Does Vinyl or CD Sound Better?

[@theflipside-vinylcommunity]

I do feel CD’s will have a revival Everything comes around.

[@TheVinylDen]

I’ve definitely gotten back into CDs over the course of the last year (and so has my wife). What I think hurts CDs in the long run is that younger generations have little interest. They get the sound quality difference of vinyl, but CDs are more of an inconvenience than streaming services.

[@theflipside-vinylcommunity]

@@TheVinylDen I hear you on that.

[@vrakula]

Definately. During a period, a lot of records were only released on CD. Many smaller labels are defunct. These CD's are very sought after.

[@aodhancollins]

@@TheVinylDen as someone from that younger generation, i will say i do love cds and even collect more cds than vinyl, but a lot of it has to do with me being born at just the right time to appreciate cds. i'm probably one of few people who kind of feel nostalgic for cds. however there's also something that fascinates me about vinyl. a cd strangely makes sense to me, but the way vinyl works still seems magical to me and a lot of other people my age, even when we learn how it works.

[@myronhelton4441]

The best sounding albums were in 1971 & before. Something digital was added in 1972. I got a 1971 George Harrison lp, recorded from a new master tape. About 20 years later cd came out. George Harrison was copied to cd from a 20 year old worn out master tape. Master tapes can not be put on a cd to last. Remastered can improve sound, but not as good as sound was 50 years ago. So, my cd dont sound as good as my old lp, especially lps recorded on 1971 & before. There are still a few special rare analog recordings today. Cds are not all digital DDD. Old recordings on cd are ADD, or AAD. Some newer lps are more digital than cds. I dont like albums in 1972 & after, something digital was added that is harsh, not clear, & no dynamics was added. I can stand half my lps on cd. But I hate cds & lps in 1972 & after. There are only a few analog albums that are still recorded. Remenber dolby noise reduction that sounded terrible that removed the distortion from cassettes. Cds that remove lp DISTORTION sound terrible. Cds remove the acoustic guitar & saxophone DISTORTED vibrations. cds make a saxophone sound too smooth, just like a horn. Tube amps & tube microphones has that REAL SOUNDING DISTORTED GUITAR STRINGS. A really good designed transistor amp has a little natural distortion. A fourth order really good designed transistor amp has by nature preferable distortions.

[@kryptonson]

I love both. I collect everything, Records, CD's, Tapes, 8-Tracks, etc. I think CD's probably have the best sound overall, but it really depends on how it's sourced and mastered.

[@shahawndonaldson9674]

I feel CD's sound better than records but I collect both format's even cassette tapes

[@nicomeier8098]

They can both sound great, of course depending on various factors
CD player / DAC
Records player / cartridge / stylus
Mastering of the recording
Press quality
Etc.

[@3dimensionsofmusic3D]

Great question. I'm invested in vinyl and CDs for over 50 years. Poor quality playback happens on either format, depends on how well the mastering is done. I prefer vinyl tho. cheers. Greg.

[@TomsHitParade]

Great topic! I grew up with CDs and have nearly 3,000 of them, but my vinyl collection has been growing quickly since I got back into the format a few years ago. I like the convenience of CDs, but the tactile and sonic experience of playing a record is amazing. In fact, I've even replaced several of my favorite CD albums with their vinyl versions. I'd never disagree with anyone who says that vinyl sounds superior, but I roll my eyes whenever someone says a blanket statement like "CDs sound like crap". Personally, my conscious ear can't tell any difference in sound quality between vinyl and CD (with the exception of the normal static "ambience" of vinyl), but out of the thousands of CDs I've bought over the years, I could count on one hand the number of CDs that actually sounded bad. Each format has its advantages. But I've found that, the more convenient to play the format is, the less I engage with and appreciate it (streaming the least, followed by CD, and vinyl would be at the top).

[@leswidner632]

What I like about CDs is I can put the CD in a CD player and it will play all 20 tracks without me having to turn the record over or changing the record every three songs.

[@alltheworldsastage899]

Funny this popped up. I'm 65 so I grew up with vinyl, but I just listened to ELP's Brain Salad Surgery on CD. It sounded great, and I'm guessing my old ears would not notice much difference between the CD and LP.

[@TheVinylDen]

Growing up with vinyl I think that's what I'll always lean towards, but after not listening to a CD for over 10 years, I was really surprised how great they sounded. It was almost like rediscovering music all over again. It really made me realize how terrible streaming services sound, and the disservice that they do to music lovers.

