How to make digital sound like analog vinyl?

kattz

kattz

Inconveniencing electrons every day...
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As I've said in other posts, I deplore MP3's, because my hearing is so wasted by the sound of jet noise that vinyl is the only media left to me that sounds good. Well, that and some FLAC. I want my digital music to sound like vinyl.

What do I need to get regarding the following:

File type or media type?
Player? Or audio converter - I'm thinking DAC here, right?
Anything else?

Will be running this into a Marantz 2238B or Sansui 9090DB. No further processing.

Sorry if I didn't use the search function enough; a prod in the right direction is appreciated if it's been said already.

Thanks,

Kevin
 
You know what might be the ticket for you is to record your records. I record to WAV 24bit files, I don't edit the recording so the whole side is one track on the computer. It sounds like a record with dead spots between tracks and surface noise. It really dose sound good.

I use a Maratz PMD580, it uses CF cards or direct to computer, it's a server, DAC, ADC.
 
Hmm - I don't have that much vinyl any longer and am in the process of buying new. It IS an idea.

@ chicks - Regarding vinyl, it's NOT the clicks and pops that I'm looking for. Say what you will, I can tell the difference between CD and Vinyl. Vinyl sounds FAT, and has brilliance without brittleness.

Here's an example - Steely Dan recorded a track called "Everything Must Go", the title track to their final album. I can hear music, percussion, and instruments on the vinyl that I can't on the CD. It has depth and presence, which is rare in a CD.

If CD's were pristine, then all CD's would have the same base output level and you would not have to change volume between CD's. They are only as good as their mastering, which goes the same for LP. With my hearing losses at lower frequencies, a bad master on LP is still acceptable, but a bad master on a CD is actually painful. Tinny and brash, and very brittle, like something is about to break. Harsh. Truly heinous.

Experts determined no difference between CD and SACD, but Dark Side of the Moon on SACD moves me to tears. I can tell the difference.

Kevin
 
I suggest you the try a tube amp like an ST-35 or a SCA-35 into a pair of Klipsch heresy speakers. Another approach would be to record to a decent reel to reel for playback. Both ways fatten things up and imparts lushness. YMMV. However, trying to compare a record to a cd that was mastered at a different time and by a different engineer in a different studio could be problematic.
 
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A couple things come to mind.

A tube buffer in the tape loop of the Marantz.

What speakers are you using?

You probably do not want highly efficient speakers and probably do not want horn tweeters or mid range drivers.

I am starting to see people with highly touted gear who have spent big bucks come and hear whatever tossed together stuff I happen to have thrown together and be seriously impressed.

I've sold off a lot of speakers at high profit because people have heard of them and think that are the best.
Some of my best sounding stuff is not what you would even consider.

And yes, I have heard some $$$ stuff.
 
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When I started back into Vinyl (dollar bin bonanza days) listening to boat loads of LPs (60s,70,80s mastering)... went through a phase where I didn't like the sound of most Redbook CDs(especially modern mastering).

Long story short ... purchased the AH! Njoe Tjoeb 4000 CD player ... it was a modified Marantz with a tubed output stage. Very enjoyable for "well mastered" CDs ... once the tubes warm up.

Over the years I've become more accustomed to the "modern mastering" digital sound. Probably due to online subscription streaming & ripping MP3s for portable use.

If you like Vinyl & SACD ... so be it ... like Popeye always said "I likes what I likes".
 
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In my opinion, different file types, DACs, players, amplifiers, etc. will go nowhere near as far in accomplishing what your seeking as changing your speakers. Perhaps if you get warmer, more forgiving speakers, it may make digital more appealing to you. Of course, that also may be too much of a good thing for analog!
-Bob
 
@ chicks - I think that a lot of my older CD's have mastering issues.

I do think I might try the CD to reel-to-reel and run that. The Sansui 9090DB/B&W DM330 combo with the Pioneer Elite CD/SACD player does sound pretty good. Actually much better than through my very expensive Pioneer Elite A/V receivers. This combo sounds really much better than I have heard from digital in the past and so maybe it's the amp/speakers and not the media format itself.

I can admit that I might be wrong regarding vinyl...

Kevin
 
Each to his/her own.

Personally, I find analogue much more involving than digital. And SET amps more involving than solid state amps.

Guess that means more records for me. :)
 
I have some hearing issues as well and some of the digital stuff gets too shriling and uncomfortable to listen to. I've found that the vintage amps and receivers can be a little easier on the ears with their warmer sound.
 
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I have been all digital for getting on 15 years now.

I'd recommend FLAC as the file format. Lossless, and read by just about all media s/w (iTunes excepted).

I'd also say that the DAC can make a big impact on the sound.

I was very happy with an HRT Music Streamer II usb dac for a while.

Visitors were stunned to find that what they were hearing through the B&K ST202 and Paradigm Reference 20's was digital.
 
Some people convert FLAC & other digital formats into DSD & say it sounds more vinylish to them. I haven't tried that at this point so have no opinion on it. If you have a computer with a fair amount of horsepower (to mix metaphors) & the right software it will convert it on the fly. Just something else to check out. There's actually a couple threads on this sub forum that discuss it. "Going Digital" is one of them.
 
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IMHO, BenWaB3 has pointed you in the right direction. Recently got a new DAC that includes software which gives me the option of converting all files to DSD on the fly. Now I love digital. I had previously listened to CDs and HiRez files, only because I wanted to hear albums that were not available on vinyl. Now I listen to digital files because I love the sound.
 
BenWaB3 said:
Some people convert FLAC & other digital formats into DSD & say it sounds more vinylish to them. I haven't tried that at this point so have no opinion on it. If you have a computer with a fair amount of horsepower (to mix metaphors) & the right software it will convert it on the fly. Just something else to check out. There's actually a couple threads on this sub forum that discuss it. "Going Digital" is one of them.
Click to expand...

goofytwoshoes said:
IMHO, BenWaB3 has pointed you in the right direction. Recently got a new DAC that includes software which gives me the option of converting all files to DSD on the fly. Now I love digital. I had previously listened to CDs and HiRez files, only because I wanted to hear albums that were not available on vinyl. Now I listen to digital files because I love the sound.
Click to expand...

This is the way to go.

The software can be had for free - Foobar2000.
 
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