Vinyl vs CD - preference or fact?

I read the show blog with interest, particularly the comments made about the tt demo. Having been convinced earlier this year that vinyl is where all the faithful action is I am now confused!

Consider my analogue front end: Systemdek - Linn Basik Plus - Dynavector 10x5 - Dynavector P75 mk 1. Whilst I accept the tt is not perhaps the best I could have bought (damn impetulence!) I would like to think it's OK, especially when you consider I had a Technics SL3 linear tracking tt before. Only a couple of my albums really impress me. One is Enya, which really is amazing but I am reluctantly accepting it has not lived up to my expectations.

I set the cart up with a protractor from vinylengine and I would like to think I've done a reasonable job. I've played around with tracking force ( without a balance) and the difference becomes most obvious when too light.

So. If I'm going to throw any more time or money at it, where should I start?

Thanks in anticipation....

 

It depends on how much money and how many records you have. If you have a lot of both, upgrade your turntable, if not, don't.

I think, in general, vinyl usually sounds better than the equivalent CD.

 

So much depends on the recording, the vinyl and cd versions of the same album can be quite different.
Good digital and good analogue are surprisingly similar imho.
Keith.

 

Re Vinyl Vs Cd - Preference Or Fact

which enya cd are you talking about only amarantine does sound
great on digital cheers ocean

 

Hmm, pretty much as I thought. I'll keep my faith in the black stuff then! I have an option on 500 records from 70's 80's and my parents' classical collection so having a decent front end may be the best way forwards. Just wish I'd waited a bit longer before I got the Systemdek. Hey ho. Will £500 fix it or do I need to be in the four figure area?

 

CD/Vinyl

Ocean, Its Shepherd Moons and its on vinyl. I have quite a lot of overlaps in the two media, which I why I am able to make the objective assessment.

Regards,

 

Re Vinyl Vs Cd - Preference Or Fact

Ok right, i had vinyl 20 years ago and when cd came out i thought
it was better but now im not so sure, ocean

 

I had a systemdeck. It's not half bad.

I think sinking your money into those 500 records you mentioned sounds like a beezer idea.

tally ho.

 

Only if you like them. - and if you don't you can offload them

As far as record vs digital goes its hard to choose between - if they are nice & clean & set up right vinyl is my preference but if the lp is scratched or uncleanable then CD wins out.

But I speak as one brought up on vinyl. I like the ritual & the ability to read sleeve notes without using a 10 to 15x magnifying glass.

Vinyl is experiential involvement with its own rewards for effort, care & persistence, whereas CD is totally devoid of anything experiential. Both can be good to listen to & you don't need to spend tons to enjoy it.

 

The Systemdek is not at all bad, quite nice actually, and your system is very balanced. IMO the weakest point is the arm. Anyway, I'd put my money on records for now and upgrade later on.
If you don't want to fiddle so much, you could sell the Linn arm on e-prey and buy a Jelco arm, which has the same mounting as the Linn. Keep the phono stage and get a better Dyna cart later on. They fetch good prices too, even fairly used!

Regards,

Vincula

 

Technics Linear tracking TTs are very good. I have two...
What you have right now is probably fine TBH. Take the records, enjoy the music and don't worry about the audio.

 

If your deck doesn't have dial up tracking weight you need a stylus gauge - first thing to get. There's a shure Gauge on EBay as I write. Don't play a thing until you have one & used it. I speak from experience having ruined a stylus & probably records by not having the right tracking weight. Number 1 priority.

If you have got a dial up then check & re-check the zero horizontal alignment. Also Check the VTA. In most cases The stylus should be vertical in the groove when playing.

 

What you got & what would you recommend? I am very interested in Linear trackers.

 

Like anything in HiFi land - it's all preferential. Some people prefer a sweet topend where hi-hats have a non-harsh sound. They think it's "high Fidelity". Stand next to my drum kit when I hit my hi-hat. It's gritty & harsh.

 

A very good point & one I've been meaning to check with my own ears having recently been seduced by a sweet sounding cymbal decay.

It always brings me up to speed when I listen to musician's equipment & normally I find they use a lot more run of the mill.

 

I think that in terms of the technology and ultimate ability, CD is better but as others have said, the quality of the mastering is paramount.

Most things recorded in the last 25 years will be digital and if properly mastered for CD should sound better played that way.
The situation changes when you go back to some of the great old analogue recordings. These are great played as intended on vinyl. Many haven't been sympathetically transferred to CD.

 

Spot on.

Memory is a great deciever as well. Josuhua Tree always sounded better in my head on vinyl when it was released. I listen to the many re-masters now and I do not feel moved like I did then.

A good digital recording mastered to CD is quite often better than the old analogues.

Some of the first analogue to CDs back in the 80's were horrendously mastered.

 

Always down to preference.

My preference is vinyl.

However my (very techie) b/f did explain to me what technical advantages vinyl has over CD and what advantages CD has over vinyl. It made sense enough for me to understand while he was telling me (in the main) but not explain to others or remember properly. But real reasons for the differences and support for some prefering one to the other even taking mastering etc out of the equation.

 

Ok. Many thanks to all who have posted to this thread. I will fiddle with the VTA again tonight and just check the tracking force. The arm does have a rotary weight with 0.1g increments marked. I have set it to nought and assumed (this word will be on my headstone) the arm is well-enough engineered that I can trust the weights as marked. (running 2.5g). Beyond that, well, I have made significant improvements, enough to bring tears to my eyes with some recordings...perhaps I should just count myself lucky and stop wanting to fiddle! afterall, its about the music, isn't it?

 

It is, absolutely! That's why you need a stylus gauge to get the VTF at least down 0.1 grs variation. It's not a matter of trust -I do believe those Japanese guys that manufacted the arm were good to their job- you won't be able to do that with the Linn arm scale, supposing you "zero" the arm just right.

The gauge's important to give you an idea of the antiskating applied as well, roughly the same value as VTF, but as I've learnt from my own Akito, Linn arms "have" a bit antiskating themselves already, so put the bias at around 2/3 of the VTF value, and you should be just there.

A nice sylus gauge like the old Shure one, or a modern electronic one (I bought mine from Analogue Seduction) are fairly cheap and a wonderful investment for better sound and less record and stylus wear.

Regards,

Vincula