I'm still working to love digital, are you?

Hi Ehider; I like "good" CDs because they sound good in my rig. I have specifically put my stereo system together to sound good with digital, and yes it's expensive, but then so is good analog. But what really begs the question here is why one would beat oneself up trying to "love" a format they obviously do not-- and never have. I would have thought after 5-10 years they would have given up and bought some LPs and a TT and lived happily ever after.

Ghostrider45 puts it in good perspective by noting that each format has it's strengths and weaknesses. Personally after being into digital for a few years (I love the quietnesss and dynamics), I tried going bact to a modest (but decent) TT/LP setup, and quite frankly, I could not listen past the noise inherent in the format, and I'm NOT just talking about "ticks and pops". So, unless you're just trolling for some action, your query is kind of puzzling? Craig

Well I agree with you all. However, I feel digital does not become obsolete that fast, unless you believe all the hype. There are many 18bit and 20bit designs that still hold there own today if subjected to a blind listen. Wanting the latest technology in peoples minds probably causes the constant upgrading more than what is really necessary.

Vinyl is no different. Once you go beyond the classic looks and designs of the Rega, Lynn and other classic turntables; those sci-fi looking turntable designs that cost mega-thousands quickly lose their appeal and value as the "new look" comes out. Also, each time a new version of a big buck cartridge comes out, the old version loses value the same as digital, even though there is really nothing wrong with it.

But no matter; I enjoy both formats very much.

Eric, while i don't mean to come across as being rude, i'm going to ask an honest question here. I know that you are a big fan of Stan Warren products. Knowing that and having read the praises heaped upon his mods to DVD based players ( some of them by you ) as being the finest digital based playback systems made, reading a post of this nature coming from you seems kind of shocking. Are you not running Stan's gear or do you think it still falls that short of analogue ?

Having asked that, i used to think the same thing. Going to tube based DAC's was a big step and then onto a good SS upsampler was even better. While most of the problems with digital ( much like analogue ) are still based on poor recordings, i'm pretty happy with what i'm running now. It might not be anywhere near the ultimate in terms of digital systems, but it is the first time that i've ever been able to say that about ANY form of digital music reproduction.

I will not deny that both formats have their strengths and their weaknesses. I like them both for what they each have to offer. Too bad we don't have the technology to combine the best of both worlds. Sean
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Sean,

In response to your question, yes I'm a big believer in Stan's work. His modifications are world class and produce more analog sounding digital than most other offerings that I've auditioned. This does not change my opinion of digital versus analog sound though.

To me, analog still has a fluidity and harmonic integrity that is less prevalent in digital playback. It's this fluidity that I long for and cherish more than any other part of the musical experience. I've been a musician since I was a child, and have been exposed to both classical and modern music all my life. Being around live instruments for 35 years has me focusing on subtle harmonics and this "fluidity" that defines realism.

I realize that great digital gear has now surpassed analog in many areas (bass authority, image stability, silent backgrounds, etc..). When I listen to digital, I try to embrace and appreciate all that it does right. Unfortunately it still does not stir my soul the same way that analog does. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy digital immensely, I just enjoy analog more emotionally, i.e. "love".

For me, great digital is like having great sex with a perfect looking playboy model that knows all the right moves. Analog is like making love to your soulmate who's not as perfect looking, and not necessarily the absolute best physical lover, but her inherent substance warms your heart and stirs your soul, each and every time you are with her.

Hey Eric...most of all that you love about analog *should* be present in hi-res digital (if they ever get their act together). You're missing all of the details that 16 bit audio just can't hold. Some info has to go when the music is transferred to 16 bit, and it ends up being all of the subtle details...all of the little cues that make it more "real" sounding. 16bit technology keeps improving and I know it sounds better and better, but it can only get so good. A certain amount of info is not on the 16bit disc, and no new technology can chage that. I also think part of analog's charm lies in the actual physical contact between the stylus and the groove. The music you hear has no ending...it goes from music to the sound of that contact (even if you can't hear it on your system). All digital has a finite starting point for each sound. The background is silence until a 1 or 0 pops up and the sound begins. It does make for a better listening experience in some ways, but I do think the fact that the noise seems to float, untethered, has a different psycological effect than the analog sounds which are all grounded in physical contact...just like voices, birds, the wind, waves, cars, non-digital instruments, and almost every other sound that we hear everyday. I think that physical beginning is one of the things that we enjoy about analog (consciously, or not), and I don't see how that can ever be present with digital technology...no matter how good the resolution may be.