Blue Note LP vs Blue Note CD RVG editions.
Have been able to make this comparison now. And the results are below.
The equipment is Oracle Turntable,Sumiko Premier FT 3 tonearm with Grado Platinum cartridge, with Grado phono preamp. The CD Player used is the Arcam CD 73 24 Bit Dac.
Was able to switch back and forth easily due to the Forte F 44 preamp that has remote capability.
Compared John Coltranes album " Blue Train " on LP and CD. Coltrane on LP is the Direct Metal Master and the CD is the same title as a Rudy Van Gelder edition in 24 Bit format.
Being the vinyl junkie I am, been at this for 48 years now,have to admit that the gap has indeed become very narrow now. First got into CD in 1983 when there was only 25 CD titles listed in the Schwanns Catalog. So I do have some experience in the CD medium. Over that time have had several CD Players and in about the last 5 years or so CD Players have made quantum inroads in their sonic signature and probably won't be much longer until CD is totally on par with vinyl.
Like any comparison it is system dependent on the components used. Too see the complete system for this evaluation click on systems Forte/Alon. Fully aware that most of you have systems that far exceed my Forte/Alon and I tip my hat to you in that regard. However this is my current reference systems as it stands now.
First of all I have to admit this was a tough call and the CD format is a lot closer than I would have previously thought possible or care to admit to, being somewhat prejudice to vinyl.
Neither format was a let down to listen to, as both formats were very easy to listen to. But for overall sonic signature have to give the nod to the LP format, by a slim margin. In my opinion the Arcam with its 24 Bit resolution DAC has brought this much closer to the analog signature.
Brief description of the 24 Bit DAC as folows:
High-bit format for higher resolution and lower distortion from CD The 24-bit DAC re-quantizes the 16-bit digital signal to convert it to the 24-bit format. This process compensates for the conversion error that is created during recording. The result: you get a sound that is closer to the original sound, an analog signal with finer resolution.
Listen for several hours to both of these formats and came away with the conclusion, that if push came to shove I could live quite nicely with the CD version.
Rudy Van Gelder at Blue Note is to be highly commended for these reissues he put to 24 Bit format. No doubt he clealy knows what he is doing. Listed below are the formats themselves.
John Coltrane - Blue Train - BST81577LP-DMM on Teldec Vinyl
John Coltrane - Blue Train - 724349532625 - RVG 24 Bit CD
Both are from the Blue Note Label and on both Rudy Van Gelder is listed as the recording engineer. Nuff said there.
It is clear to me that the digital camp has been listening to the carping of the analog camp and finally beginning to produce software and players that have truly begin to make inroads as a serious alternative to vinyl. If the technology continues at this pace the digital format is not far off from being equal to vinyl.
I fully realize that in posting this that various opinions from the membership will emerge. And that is as it should be. Everyone hears things differently and certainly one's system and it's components will have an effect on what one hears as being the musical truth for them.
In closing I have tried to be fair and as concise as possible with the gear I have and based on some 48 years in this hobby.
