Is Digital actually better than Analog?

'Does any digital step in the recording process ruin music forever?'

Yes

'What about digitally recorded music that has been mastered to Analog (Vinyl) - is this better than straight CD?'

No, they are worse than CD. You actually get the worst of both worlds.

'due to the inaccuracies in the mechanical cutting, presssing and cartridge needle pick up process.'

With a reasonable setup the 'inaccuracies' (to coin your phrase) is smaller than redbook anologue to digital and subsequent digital to analogue conversion.

Pauly,

What a shame for those of you who dislike any form of digital, as the audio/video industry seems so hell bent on digital. DVD, Satellite and HD TV are obvious winners againt VHS and old analog signal modulation transmission like AM/FM etc. Online music and video on demand looks likely to kill these older formats forever....even CD, after surviving DVD-A and SACD will probably be displaced by some kind of MP format as the media of choice for audio. Analog will be like cars with carburators....vintage collector's items and increasingly difficult to find.

Hey I have a carburated car! I enjoy it very much - there is nothing quite like the sound of air rushing down the venturi pipes when you accelerate. Fuel injection sounds so mechanical and precise, regimented and digital.

Carburetors however sound so melodic and rich with the feel of real power and presence. I particularly like the bass which FI totally lacks - it is kind of bright and edgy in comparison. Actually, I should say kind of grainy and shut-in. Constricted even. Carburetors are all about the constant flow of air - none of this digital crap - so they don't have these drawbacks.

But then FI is so much more efficient and easy to use. Just plop in and go. Even on cranky days it just fires up as easily as ever. Carburators on the other hand, are tough to deal with. Gotta adjust this and adjust that and make sure everything is right and that you give it some time to start up and get to cruising speed before getting in the groove. It is a slow process that doesn't always work the first time, so the convenience suffers.

But oh the sound. And the nostalgia! Those are worth something, aren't they? However you will note that today, basically all cars are fuel injected. Such a shame that carubreted cars are becoming vintage collector's items and are increasingly more difficult to find today. Even I have succombed to having a fuel injected car as my daily driver. Time just seems to move that way.

Arthur

Shardorne.

I don’t dislike digital, I just happen to prefer analogue audio to digital audio.

I find your analogy of the carburetor and prediction of impending shortage of vinyl somewhat misplaced and unsubstatiated Vinyl has never been as available as it is now, and the turntables/arms/cartridges/phono amps available today are better than anything before.

I suspect you are probably scratching your head as to why vacuum tube aren’t extinct yet.

Regards
Paul

Pauly,

I find your analogy of the carburetor and prediction of impending shortage of vinyl somewhat misplaced and unsubstatiated Vinyl has never been as available as it is now

You are right I did not subtsantiate my remarks...but I suspect the wide availabilty of Vinyl is mainly because average people are clearing out the attic and getting rid of their old Vinyl collections, garage sales etc. The average person has no more use for Vinyl then an old car with a carburetor that won't start on a cold day.

I admit that the average person may not be as informed as audiophiles about the poor quality of their choices...but nevertheless progress (if you can call it that) is relentless.