Did you know often times, Vinyl actually does sound better then digital?

[Anonymous]

No, Vinyl doesn't sound better because it's analog making it superior digital, in fact many Vinyl's/LP's starting in the 70's were produced from digital masters. The secrete to Vinyl sounding better the digital, is actually the mastering/mixing process, Vinyl releases of an album use a different master/mix then it's digital counter part. Digital albums are often mastered to be loud and punchy (loudness wars) and sound "good" when compressed for streaming services, where Vinyl albums are often mastered with vinyl limitations and home Hi-Fi equipment in mind. Digital version of an album, when properly mastered, will sound better then it's properly mastered vinyl counterpart, but most digital versions of a an album are poorly mastered, in part due to the loudness wars and needing to sound "good" when listened to on a streaming service through cheap earbuds.

Yes

No

[Lliam]

You made some good points about vinyl versus digital. But I voted yes to the question.

Vinyl sounds better, unless it was cut from a digital master.

Digital audio is often compressed before it's transmitted, which can degrade the sound quality. This can make the sound less dynamic and detailed.

Digital recordings capture analog signals at specific rates, which means they don't capture the entire sound wave. You don't get the full range of harmonics. Vinyl records, on the other hand, are a more direct way to listen to the music.

Vinyl records capture audio in an analog format, which is closer to "lossless" audio transmission. This means that the audio is more faithful to the original recording, and you can hear the full dynamic range and frequency range of the track.

Vinyl records produce a warmer, more natural sound than digital music, which can be compressed and processed.

When recorded on vinyl, no audio data is lost, so the sound is exactly as it was in the studio.

True audiophiles prefer vinyl or tape to digital.

I even think some music that was produced in mono (as opposed to stereo) sounds more like hearing it live.

[Asker]

"Vinyl records capture audio in an analog format" true, but not all vinyl's are produced from an analog source, starting in the 70's, more and more albums were being recorded and mastered in digital, then converted to analog for tape and vinyl. Compression is a big part of the reason vinyl albums often sound better then their digital counterpart, even though source material was recorded digitally, digital is often compressed and mixed to be loud and sound "good" on cheap speakers and earphones where vinyl is uncompressed and mixed to sound good on home hi-fi systems. If you go back to before the loudness wars, CD versions of albums sound just a good, if not slightly better then it's vinyl counter part, the loudness war is where digital starts to sound worse the vinyl. Here a good YouTube on digital vinyl.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb32bj0XmW8

[Lliam]

Interesting video. I didn't realize all that stuff.

[Asker]

I have to laugh when some people claim vinyl sounds better because it's analog when in reality, by the 80's many albums were being recorded digitally then converted to analog for cassette and vinyl.

[NamerOfStars]

As someone who, like his siblings, grew up listening to his father's Beatles albums on CD alongside his Beatles albums on vinyl, I know that the one and only reason that vinyl would sound better than digital is that you'd convinced yourself of that, and weren't paying attention to reality.

[Asker]

"I know that the one and only reason that vinyl would sound better than digital is that you'd convinced yourself of that, and weren't paying attention to reality" That's simply not true (for some it is), like a stated in my question, Vinyl doesn't sound better because it's analog, it sounds better because it goes through a different mastering process. It's the different mastering/mixing process for vinyl that makes it sound better then digital. Vinyl versions of albums are mastered/mixed to sound good on home hi-fi systems, where digital versions are often compressed to be loud and punchy and sound good on streaming services that compresses the audio. I have 3 versions of queens greatest hits, original vinyl release, original CD release (1981) and a recent re-release, and I can diffidently say, the re-release is inferior to both the original vinyl and CD release, it's louder, but has a flatness to it, where the original vinyl and CD release, aren't as loud, but are more full bodied. Again, the re-release sounding inferior, is how it was mastered, and the loudness wars is part of the reason for poor mastering's.

