Pie graph on storage medium types (for music)

[Nintendo]

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Your thoughts?


When or what year will digital distribution be 100% of this pie graph? Hopefully not in our lifetimes.

 

[slaeshjag]

Why not? /hasn't used a optical medium since 2007, with exception for gamecube stuffs.

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

Nice find


In terms of sound quality : vinyl > CD > mp3

 

[Prometheus]

^ I saw a quite interesting blind-test a few months ago, which suggested the opposite. :lol:

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

^ I saw a quite interesting blind-test a few months ago, which suggested the opposite. :lol:

Seriously? mp3s sounded better than analogue?


Even on my pretty poor PC speakers I can hear the difference between CDs and mp3s.


Perhaps it's because I know what kind of media I'm playing and my prejudice for one over the other kicks in.


I'd like to take that test. Is there an online one available?

 

[Prometheus]

It was a video of said test. Give me a bit and I'll try to find it.


It's here.

 

[Cas]

^ I saw a quite interesting blind-test a few months ago, which suggested the opposite. :lol:

Hello


The test I see was done on the crap Gadget show where the presenters would not know a good


sound if they heard one.


They used a middle of the road stereo system with a really shit turntable, and I mean SHIT turntable.


The LP used was Pink Floyds Darkside Of The Moon, forget the track, but the same one was played in


all three formats.


Outcome was the I believe MP3 then CD last Analogue, on that shit turntable I am not surprised where


analogue came.


The show was absolutely swamped with complaints re the equipment used, and they just stated that


that was how the test was done, it was a blind test so therefore a FAIR test, no no no no no............


My CD player I have here has two DACs ( Digital to Analogue Covertors ) inside, one for each channel.


MP3s should only be listened to on iPods etc, and even then I do not use them, well unless I have no other choice.

 

[slaeshjag]

Woah woah woah, Prometheus refered to a gadget show test as a credible source? I though she had learned to spot a good one from the horrid ones :blink:

 

[Prometheus]

:rolleyes:

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

lol


Gadget Show :rolleyes:

 

[Prometheus]

So I assume everyone who listens to vinyl has top-of-the-line equipment, then?

 

[DaMummy]

to be fair, there have been huge advances in digital media as well, while this may not be in mp3 format, there are other formats which sound much better. and of course vinyl nerds will flock at something like that to defend their status, but is not like theres isnt a difference between an ipod and a cowon just as there is between a "shit" turntable and a top of the line that only vinyl fiends would knw about. same goes for those people that complain about how the generation of people that look through audio booklets in a "romantic" way to find out who did what parts on the songs have died off; most if not all of this info can be found even on a quality mp3

 

[Unfathomable Depths]

@Prometheus


On the same equipment (amp and speakers) I would expect vinyl to trounce CD and mp3s.


Just an expectation really. No actual videos of cheaply produced Channel 5 TV shows to back this up :lol:


@DaMummy


Yea, of course better equipment will have an effect.


BTW I'm not a vinyl junkie and don't want to come across as some sort of audiophile snob.


*edited*

 

[Cas]

So I assume everyone who listens to vinyl has top-of-the-line equipment, then?

Hello


I would say most yes they would have.


Even way back when you needed the best equipment for your vinyl.


Won't tell you what mine cost.


No different to good and bad MP3 players and CD players and DVD, Blu-ray players. Pley them on shit players


and that is what you will get out.


One reason why people buy PS3 to play Blu-Rays on as it contains a better than


average Blu-Ray player for the money.

 

[Asmo]

I remember an audiophile test where a group of known vinyl experts were blindly played recordings from analogue AND digital masters, and the same albums on top end turntables. Almost unanimously they preferred the vinyl (ie 2nd generation!) versions, the conclusion being that turntable equipment imposes it's own 'warm sound' which some (largely those who grew up with it or favour certain genres) prefer.


Remember when everything came with a graphic eq on it? Everyone had their own preference for low, mid or high end, and purists were appalled that anyone would not listen to music 'flat' as nature intended -


preferably on a 15 grand turntable through a valve amp and out of spiked electrostatic speakers in an acoustically suitable environment, naturally.


A problem with vinyl from a comparison standpoint is that you also need a really good disc pressing to get a great sound - I have a lot of vinyl but I'd only regard a fraction of it as worthy of a demonstration of it's merits. And then there's always that pop or click in JUST the wrong place -something heavy metal fans won't notice, but can harsh the buzz for ambient lovers

 

[Cas]

I remember an audiophile test where a group of known vinyl experts were blindly played recordings from analogue AND digital masters, and the same albums on top end turntables. Almost unanimously they preferred the vinyl (ie 2nd generation!) versions, the conclusion being that turntable equipment imposes it's own 'warm sound' which some (largely those who grew up with it or favour certain genres) prefer.


