Do you prefer CDs or Vinyl and why?

All albums that were originally released on vinyl, and recorded in analog format always sound better on vinyl than they do on any digital format. The quality of the sound will vary of course, depending on your set up/turn table/system, condition of the LP, lathe cutting, or type of pressing/quality of vinyl used.

This isn't speculation...this is fact.

I have been a serious collector since the late 60s early 70s, and I have too many albums! (if that's possible). I have somewhere in the range of 30, 000 vinyl LPs, and

6, 000 CDs. When/where do you draw the line between passion, obsession and insanity? Lol

I am a self confessed vinyl snob. I own many CD's, but prefer the sound of vinyl.

For those of you who are brainwashed followers of the digital age, I understand. The CD has so many conveniences that the record LP doesn't have, and we all know what those are. But, when it comes to sonics and overall quality of sound, so many are unaware of the LP's superiority over the CD.

Many people were won over by the CD in it's early days because they didn't own a decent turn table (and no, Dual, Sony, and Technics isn't my idea of decent), or their records were trashed (more often than not from a worn out stylus), or weren't aware of proper care/maintenance and or setup/alignment procedures etc, or just couldn't be bothered. Perfect time for the convenient CD to take over. I remember seeing people playing their LP's with a stylus that was worn right down to the metal, and they wondered why their records sounded so awful...Lol. Not to mention damaging the groove of the LP in doing so.

Most of you under the age 35 grew up with CD's, so not fully understanding the advantage of vinyl is not your fault.

You must decide, what's more important; the space saving, portable, indestructible CD (you can spread peanut butter on them you know)...or the almighty sound of a slab of vinyl!

True, having a good high end turn table will enable you to hear music the way it's meant to be heard. These tables can range in price from $2, 000.00 all the way up to $100, 000.00!

Dream machines:

http://www.audiofederation.com/catalog/turntables/

The sound of records are a far more enlightening, authentic recreation of sound. Compared to the modern digital formats, the analog LP record, with its signal engraved in a vinyl disc, may look poor at first glance.

However, do not forget that it's still the only medium (apart from the reel to reel tape recorder) that can contain the most complete and most structured signal providing greater dynamics, having the widest frequency band attainable, and the most refined detail over the entire audio spectrum and far beyond, which no other format can deliver.

The analog LP is not restricted to 16 or 24 bits, and a limited frequency band (as in digital), but has 700 bits - so to speak - and the minute upper harmonics which digital formats are missing. The simple reason is that the original LP is analogous in nature.

If your CD outperforms your analog set-up, then you do not have the right combination of components. In other words you forgot about "system building". There are some general and specific do's and don'ts. Here are a few:

- Look for voluptuous sound, yet well controlled, look for realism.

- Look for a good, spacey midband.

- Do not connect low efficiency loudspeaker systems to a 10 or 25 Watt tube amplifier or to a high current amplifier.

- Match cartridge and arm properly.

- Choose the right preamplifier to match the impedance and/or capacitance of your cartridge.

- Take care of positioning your loudspeakers in the listening environment.

- Follow your taste and ears.

- Be well advised, but forget about the hype which surrounds so many components and is repeated by so many too often.

Also, the human ear is an analog device, and wasn't designed to interpret 1's and 0's...the binary code used for digital.

I have several hundred Krautrock albums on vinyl, and maybe around 200 of them I own on CD as well. I bought them for the sheer convenience, to play in the car, at the lake...etc. Compared to my records played on my table, they sound horrid. Even the so called "re-mastered" CD's of older album releases. More often than not, many of them are not "true" re-masters, but instead, tweaked up versions of the album (levels increased), giving the listener the false impression that because it seems louder...it must have been remastered. Even when they are remastered correctly, it's impossible for them to sound as good as an analog source...but still, they seem to do the trick for most. I have a high end Arcam CD player with dual Wolfson DAC converters, and it doesn't even come close to recreating the sonics produced on my turn table.

