Analog vs. Digital

[Old Uncle Toe]

Over in the James King album thread, @Unsomnambulist said...

As far as I can tell, this was recorded around 2013, and it was either done with analog equipment, or very carefully with digital gear. It's masterful and laid-back, very pleasant to listen to.

I love music but I'm no audiophile. I understand the concept of the smooth sound wave of analog vs the stepped wave of digital. And I've heard theories that the analog wave is more pleasing to the subconscious ear. But I've never been convinced I can actually hear the difference. Is this just a symptom of my inexpensive audio systems?

The big question is though, can I ask how you personally experience the difference? Because, as mentioned, I don't think I can.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Over in the James King album thread, @Unsomnambulist said...



I love music but I'm no audiophile. I understand the concept of the smooth sound wave of analog vs the stepped wave of digital. And I've heard theories that the analog wave is more pleasing to the subconscious ear. But I've never been convinced I can actually hear the difference. Is this just a symptom of my inexpensive audio systems?

The big question is though, can I ask how you personally experience the difference? Because, as mentioned, I don't think I can.

Yes, it may have to do with the resolution and clarity of the headphone or speakers used.

Personally, digitally recorded music (that isn't recorded well) has often sounded harsher and more strident. That is why so many audiophiles to this day still prefer vinyl. When digital is harsh and strident, it causes listening fatigue for many people and limits how long they can listen to it. That effect tends not to be experienced with analog systems, and also even digital systems with good equipment and where the recording/mastering of the music was done well.

I'm no expert, so that's the best I can explain it, I think.

 

[Ojai Sam]

This album was produced by folks who know a lot about roots music. It was recorded at Hilltop Studio in Nashville:

History

Hilltop Recording Studios was founded in 1963, making it the longest enduring studio business in Nashville. While many "old" studios have come and gone, Hilltop Studios has not stopped for a day...

www.hilltopstudio.com

and released on Rounder Records:

Rounder Records | Official Store

Shop the official store for Rounder Records. Limited Edition Vinyl, CD's, Apparel and Merch.

rounder.com

I can't seem to find what equipment was used here. However, traditional bluegrass artists such as James King aspire to a warm analog sound. Often they use rare vintage instruments and microphones to capture the feel of the past, both on record and in concert.

The convenience of digital music, whether delivered on CD or streaming, is a big selling point for my daily listening. However, I can still appreciate the difference in sound from a vinyl record. Even the mp3's I create for my Vinyl Rip Of The Day sound better to my ears than subsequent CD releases of the same material. Some of this has to do with changes in mixing styles over the years. One post on gearslutz.com offers this advice for mixing traditional country and western music:

Keep it simple, pan hard in the mix, develop a really characterful vibe and reverb... aaaaaaand both of those examples have a *lot* of greasy saturation on the tracks, so one of your main problems in emulating this will be it most likely sounding "too clean" to start with.

Bottom line, although I'm not a serious audiophile, I do hear a difference, some but not all of which is attributable to the analog/digital divide.

 

[Unsomnambulist]

Bottom line, although I'm not a serious audiophile, I do hear a difference, some but not all of which is attributable to the analog/digital divide.

Older releases often sound better than newer ones due to the Loudness War.

Loudness war - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org