[@FLAC2023]

Absolutely agree. I prefer vinyl... and as I get older and my hearing gets worse, vinyl is definitely much more rich and warm in my ears...
I can crank up the volume in my stereo and it sounds awesome

[@manchesterexplorer8519]

Also the minor compression issues with CD are way less of a factor than crackling and popping . When the band was originally recording music , the music didn't crackle and pop !!! Crackling and popping isn't pure sound :p . Id rather have very minute compression issues with a CD that are literally unnoticeable than crackling and popping.....think about it.
I love both forms but CD is better...hell I still listen to tapes.

[@bigboy9661]

Some of the earlier era CDs, like late 80s, sound absolutely fantastic

[@johnholmes912]

the early ADC s suffered from a lot of jitter; i try and avoid early digital

[@Coneman3]

@@johnholmes912that was the DACs not the CDs themselves.

[@DJGeorgeDisco]

CDs and vinyl are really comparable in terms of music storage format. It is the mastering that makes the difference to the sound between the two. Vinyl has the edge when it comes to the experience as physical media, but CDs are convenient. Vinyl is high maintenance and more expensive. I like both and I also listen to streaming media.

[@starker1971]

I want to share an experiment. Note, I haven't began to address the potential of more modern CD playing equipment with better DACs or separate DAC equipment.
Table is Kenwood KD-4100. Cartridge is a Shure R47xt with an upgraded stylus.
Shure N-70EJ stylus made by JICO
0.3 x 0.7 elliptical diamond tip for high fidelity
Made in Japan, genuine JICO stylus with each stylus quality inspected & sound tested
Lightweight aluminum alloy cantilever
1.5 - 3.0 g tracking force
I did a test where I used my iFi Zen Phono pre amp fed into the RCA switch device. (also repeated with the Schiit Mani 2)
RCA inline attenuator that I use to match up the pre levels of differing inputs.
The other input was a Onkyo DX C-100 5 CD changer.
Downstream is a Sansui 2000 feeding JBL Studio 590 with easy switching to Klipsch RP-8000F II
I was listening to Side 1 of Toto IV comparing to the same on CD in the Onkyo.
With pre level as matched as well as I could get them and the media matched in timing..
I performed A B switching between CD and LP
The highs of the CD did sound much clearer than the LP with the LP sounding somewhat muffled.
LP did seem to have a thicker bass characteristic, but that could be an emphasizing effect due to lack of highs.
I know I will likely bet better results with a better cartridge. I am considering going to MC design.
I have some doubts this additional upgrading will be highly beneficial.
As mentioned before, I haven't began to compare this to better CD transports and DACs.
Vast savings, and benefits of convenience will result when stopping the LP rabbit hole.
This would be in favor of directing that money towards more CD library, with better sounding, more cowbell.

[@theflipside-vinylcommunity]

I really love your channel and your videos keep getting better.

[@TheVinylDen]

Thanks, I really do appreciate it!

[@TheDoctor23452]

So back in the 80s, I used to like "old" music (60s-70s). We had just got a CD player in 1984, and the sound was so beautiful compared to vinyl. So I used to audition bands on vinyl ($5-7) and if I had the money, I bought the CD ($15). Of course, vinyl faded out and CDs became more affordable. However, always loved the large cover art and watching the vinyl turn around hypnotically on the record player. However, much preferred the cleaner sound of a CD.
It would be easy to say CD would be the obvious choice. However, we are now dealing with the loudness war, and the dynamics on CDs is pretty horrible at times, especially the "remastered" ones. As such, if I'm buying any new music, it will probably be buying vinyl until they correct the CD dynamic range issues. Or buy CDs before 1995.

[@rui1863]

My first component was a Luxman CD player and headphones in the late 80's. Never got around to purchasing a turntable but the recent resurgence of vinyl is haunting me into punching a turntable :). I love checking out the vinyl section in the stores now a days and also noticed that CDs are also making a comeback too. Personally, I've been collecting SACDs and high resolution downloads. I love the DSD format and really hope the format gains more popularity in the recording industry.

[@chilligoz]

I agree with what you said about streaming v Vinyl.....
I mainly listen to 80s hardcore Punk, so while I’m at work I’ll listen to my Spotify mix and when I’m home I can hear the difference..... Vinyl wins hands down 👍
Keep up the awesome vids👍

[@johnstone4913]

To me it does not matter, CDs are much less expensive than records for the most part so that is what I'm going with.

[@TheVinylDen]

There’s also a ton of CDs that have bonus material that aren’t available on vinyl or digital releases.