If you are seriously thinking of getting into vinyl, I highly recommend a quality record cleaning machine. Back in the 70's/80's, there were companies that sold record cleaning solutions, that did everything but clean the record. You would apply this goop, and smear it around, without extracting any of the debris, which would then be imbedded within the grooves, and left to harden there for ever. This would cause pops/ticks, and other sibilance, surface noise, etc.

These new machines that have been on the market since the mid-late 80's are what every vinyl collector needs, as they have powerful 16HP vacuum motors that remove everything from the vinyl after being scrubbed with a synthetic microscopic alcohol/distilled water soaked brush. Here's a few great cleaning machines. I own the HPI 17:

http://www.vpiindustries.com/products_cleaning.htm

I bought this 'Nitty Gritty' cleaner a couple years ago, and it's incredible:

http://www.nittygrittyinc.com/Fi-XP.htm

These machines are an absolute necessity to my collection, as I have taken 40 year old albums that looked OK, yet had tons of surface noise, a result of mold, and or press release wax, etc. After cleaning them, they sound crystal clear. These days, new LP's coming into my home never touch my table without a thorough cleaning on one of my machines.

Here's a few entry level VPI tables...the 'Scout' is an excellent table for the beginner:

http://www.vpiindustries.com/products_turntables.h...

If you'd like to know of some reputable online vinyl dealers within your area, please let me know...I'd be more than glad to hook you up!

**Edit -

Oh...and believe it or not, vinyl is extremely resilient, and not nearly as delicate as some people might lead you to believe. None of my albums have these "nasty pops and scratches" that people speak of. 99% of my collection is in either 'Mint', or 'Mint Minus' condition, both visual and sonic grading...even my albums that are 30+ years old. A stylus travels at the bottom of the LP's groove. So as long as a scuff or scratch does not permeate the depth of that groove, they will not be audible. I guess persons that hear these "pops" and "scratches" only hear them because they are playing records that were not cared for, or they're using a cheapo turn table/cartridge, worn out, or misaligned stylus. The record cleaning machines I spoke of above can sometimes have remarkable results with these types of noise disturbances if the problem is debris related (which many times it is). If the problem is related to deep scratches caused by LP misuse/mishandling, then you're out of luck...unless you can find a nice replacement copy on eBay, an online dealer, or a second hand record store.

Also, vinyl is still being pressed and reissued by many major labels today, along with newer labels like 'Akarma', and 'Sundazed', who have specialized over the last 10-15 years in reissuing old rock classics, and obscurities from the 60's and 70's.

I can certainly appreciate everything Smiley has already alluded to when it comes to vinyl. There's no way to miss that passion coupled with the fact that everything he's said is 100% true.

However, let me just say that I'm a LOUD and PROUD member of club brainwashed as it pertains to the digital age. While there's no denying the head to head sound quality comparisons tests, there are several reasons I'm for digital. One is my age. I'm old for R&P standards. Yet, I was still far too young to be buying records on a regular basis back when vinyl was the main medium. Second is all about convenience. The CD is just as it name goes by, that being "compact." Imagine if your car had to have these giant slots installed for record compatibility. There's no getting past the portability factor. Third, CD's are much harder to scratch (although it can be done if you try hard enough). Fourth, I like being able to skip tracks without having to guesstimate with a needle. Fifth, whether we like it or not, the industry has chosen to make CD's the gold standard. Now, if records continued to be produced for EVERY album in the same way as a CD, perhaps a different story. But they aren't.

I prefer vinyl. Something about the random pops in them just adds the right sound to it. I personally think the only way to listen to vinyl is through a big old system, and not just some small turntable, but either way the sound is just so classic and pure.

BA: Most of the older ones. I love listening to Queen on vinyl. No digital readings, just sound coming straight through the record.

BA2: Couldn't say

CDs. I grew up in the '70s and '80s, and even then, I didn't like LPs. All of the pops and clicks, and they skip and stick and get scratched so easily ... no, thanks. The only good thing about them was the cover art. When I listen to music, I usually listen intently, to the details. The last thing I want is to be distracted by a bunch of white noise that doesn't belong. And I can't tell you how many hours I spent fiddling with the needle, trying to pull out skips in the grooves or keep some record from sticking.

