2. analog
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The Science of Vinyl/Analog Setups

It seems to me that there is too little scientific, objective evidence for why vinyl/analog setups sound the way they do. When I see discussions on tables, cartridges, tonearms and even phono cables, physical attributes are discussed; things like isolation, material, geometry, etc. and rarely are things discussed like wow, rumble, resonance, compliance, etc. Why is this? Why aren’t vinyl/analog setups discussed in terms of physical measurements very often?

Seems to me like that would increase the customer base. I know several “objectivists” that won’t accept any of your claims unless you have measurements and blind tests. If there were measurements that correlated to what you hear, I think more people would be interested in vinyl/analog setups. 

I know vinyl/analog setups are often system-dependent but there are still many generalizations that can be made.
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celander OP
1,036 posts
 
And who said my post was directed to you? Lol
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geoffkait
14,147 posts
 
I used the word you editorially. 😬
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
Look at the picture? have you ever gone into Best Buy and LOOKED at the crummy picture they screw up all the settings (to make it near impossible to know which really has the best. And they will NOT allow me to connect up my own DVD Blu Ray player to the TVs.. No way.  And yes I look at the REVIEWS of TVs..One good reason to look at reviews.. like the fact some new panels cannot use the closed caption feature since it turns off due to some new miracle screen saving. And you cannot stop it. Only find out after you buy?? or READ THE REVIEW? I enjoy closed caption to watch sports and play music all the time.

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tomic601
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Absolue Sound.....Perfect Vision.....

yes, I held a strong opinion on the former and a weak on the latter, having banished “ TV “ from the house .....
jhills
323 posts
 
@celander
Nice follow up on the original thread of "The Science of Cables" A lot of interesting posts here and some good points on both sides of the discussion.

 @elizabeth thanks for posting that wealth of info.

@millercarbon very good points made on harmonics that has a good deal of merit in explaining our attraction to analogue. In addition, we sometimes forget or don't realize that - at the very foundation of true analogue, whether magnetic or mechanical, it is an organic tit for tat recording (copy) of near perfect time, amplitude and substance - a natural re-creation of ex actually what is presented to it. How it is, or was processed from there sometimes becoming a bit dubious.
Digital, on the other hand is, from the beginning, an assignment of numerical bits, processed, re-processed, filtered and processed some more until finally reaching someones idea of perfect.
Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate digital, particularly it's convenience and ease of use and do admit the sound has become convincingly real.

Whether digital or analogue; whether cords, cables, components, speakers or aftermarket tweaks - I do have a problem with questionable, unsubstantiated high dollar claims of grandeur, that's pseudoscience and allure seems to find a home in HEA, but would never fly anyplace else....Jim
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