous morons in record companies ruining the experience of new converts to vinyl by reissuing back catalogue pressed straight from CD or other digital files and they sound so bad they are nothing more than 180 gram frisbies. These charlatans need exposing, so people coming to vinyl for the first time and maybe coming back to the format are not ripped off and can get the richly rewarding experience they deserve from this beguiling, enduring way of listening to music.

[@goyol8681]

I have a question that may have already been answered. How do you know how the original recording was mastered? Is it indicated in the price of the vinyl record? I notice when looking at some vinyl, especially modern day recordings, there are large differences in price. Are lower priced records mastered in digital and transferred to vinyl, and then higher priced records mastered in analog and transferred to digital?

[@mikedinno8413]

My question is do you listen in 2ch stereo or one of the Dolby's if listening through a receiver?

[@janmann866]

I feel part of the attraction to vinyl is that you have to maintain your albums, you have to choose your turntable, you have to choose your cartridge and you have to choose your pre-amplifier. All of these choices make vinyl listening more personal than a digital medium and if you feel more involved with the music you will probably like that format better.

[@monzarace]

Agreed. But in reality, if one is serious about one's cd-player, it's kind of the same: cleaning cd's, cleaning laserdiode, careful setup, power in question, darkness so light cannot disturb the diode, upgrading a lot of the copmponents inside the player, seperate dac, seperate anti-jitter, reclocking, seperate powerstation and so on. and btw. copies homemade do tend to distort over decades. No protective lacques layer on top. And new factory recorded cd's have small holes in it, so it will destroy at some point in time. I experienced two cd's from 1988 to 2021. That's a very low rate, but it happened. Then there's the "magic" stiff, like green tusch, dampening stickers and what not. Oh, I think it's kind of the same as LP, which btw. is "long playing" (to you guys making the video). I find that LP's doe snot sound better, just different. And why choose a cheesy cd-player, when you know that upsampling and what not kills some of the sound (as demonstrated by say Audio Research)? And why not havea talk about cd player construction in general? Traditional record playback have had a lot moretime to develop and still is. And cd playback kind of had to be perfect from the get go. And in that field a lot have happened too. dac chips, transports, poser supplies and what not. I think, to makea better more complete understnading and to have that debate you have in your video, you need to take some of all these steps to have a far better picture of what's going on and why. Thanks for sharing. Kind regards. ps: I think any serious music listener, should have both a LP player and cd-player at a high level in their system. pps: I like my cassette player too ;)

[@Headphoneaddict]

Why not take an album that works great on vinyl, digitize it with a neutral AD with no filtering what so ever, burn it to CD, use a player as transport and play it with a neutral DAC, then compare the result of the FLAC, the CD and vinyl? That way you're eliminating all but the medium and comparing oranges to oranges. You could also digitize a record which sounds good and rip the same track from the album and compare the waveform, I'm 99 % sure you'd find the CD is compressed into oblivion whereas the vinyl has more dynamic range. So I agree, CD is the better format, but the best source material is on vinyl because the mastering engineers are unable to compress it due to the physics of actual grooves in the record. With CD they have this freedom and destroy the source material. Let's hope replaygain on devices stops the loudness war so we can enjoy good quality source material. Although I'm afraid they enjoy making redbook sound bad to make a market for high rez and vinyl. There is really no need for anything higher than 44.1 outside the studio, as 96dB of dynamic range is far than enough and the noise floor is impossible to hear. Heck, it's even difficult to hear the difference between a 320kbit mp3 and 44.1! I'm not sure I could do it with a statistical significant result.

[@darinb.3273]

Ummmm no you are absolutely wrong... they will take the loudness war mastered stuff and still put it on vinyl with in vinyl dynamic range I have such a vinyl and I have compared the wave forms and it looks just like the CD copy (viewing the same song of course)

[@astrotrance]

When I first got in to collecting classical music at the age of 13, I was limited to taping it off of a low-power college FM station. It added a swishy-swirly noise to the signal, which was already deficient in bass and highs, and when played back later on cassette ended up a noisy, hissy, midrange-heavy sound (no Dolby noice reduction on that Sharp mini-system). I didn't care. I loved exploring this new (to me) musical path regardless of how it sounded. A year or so later I recieved a classical CD as a gift.....and it sounded too clean, too quiet, too sterile, to my ears that were used to all that hiss and noise. I guess I had it in my head that "old" music was more faithfully reproduced the lower the fidelity. I eventually got over it and began collecting classical CDs once I was making my own money, and moved on to DVD-a and SACD, and eventually digital files. Still sometimes miss that stack of noisy tapes though. I wonder...could some small part of vinyl enthusiasm be due to the format's inferiorities sounding "correct", with clicks, pops, rumble, hiss, and warble being a part of the music for many listeners? I remember some people vowing to stick to VHS because DVDs looked too "good", whatever that means. I'm betting there's a similar situation with a percentage of vinyl enthusiasts.

[@sbsumanth]

Very informative thank you for such information. Recently i have collected HMV vinyl records dated 1975, 60s. all versions 45 rpm, 33 rpm, 78 rpm but i dont have a turntable music system to run it so how to check those records whether they are in perfect condition or not? I need your guidance on which turntable is good that comes with built in speakers

[@prep74]

+Sumanth Bhat You'd be hard pressed to find a turntable with built in speakers that is of an acceptable quality. These cheap turntables often have ceramic cartridges and heavy carts which can damage your records over time. It would be sad to waste your good collection by playing them on such turntables by damaging them while not enjoying any sound quality either. If you don't want to spend much, I'd suggest something around the $300 mark with an in-built phono circuit which would then allow you to plug it straight in to your current stereo.