Warped albums were always fun, too.

Not that CDs are perfect. They get rid of all the background noise, sure, but I've heard some CDs that are mastered pretty poorly. The first copy of Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew" I bought on CD was so muddy, I couldn't even listen to it. Fortunately, things have improved. Except that now, engineers remaster the CDs so loud that the music constantly blares at you. But I can't blame the CDs for that ... just lousy engineers who think loud = better.

Anyway, back in the day, I usually bought cassettes. I jumped right to CDs when they came out. I honestly never saw the fascination with vinyl. How anyone thinks they sound "better" than a CD, with all of their nasty crackles and pops, blows my mind.

Hi. I don't have a preference for either but some albums do sound better on vinyl (examples to follow) I love the warmth of the sound on vinyl it just seems fuller, but there are also a hell of a lot of albums that sound better on CD.

BA1: For me personally:

'Aftermath', 'Between The Buttons' (both Mono) - The Rolling Stones

'The Who Sell Out', 'Live At Leeds' - The Who

'Please Please Me' 'Sgt Pepper' (mono) - The Beatles

'Planet Waves', 'New Mornin' - Bob Dylan

Thats just a few.

BA2: I don't have any on vinyl, can't comment sorry.

Great question!

Vinyl. The sound is richer, especially for 70's and 80's Albums.

BA: Nearly anything from the 70's. Most Sabbath albums would be good cases in point.

BA2: Hells to the Yes. I have several Eloy albums on vinyl and CD both and the sound of the LP is quite better to Me.

CD versions of vinyl need to be carefully remastered, just as MP3 conversions do. The result is no better than the original remastering, which is why some MP3 conversions of old vinyl recordings don't sound right.

Having said that, CDs take up way less space and are less vulnerable to ambient temperature etc.

I prefer vinyl because I love looking at album covers and vinyl's have the biggest :D and because cd cases always break and scratch easily and skip. Most importantly I just like the way the records sound when they play.

BQ: i dunno

BQ2: ?

CDs all the way... Vinyl sounds better, but having grown up with it, having to turn the dang thing over every 20 minutes just gets on my nerves.

I still have ALL my old vinyl, tho... and recently bought a 'suitcase turntable' so I can play the ones I haven't replaced (yet!) on CD.

Plus, you can't play a vinyl album in the car... ;-D

So for me, it's convenience and portability over sound quality.

tough call.

I think both have their definite advantages.

Like Darth said, stuff from the 50s-70s sound GREAT, maybe just cause that was how it orginally sounded for many of us. I like the warm, not so crisp sound for a lot of the rock and jazz of those eras.

On the other hand, for Symphony, the clarity of CD is unbeatable (unless of course you listen to Audio DVDs). I like the ability to distinctly make out every single instrument in the pit.

But fo rthe most part, I will giv ethe edge to CDs.

Why? Very basic and unemotional ( which is ironic when yo think about it, as music should be all about emotional choices) but CDS are more portable, more durable, and far easier to store. Plus, I don't have a Vinyl Burner on my computer.

And I liek burning copies of all my CDs, so that my originals (the ones I paid good moeny for) don't get damaged.

Plus... I just haven't found a good record player for my car stereo yet. =\

BQ- Anything by Cat Stevens and I really like listening to Fleetwoods MAc's "Rumours" on Vinyl. It makes me verry happy.

BQ2- IDK.

yes, cd's are more portable, but if you have a good turntable vinyl does sound better, especially old analog recordings. people "hear" in analog, not digital. if not remastered properly, many old albums lost something in the analog to digital conversion.

for people my age it's probably more nostalgia. there was a kind of ritual that went with getting the latest album that made it more personal and connected. there is something sterile about sharing files, and playing a silver disc with no album cover or inner sleeve art.

ba: i think csny's deja vu sounds better on vinyl