[AI Opinion]

Vinyl often excels due to its unique mastering process, tailored for analog playback. This creates a warmer, dynamic sound, avoiding the loudness compression typical in digital formats. When digital masters aren't optimized for quality, the warmth and detail in vinyl can indeed sound superior. Vinyl's appeal lies in this dedicated mastering, offering a richer experience on quality setups. 🎶

[Dargil]

As best I can tell, with a smooth record and good equipment, there is an undistracting very low frequency hum behind the music. It makes Bass "warmer" and all frequencies "deeper". Digital feels "dryer" and flatter to me.

[Dargil]

I have 220 vinyl LP's I inherited. Cream, Doors, Iron Butterfly, Yes, EL&P...

[LiamJHayden]

It can because of the differing mastering as you mention, and sometimes due to the compression used on CD's. 80 minutes on a CD compared too two vinyl LP's on really good equipment, for example. But a 45 minute CD from the same masters vs. a 45 minute LP? I will take the CD.

[TadCurious]

In simple terms, why exactly do so many audiophiles prefer vinyl? I assume vinyl reissues are remastered from the original analog masters, or no?

[Asker]

Actually, no, most reissues are remastered digitally, and starting in the 70s albums started to be recorded and mastered digitally then converted to analog for formats such as cassette and vinyl. So when an album from the mid 70s and newer are remastered digitally, most likely they are being remastered from a digital source. Many audiophiles prefer vinyl for a number of reasons, one being when listing to an original LP your getting the original recording and not an remaster that sometimes includes new instruments and arrangements. Another reason audiophiles prefer vinyl, is the vinyl version of an album sounds better then it's digital counterpart, and the reason an album sounds better on vinyl, is not because vinyl is a better format, but because the vinyl version of the album is mastered/mixed differently, often times digital versions of albums are compressed to sound loud and punchy, and to sound "good" when listening from a streaming service through earbuds. Vinyl version of albums are mastered/mixed to fit within the limitations of the format and to sound good on home hi-fi systems. Listen to both a digital copy and vinyl copy of an album, and you'll notice the digital copy, is loud and sorta flat sounding while the vinyl copy isn't as loud, but more richer and full bodied, again the difference, comes down to the mastering/mixing which often times results in the digital version getting compressed. When ever I get a album on vinyl, the first thing I do, is make a digital copy using a lossless format, that way I have a copy I can take with me.

[TadCurious]

Thanks so much for taking the time to write out such an informative reply to my questions. I learned things from reading it that I didn't know.

One more question if I might. Weren't albums in the 70s still being recorded on 24 or 48 track tape recorders?

[Asker]

Not exactly sure about about the answer to your question, but in the 70's most albums were still being recorded and mastered on analog systems, by the early 80's many albums were being recorded and mastered digitally. Something by Steve Marcus & Jiro Inagaki released in 1971 was the first studio album to be recorded digitally. Quite fascinating that digital recorders date back to the early 70's.

[TadCurious]

I had no idea digital recorders went back that early.
I read that more and more artists are releasing new albums both digitally and on vinyl.

[Asker]

The early digital recorders were roughly the size of a small refrigerator as they didn't have the advantage of micro processors like newer digital recorders did. Yes, more and more artist are releasing their albums on vinyl, modern albums, both the digital version and the vinyl version originate from the same digital recordings, but both go through different mastering/mixing, which is why audiophiles prefer the vinyl version, the mastering/mixing is far superior, and isn't compressed like it's digital counter part.

[TadCurious]

Thanks again. 👍

[Asker]

No problem.

[exitseven]

it has a warmer sound. It is recorded on analog equipment. When you transfer an analog signal to digitsl some of the information is lost in the process. This effects the sound in very subtle ways.

[Asker]

Actually starting in the 70, albums were starting to be recorded and mastered digitally, and by the mid 80's, most albums were recorded and mastered digitally, then converted to analog for cassette and vinyl. Part of what makes vinyl sound warmer, is the mastering/mixing process, digital albums are often times compressed to sound louder and sound better on streaming services who often compress their music.
Here's a good video explaining how vinyl started becoming digital in the 70's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xb32bj0XmW8

[exitseven]

Good video. I had a friend who had a TV repair business but he also could work on the old amplifiers and recording equipment. He would travel to Nashville and New York to work on the old equipment because a lot of musicians prefer the sound from them. He was one of the few guys around that could fix them so he basically named his price.