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Live Test - Analog VS Digital - A REAL test
- Thread starter krellmk
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I can't follow a 2 - hours conversation about digital vs analog. I have my own experience. On the other hand, it's ok to hear other people's opinions. Perhaps, you can learn some new things.
But always, the final judge will be my ears.
One thing is for sure: trying to judge an analog source through low resolution digital means (as a YouTube video is) is quite unfavorable.
But always, the final judge will be my ears.
One thing is for sure: trying to judge an analog source through low resolution digital means (as a YouTube video is) is quite unfavorable.
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Sadly we have to accept the resolution as it is, there is though I think freedom to still greatly enjoy what is being demonstrated. What I found was best was to listen to each performance, but not at all, to get swept up in the participants reactions, The thing I did was to listen to segments of each again, then somewhat delighted, to see how wrong the participants were.
The title says A REAL Test! This is most definitely NOT! the way a test is/should be conducted...not even by a long stretch!
The resolution doesn't matter, analog vs digital doesn't matter, how wrong/right the participants were doesn't matter!
Performing a test whereat humans are testees, isn't an easy thing to do. One should strive to avoid the human factor as best as possible, meaning...oh boy, where to start with this nonsensical "test"?!:
- they lost me with power cables improving sound...though I clicked some more minutes here and there
- comparing a lacquer to a digital recording...yeah, right, we all play lacquers on our turntables...not to get into the difference about mastering analog vs digital
- babbling all the time, patting their backs all the time, even during the "listening sessions"
- blinded, double-blinded, AB, ABX testing...they couldn't care less
- setting the loudness of the two sources as close as possible...yeah, I'll just have a look on the handheld meter, here and there
- obviously they all sit in the sweet-spot
- the rubbish is going on for 2 hours, 7 minutes and 32 seconds...yawn!...what's the minutage of actual listening and the ever ongoing yada-yada-yada?!
- human audio memory is to short to discern the sound (differences) between them switching from one source to another...whilst babbling all the time
- and so on and so forth.
I'm not the least interested in the outcome - go analog, go digital, go with what the hell you want - but, if you must compare/test and publish your findings, do it properly and stop wasting my time!
Just a little reminder...digital can reproduce a recording to 100%, analog can not. I'm listening to music via every shit I own...turntable, tuner, CD player, cassette deck (all Revox...not, that it matters), laptop-DAC, Philips GoGear "walkman", phone, FLAC, mp3 (320kbps, VBR V0. etc)...and enjoy all of them - go figure.
The resolution doesn't matter, analog vs digital doesn't matter, how wrong/right the participants were doesn't matter!
Performing a test whereat humans are testees, isn't an easy thing to do. One should strive to avoid the human factor as best as possible, meaning...oh boy, where to start with this nonsensical "test"?!:
- they lost me with power cables improving sound...though I clicked some more minutes here and there
- comparing a lacquer to a digital recording...yeah, right, we all play lacquers on our turntables...not to get into the difference about mastering analog vs digital
- babbling all the time, patting their backs all the time, even during the "listening sessions"
- blinded, double-blinded, AB, ABX testing...they couldn't care less
- setting the loudness of the two sources as close as possible...yeah, I'll just have a look on the handheld meter, here and there
- obviously they all sit in the sweet-spot
- the rubbish is going on for 2 hours, 7 minutes and 32 seconds...yawn!...what's the minutage of actual listening and the ever ongoing yada-yada-yada?!
- human audio memory is to short to discern the sound (differences) between them switching from one source to another...whilst babbling all the time
- and so on and so forth.
I'm not the least interested in the outcome - go analog, go digital, go with what the hell you want - but, if you must compare/test and publish your findings, do it properly and stop wasting my time!
Just a little reminder...digital can reproduce a recording to 100%, analog can not. I'm listening to music via every shit I own...turntable, tuner, CD player, cassette deck (all Revox...not, that it matters), laptop-DAC, Philips GoGear "walkman", phone, FLAC, mp3 (320kbps, VBR V0. etc)...and enjoy all of them - go figure.
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Once upon a time I compared a record to a CD of the same material.
The vinyl rig was considerably less expensive than the CD rig at the time… and the record sounded better.
Maybe it was louder. But a fellow drummer was over at the time and he unanimously agreed. It was preferable to the CD.
Not scientific at all but what I observed myself.
The vinyl rig was considerably less expensive than the CD rig at the time… and the record sounded better.
Maybe it was louder. But a fellow drummer was over at the time and he unanimously agreed. It was preferable to the CD.
Not scientific at all but what I observed myself.
I have absolutely no sane, nor valid, reason to challenge your opinion/preference/liking. Neither does anybody else.
It is what this thread is about, that gets me going...and it's not the digital-vs-analog discussion, but the click-bait title! Choosing a high-speed tape machine, over a turntable, to represent the analog corner, would at least show some serious intentions. The "REAL test" would still be utter crap, though.
It is what this thread is about, that gets me going...and it's not the digital-vs-analog discussion, but the click-bait title! Choosing a high-speed tape machine, over a turntable, to represent the analog corner, would at least show some serious intentions. The "REAL test" would still be utter crap, though.