[@mfdoom808]

One doesn't speak about vinyl vs CD without going about the loudness wars and albums that are correctly mastered on vinyl vs brickwall limited CDs

[@JG.6768]

I also love both formats, but I just can't get on board with the cost of Vinyl Records these days. In 1985, when I bought my first CD player, I loved not hearing those pops and kilcks from vinyl. Also, I added an external DAC to my CD player, and that made a really big difference in the sound stage quality.

[@cloveraniumfreezingraine7870]

Thank you for your wise words! In fact, it is very difficult to compare discs and vinyl due to the large number of conventions and nuances. On a vinyl player, you can significantly improve the sound by changing, for example , the needle of the pickup, which can not be done on a disc player. But the discs are much cheaper, and we are talking about branded publications, especially licensed Audio CDs in many countries of the world , which are not rarely sound in no way inferior to branded publications due to the competent press on local companies, compared to vinyl, such discs cost a mere penny and give the sound as I said above is often not worse than branded.I mean, the price is an advantage, at least in third world countries like Russia or Ukraine, where the salaries of the majority of the population rarely exceed 300-500 dollars a month
( This text is translated from Russian to English with the help of an online translator)

[@black_umbrella_design]

Older music from the 50s and 60s probably sounds better on vinyl. I think some of those albums sound too hot or shrill on CD, and they actually benefit from the loss of fidelity.

[@paulmcwilliams8641]

Iv'e listened to my favourite music on vinyl, FM radio, cd, reel to reel and cassette tape, mini disc, MP3, and FLAC. I enjoyed every listening, no matter the format. By the way, vinyl only sounds as good as it does, because of the RIAA equalization circuit in the pre-amp.

[@carlsalazar4490]

Great info…I learned a lot. Maybe you could talk about why people are paying crazy prices for vinyl. It seems like there is so many vinyl variations.

[@gregdoerr1028]

CD's from the mid to late 80's, not always, but generally can sound really, really good, because, this was before there was such a push on compression, so they sound more natural, more quiet, and more dynamically present, in other words, more like their "analog counterparts'; i.e., Vinyl. I mostly listen to Jazz, so on many of those albums, CD's, there was never a push for adding compression in the first place, as a genre, and as things still are today, thank god, as far as Jazz music goes, on CD.

[@nicksterj]

Here's a simple test: record your vinyl to CD and see if you can tell which is which in a blind test. I'd bet money you can't!

[@jdthompson5778]

I love both formats. Digitally mastered or re-mastered re-issues of older analog material are often the lesser sound quality among vinyl . On new releases of new recordings I tend to like the CD sound better. On old original analog recordings or ones from original analog masters i.e. MOFI analogue remasters.

[@TheVinylDen]

That's what I noticed also. Stuff that was recorded on analogue tended to sound a little better on vinyl, but still didn't have that dynamic range that CDs have. That being said, I have the gold disc MoFi version of The Dark Side of the Moon on CD that I would put up against any vinyl pressing.

[@theflipside-vinylcommunity]

Great concept for a video 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@TheVinylDen]

Thanks!

[@marcbergeron8690]

There are good vinyls and there are bad vinyls. Same can be said for CDs. In general they are equivalent. CDs don't have scratches and produce a louder signal easier to amplify. Vinyls have a slightly more vibrant sound because analogics and are generally more pleasant to listen when not too used. And vinyls have the (not always) splendid tall artwork covers. This is not negligible.
For longevity, I have some CDs that begin to show signs of fatigue especially those that I have burned. I own some vinyls that ascend from the 50's and time just seems to have no effect on them provided that they are properly stored.

[@dallascowboyshighlights9632]

I basically stream music for convenience or buy vinyl for the thrill of the hunt. There’s absolutely nothing fun about collecting CDs.

[@yellowrat77]

First visit to your channel. Good summary, no losers here .. way to subjective and dependant on your audio setup, mixing, mastering, manufacturing (in the case of vinyl), and listening environment. But I do Love it when playing a record that, well .. its like you are there. CD's are perhaps to clinical to offer up a bit of smoke and steak fat into the recipe. Cant really explain this logically, but when a record does hit the bullseye its not necessarily better per se, But IT IS! Btw I love CD's, only have a few records left from days of yore.

[@OWEN-CASH]

An important, yet often overlooked, factor when comparing different formats is the mastering. For example, the Red Hot Chili Pepper's "Stadium Arcadium" sounds great on vinyl because it was mastered by Steve Hoffman without compression and therefore has a greater dynamic range. The CD on the other hand is heavily compressed (brickwalled) and sounds terrible. However, all things being equal, CD is the clear winner for best sound quality.

