Some comments about my experience with vinyl versus CDs. When CDs first arrived on the scene, I was astounded at the differences in recorded sound. CDs were a prayer answered - double length playing time, absolutely quiet surfaces, greatly expanded dynamic range and much brighter sound. Once I began to listen to music from CDs, I almost immediately lost interest in my LP collection.

When CD reissues of analog recordings started arriving, the most striking feature for me was to hear what was available in the original recording, but which had been suppressed within the limited dynamic range of my LPs (60 db for LPs versus > 90 db for CDs). The sound seemed to literally "fill out" in the CD reissues.

The advent of digital recording presented a new challenge for recording engineers. They had to learn how to use the new capabilities to properly record music - especially symphonic music. Some of the early DDD recordings were a bit "harsh", but I considered this issue to be a small negative when compared to the giant positives of long recordings, wide dynamic range and, most importantly to me, quiet surfaces. No matter how much care I took with my LPs, there were always audible imperfections and, once they occurred, they were present forever thereafter.

I am baffled by the recent resurgent interest in LPs. The hand-me-down copies of Stereophile Magazine I read are loaded with pricey turntables, phono preamps, cartridges. Unless there is some new magic in newly-manufactured LPs, I cannot understand this fascination - the old problems must still be there - especially surface noise.

I have a software program called "Wave Corrector". With that program, I am able to digitize LPs, then clean them up to remove pops and other discrete noise elements (continuous surface noise excepted). Once digitized and cleaned, I transfer these recordings to CDs. I have created "digital masters" which sound close to professionally remastered CDs. It is a painstaking process, but I have rescued favorite analog LPs for which commercial reissues are not available.

Other than listening to LPs during the above-described digital transfer process, I never listen to my LPs. No doubt, there are audiophiles out there who will recommend the "warmth of the LP sound". To them, I say "enjoy".

Happy listening to all,

Art

With fear of creating a dangerous new thread ... my experience with vinyl is that it pretty much blows away red book CD (it did, badly, in the early days ... still does now with today's much improved digital recording technology, just not as much). In contrast, some of the 24 bit downloads I have heard are pretty much vinyl's equal and better in terms of noise and DR.

Maybe you just needed a better source setup Art?

What Art said X 10!!!!!
I will admit that a $5-25,000 or more turntable, arm, cartridge combo AND CLEAN LPs with NO scratches CAN (sometimes) sound better
than a CD. I will give em that. A $10-15,000 CD player can take that the other way, but I am not biting on either.
Back in my old Turntable Nervosa days, I would not allow my wife or children to play any of my LPs. NOW that is NOT the way I want music to be in my family, I want everyone to play music any and all the time!!!!
After properly setting up turntable, arm and cartridge, and cleaning all of the above, cleaning every LP all the time, I still could NOT stand to hear the ticks, pops and crackles when playing music!!!!!
One day I bought as brand new special pressing audiophile LP of my favorite music at the time, opened it so very carefully, handling it only by the edges without my fingers touching the playing surface at any time, I DROPPED THE THING, IT SLID ACROSS THE FLOOR AND SCRATCHED UP ONE WHOLE SIDE BEFORE I EVER EVEN GOT TO PLAY IT ONCE!!!!!! Immediately and forever F****d up!!!!!!
Yes, some CDs have terrible sound, Many do. But records are worse IMHO.
Happily NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!
YMMV, and good for you. I will not argue the point.
Just saying,
God Bless,
Wayne

How would a "better source setup" be able to remove the pops and ticks from LPs?

No matter how finely-made or expensive the turntable, tonearm, cartridge, stylus, and LP vinyl material, there is still the fundamental problem of wear produced by mechanical contact between the stylus and the LP groove walls. Not to mention the possibility of damage to the playing surface, which is much more likely with LPs than with CDs.

To borrow Liberace's famous retort, I think the audiophile manufacturers of this new generation of LP gear are laughing all the way to the bank.

This sounds like an age old hot topic. Tubes versus solid state, low cost versus sky is the limit interconnects, and LP versus CD. I've heard valid arguments on both sides, here and in previous discussions. I think my best bet is to start small and see if I like it. I probably would have taken the plunge a while ago if the hipsters had jumped on vinyl... Thanks for the feedback to a complete vinyl rookie.

Cheers,

T Cobe

Personally I wonder why tape decks fell out of favor. I have a Sony TC-WA7ESA tape deck and about 700 tapes. Going forward I use CD's, however, although I have opportunity I am not "converting" the tapes to CD's or even wanting the same show on CD if I already have it on tape (the caveat is that the tape source is equivalent). Back to the tape deck, it plays fine. Vinyl is just to "delicate" for my liking.