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When do you choose vinyl over digital?

For those who play (and buy) both vinyl records and CDs (or digital downloads or CDs ripped to a server), here's my question:
When contemplating a new purchase, something that is available on vinyl and on CD, how do you decide which to get? For me, the choice is sometimes easy -- when, say, a longtime favorite artist comes out with a new album, I'll most likely get the vinyl, adding to my collection. Others, whose work I've mostly got on CD (or don't have much of in any format) might lend themselves to picking up the shiny disc. But sometimes I can't decide.
One example: I've heard (and enjoyed) some Vampire Weekend and felt like giving them a listen. I can pick up their three CDs for a bit less than $30, or could get the trio of vinyl recordings for not quite twice that amount. I haven't pulled the trigger because I'm not sure which way to go.
When in similar straits, which way do you lean -- and why?
Thanks.
-- Howard
hodu
dbphd
1,058 posts
 
Schubert,

It's a bit like starting a vintage V-12 Ferrari: Switch on the fuel pump, wait until the clicking stops, power up the engine, enjoy the sound -- and don't forget to go easy into second until the transmission is warm. Neither is practical; both are delights.

db
czarivey
4,494 posts
 
I prefer vinyl in almost all of cases, but sometimes, I'd go with digital simply because some of the music with extremely quiet passages will benefit from substantially higher nose/signal ratio of digital equipment. I'd say that vast majority of classical music also would benefit from the digital playback, but my collection has only few-few classical pieces to almost 10,000 vinyls on my shelves.
solman989
42 posts
 
If it was recorded analog then Vinyl.
If it was recorded digital it is a crap shoot. If 24/96 or higher transfer I will take the risk and get the vinyl but if 16/44.1 then I would go CD.

Is there an easy way to tell how it was recorded? I used to buy new vinyl every now and then and each time I was taking a shot in the dark. Most times the sound quality was mediocre although a few times I did hit the jackpot.
lespier
67 posts
 
Many new vinyl releases come with a CD as well and for me that's enough to clinch the deal....you get the best of both worlds. increasingly,however, I find vinyl now comes with a download code for Mp3 ...not so appealing but a couple of titles I've bought do also give you the option for a 16/44 download.
syntax's avatar
syntax
2,033 posts
 
When do you choose vinyl over digital?

---> when I am not drunken
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