What do you think about original analog LPs being remastered digitally?

[DougMac]

So if a cartridge can manipulate a different sound out of a recording I would think the LP version of a CD would have to have a different sound that could be better or worse.

I can speak directly to this. My experience affirms your assumption. I just bought "With the Beatles" on CD and LP. The source for the two was the same digital master.

I played one side of the record using a Shure M97 and the other with a Stanton 681EEE. Both sounded different from the CD, with the Shure sounding further from the CD than the Stanton. The highs were more suppressed, which is no surprise, since a "darker" sound is a trademark of the Shure. I seemed to have a slightly exagerrated mid-bass, but it sounds good to me.

There was not as much difference between the Stanton and the CD. The CD had a slightly more articulated high end and a little tighter bass.

Keep in mind the differences were subtle and took careful listening to discern. The sound of either the CD or the LP played with either cart was enjoyable.

 

[deeezy]

My understanding of why digitized vinyl has such shoddy sound (at least, as per my experience) is that, unlike a digital recording on CD, it started as analog, then is converted to digital, then back to analog. Something is always lost in the translation. Again, I may be wrong on this one.

 

[guitarman50]

I'm actually kind of surprised that so many people don't have a problem with digital vinyl. I was under the impression that most record collectors did it because we were unimpressed with the flat listless sound of digital and wanted to keep hearing live-sounding music on our stereos. I'm not trying to judge anybody else's listening tastes, but it just seems to me that digital becomes accepted because of it's cheapness and convenience, and then the listener convinces his/herself that it sounds just as good.
Believe me, I'm tired of being stuck in the past as far as my listening habits are concerned, but I just have yet to hear a digital recording that compares to analog (even taking into account bad analog recordings - to me, my old 78's, scratches and all, still sound more live than digital vinyl.
Again, to each his own, and I'm not trying to put down anybody's musical tastes, but this is a relevant topic, and it MUST be if analog recording is to survive, expensive as it may be.

this isn't my experience but I do admit that I'm more a music lover than someone tied to a particular format. Being a guitar player I hear the same uneducated assumptions by other less seasoned guitar players that think only tube amps and all SS amps are garbage.
I think if the recording is good and the mastering is good that both formats can sound great and depending on the digital setup, digital has the potential to sound much better and there are examples where it does. But I think thats been said so many times and it seems the extremist analogue lovers just won't believe it no matter what the evidence is.

 

[sgbaird]

Yeah I agree with this. I've heard people say that don't by the LP version of a modern digital recording cause it will sound exactly like the CD. And then on the other hand these same people tout different cartridges having different sounds. So if a cartridge can manipulate a different sound out of a recording I would think the LP version of a CD would have to have a different sound that could be better or worse.

OTOH CD players can sound different too. But while conventional CDs are limited to 44.1 kHz (yes, I know, some people think this is adequate) one could assume that the vinyl was mastered @ 96 or even 192k. That could make a big difference in the sound that some listeners can hear.

BTW, I have a highly modified CD player that was custom built by a friend that sounds so good, a great sounding CD puts most of my SACDs to shame. The designer believes, though, that DSD is the closest thing there is to analog... i'm just not disposed to paying $60 + for something I already have on original UK vinyl. He points to this, saying it is the best sounding recording he's ever heard (in THIS format):

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/75888/Dire_Straits-Love_Over_Gold-SHM_Single_Layer_SACDs

 

[Roivas]

I will leave myself open to the possibility that there is decent digital recording being made out there; my experience thus far has proven otherwise. So, let me pose a new question: what is a new digital recording that sounds great (on vinyl, I don't own digital playback equipment)? Maybe I'll check it out and like it, who knows? I have my doubts, though.

Metric's "Synthetica" is not just a great album, it shows that good music transcends how it's recorded. I bought the CD after hearing them on Q with Jian Ghomeshi (which is one of the best places to look for music discovery, for what it's worth). The entire car ride home, I was in a thrall. It was amazing. Several months later, the CD was ruined by a friend I lent it to, and instead of rebuying it I purchased the vinyl, which came with a free hi-res download of the album. The vinyl sounded even better than the CD. There is this great mixture of tones and contrasts that make for good music and a great showcase for the quality of your setup. If you want an album to test out digital recording, that's a pretty great one to use.

Or, if you prefer old school, the recent reissues of John Lennon's "Imagine" and the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" are both excellent. Pet Sounds is in mono, and is just fantastic. It honestly sounds better than my original version, which I acquired second-or-third hand and is noisy and worn-out.

Give one of those a try. If they still disappoint you...well, there's not much I can do for ya.

 

[sgbaird]

Is this the right Lennon, Roivas? It says it's a 2008 release.

http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Vinyl...ie=UTF8&qid=1362499171&sr=1-2&keywords=lennon

 

[Roivas]

Is this the right Lennon, Roivas? It says it's a 2008 release.

http://www.amazon.com/Imagine-Vinyl...ie=UTF8&qid=1362499171&sr=1-2&keywords=lennon

It might be. 2008 sounds right, but Amazon is bad about not including more detailed release/version information. So I'm not totally sure about that one, because Imagine was re-released a few times in a short period of time in the 2000's. That MAY be the one I found, but I bought mine in a local record shot here in Cleveland. It has a gold sticker on it that reads "Capital Vault Reissue." It's on 180 gram vinyl and includes the original inserts. I can find that release on another site, called discogs, which is an excellent source if you're looking for information on a specific pressing.

http://www.discogs.com/John-Lennon-Imagine/release/3308516

You can usually find copies for sale on that site also. Like I said, 2008 sounds right, but I am not 100% certain.

 

[hobbit]

As a happy amateur recording engineer, I know from personal experience that good quality high res digital can be just as pleasing as analogue.

To those who think the only good vinyl was recorded in the 70`s, I`d point you to Porcupine Tree as one example of vinyl, recorded in the digital domain that sounds very different on vinyl due to the mastering process.

It kicks the backside of anything else in my collection.

I love the fact that Made in Japan was recorded on an early 8 track analogue portastudio , and still consider it one of the best sounding live albums ever.


Equally, my Dexter Gordon vinyl from the 60`s is stunning sonically.

But, also some of the other small label vinyl I have bought recently has been incredible in package quality and sound.

I just love that for a few more pounds than the CD I can buy 12 inches of loveliness.

 

[sgbaird]

Here's one early 70s album that is a personal favorite of mine, and the sound is unbelievably real (image from the net)!