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In reply to the discussion: Why do some people buy and listen to vinyl records? [View all]oberliner
(58,724 posts)1. The answer lies in the difference between analog and digital recordings
The answer lies in the difference between analog and digital recordings. A vinyl record is an analog recording, and CDs and DVDs are digital recordings. Take a look at the graph below. Original sound is analog by definition. A digital recording takes snapshots of the analog signal at a certain rate (for CDs it is 44,100 times per second) and measures each snapshot with a certain accuracy (for CDs it is 16-bit, which means the value must be one of 65,536 possible values).
This means that, by definition, a digital recording is not capturing the complete sound wave. It is approximating it with a series of steps. Some sounds that have very quick transitions, such as a drum beat or a trumpet's tone, will be distorted because they change too quickly for the sample rate.
https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question487.htm
This means that, by definition, a digital recording is not capturing the complete sound wave. It is approximating it with a series of steps. Some sounds that have very quick transitions, such as a drum beat or a trumpet's tone, will be distorted because they change too quickly for the sample rate.
https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question487.htm
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That's a bad answer. Analog recordings aren't capable of "capturing the complete sound wave" either.
PoliticAverse
Jan 2018
#8
Everytime I think of a vinyl album, I remember blowing my Bose 901's up playing Pink Floyd.
Lochloosa
Jan 2018
#6
Have a similar '72/'73 vintage system based on Technics receiver & turntable
bigbrother05
Jan 2018
#64
Yep. As for my system - it took a pounding from the bass track on Hendrix's 'VooDoo Chile'.
jonno99
Jan 2018
#57
There is a slight difference in sound -- vinyl is smoother. But digital often has more clarity.
Hoyt
Jan 2018
#16
sadly the millenial vinyl trendoids are playing their vinyl on garbage cheap low quality turntables
msongs
Jan 2018
#53
I can tell you that nothing on CD (or previously on cassette) can ever match the excitement I felt
LisaM
Jan 2018
#54
resale. i bought a pipe organ album at a rummage sale for 25. 4 disk mills bros i got for free.
pansypoo53219
Jan 2018
#66