Remember when everything came with a graphic eq on it? Everyone had their own preference for low, mid or high end, and purists were appalled that anyone would not listen to music 'flat' as nature intended -


preferably on a 15 grand turntable through a valve amp and out of spiked electrostatic speakers in an acoustically suitable environment, naturally.


A problem with vinyl from a comparison standpoint is that you also need a really good disc pressing to get a great sound - I have a lot of vinyl but I'd only regard a fraction of it as worthy of a demonstration of it's merits. And then there's always that pop or click in JUST the wrong place -something heavy metal fans won't notice, but can harsh the buzz for ambient lovers

Hello


Graphic equalizers, no no no no........


High end Amplifiers do NOT have Bass, Middle or Treble controls, just a volume and input selector.


The sound is sorted out by the Cartridge and cartridge preamp, the amp them amplifies it for your ears.


Listning to vinyl on an amp as above is NOT flat you hear it how it was recorded, why add what is NOT


meant or was NOT meant to be there.


Can I suggest that you peruse the sine wave from an anologue recording, it will have peaks and troughs, in


other words high and lows.


Then puruse a sine wave from a CD recording, it will be all on one level, no highs or lows as it should have.


The modern sound engineers for what ever their reasons when CD came about all tried to out do each


other to see who could get the loudest ( Flat - No highs or Lows ) recording, absolutely awful sound.


So loud sometimes that clipping occurs, IE: The top of the sine wave is cut off flat.


Music/sound naturally has highs and lows, why kill them with loud flat sound ? I have no idea.


Pops n clicks, unless the record is damaged lots of these can be down to dirt in the grooves, give em a clean and hear


the difference. I washed and cleaned all my vinyl a few years with a puprose built machine and 98% of them


now sound brand new, NO pops No clicks.


Also do not be fooled by the, you cannot damage a CD hype, give me a brand new CD that play OK and in one


deft 2 second moved it will never play again. Also some CDs from several years ago are now rotting away and


in a few years will never play again. I have seen CD rot, it does exist do not let the industry fool you.

 

[Asmo]

Listning to vinyl on an amp as above is NOT flat you hear it how it was recorded, why add what is NOT


meant or was NOT meant to be there.

By 'Flat' they meant the equipment's treatment of the audio, i.e. no emphasis (up or down) on any area of frequency response in equipment, amplification or output.


Why though? Possibly because audio engineers and artists are not infallible, or universally talented. One reason why so many recordings end up being remastered. Sometimes an album just sounds poo. Heretics like to think they can improve things with a considered tinkering of that illicit EQ. Some just like MOAR BASS.


Tastes vary. Some people like a lot of salt.


Also, not everyone has ideally matched components or surroundings, and they may feel their music is not sufficiently irritating their neighbours or overriding their tinnitus.

The modern sound engineers for what ever their reasons when CD came about all tried to out do each


other to see who could get the loudest ( Flat - No highs or Lows ) recording, absolutely awful sound.


So loud sometimes that clipping occurs, IE: The top of the sine wave is cut off flat.

Yes, that's a relatively modern phenomenon though (you can probably pin the blame on regulations affecting output levels of personal stereos and changing tastes in in-Car entertainment), early CDs (started buying mine in 1983!) aren't so afflicted - you notice this a lot when ripping them for mp3s, the levels are many times lower than current CDs, ironically these earlier CDs can sound a lot more vinyl-like on the best current CD players.

Pops n clicks, unless the record is damaged lots of these can be down to dirt in the grooves, give em a clean and hear


the difference. I washed and cleaned all my vinyl a few years with a puprose built machine and 98% of them


now sound brand new, NO pops No clicks.

A lot of vinyl is just z-grade quality. Made from recycled material of dubious origin. Get a record made from 'virgin' vinyl and it's great, but that's not an option if you like to collect dance music of the last decade or so for example - no amount of victorian looking record cleaner scrubbage can render them silent in their quiet passages. So it's off to Wavelab to edit the snap crackle and pop out and save a big fat WAV instead.

Also do not be fooled by the, you cannot damage a CD hype, give me a brand new CD that play OK and in one


deft 2 second moved it will never play again. Also some CDs from several years ago are now rotting away and


in a few years will never play again. I have seen CD rot, it does exist do not let the industry fool you.

I wager I could break an LP faster than a CD! (flashbacks of Peter Cook as the Devil in 'Bedazzled', pre-scratching mail order LPs!). Never had an accident lifting the tonearm over a record? Nightmare.


I've lost a few CDs to rot, but then I'm also able to losslessly back them up, so if any more kick the bucket I can make another copy

 

[Bosbeetle]

For me the graph is a bit different since 2000 or so I mostly buy vinyl before that it were cds Not because of music quality just because you have to invest more into listening vinyl, flip it over, clean it etc so you are really listening to music instead of having it in the background. Also the bigger artwork appeals to me