[@lucalone]

!!! you said it! when a vinyl and a cd have the same mastering, the cd will sound better ! nice that you mention the RHCP album, Californication sounds like brickwalled shit full of clipping !!

[@arize84]

@@lucalone Californication sucks on vinyl as well. Great music but unlistenable. Same thing goes for any album put out by Oasis.

[@lucalone]

@@arize84 all because of very bad brickwalled mastering. by the way, I think that Oasis have started the so called LOUDNESS WAR in 1994/95 with their first 2 albums.

[@arize84]

@@lucalone Man, I really hope that at some point, Oasis will do an unplugged performance of their music with good recording and mastering values.

[@lucalone]

@@arize84 there is an mtv unplugged with Oasis !! but only Noel is singing^^ I think the brothers had a "conversation" right before the gig, so Liam isn't there...
th-cam.com/video/QFBZ0hE7-LQ/w-d-xo.html

[@vagabond197979]

So I have a number of duplicates in my collection (the same album on record and CD). Sometimes the record sounds better. Sometimes the CD sounds better. And sometimes I can't really tell a difference. The medium that sounds better is pretty much always the one that was mastered better. So my guess is that the mastering has a much bigger impact on sound quality than any inherent differences in sound due to the medium itself. When my record version is better I'll listen to that. But if the CD version is better or if it's close I'll go with the CD, partially to avoid stylus wear and also because it's less hassle.

[@stevenward2801]

I like both I would have to say that as far as sound I prefer cds just because of less noise on the recording. But the cool factor records win. I love having the large album and notes and posters sometimes included in the record itself. That and my eyes are starting to go so I have a hard time trying to read the notes and lyrics in the cd lol

[@jonathonm2562]

I enjoy both and own many of both, but it's cds for me. Most of my collection is fom 1983 to 1994 and cds are the more practical, cheaper and sound fantastic, but I do love my records too

[@simonwood1461]

The only reason to prefer vinyl is the superior packaging and artwork.

[@theflipside-vinylcommunity]

Most albums recorded from the late 80s on are recorded digital. So I am not an expert but you would have to think that the sound quality has to be close on those recordings. I feel like the upgrade on my stylus has made a huge difference in the sound quality of my vinyls also upgrades to analog productions and MFSL have also helped.

[@TheVinylDen]

Even the albums that were recorded digitally in the late 80’s were still being primarily mastered for vinyl, so it seems a lot of those albums have a more distinct difference between vinyl and CD. Whereas albums recorded say mid to late 90s (with the invention and explosion in the use of Pro Tools) to today have a closer sound quality IMO. Pink Floyd’s Later Years compilation is a great example of an album where I cannot tell a difference between vinyl and CD, they both sound incredible, but the Apple Music version (while still sounding ok) has a more bland sound.

[@theflipside-vinylcommunity]

@@TheVinylDen that an excellent point. I have not purchased a CD in so many years I may need to get back on that

[@TheVinylDen]

@@theflipside-vinylcommunity For me, it's really been a result of the rising cost of vinyl. When I can pick up a new CD for $12-14 and the vinyl is $32-38, CDs become much more attractive of an option.

[@greyhoundude6112]

I'll give a slight edge to CDs. And if you're playing your records on a crappy turntable...a Crosley, for example...you are wasting your money if you are buying new records for $30 to $40 each.

[@ScubaDiverPicker]

For me personally I think CD sound quality blows away Vinyl. Nostalgia I think plays a big part in why a lot of record collectors think vinyl sounds better. But all the science shows why CD’s are superior. Don’t get me wrong I love vinyl as they are fun to collect. But sound quality it’s not close to me. But there’s no wrong answer in terms of what a person would prefer. Science proves CD’s have superior sound quality. But preference goes with the individual. For me CD > Vinyl

[@TheVinylDen]

I don't disagree. I love the warmth and lifelike sound that vinyl has, but as far as pure sound quality nothing compares to CDs. There's a clarity and depth to CDs that vinyl simply can't match due to the limitation that vinyl has. There are some labels that have figured out how to master vinyl in the 21st century to get the most out of the audio, but in many cases it still doesn't match the same album on CD.

[@keithnelson9233]

Of course you know from my post in the group, I’m a vinyl and cassette guy. But I do have around 100 CD’s. I agree cds can sound better. No pops, clicks or background noise. Also you don’t have the constant getting up to flip to side 2,3 or 4. Usually you can clean a cd and that’s it. With vinyl it’s a nonstop process of wet, dry and using a carbon fiber brush to keep dust off. So if you were to post the question if I’d choose cds or vinyl, my answer will still be vinyl even though it’s still a process to listen to your favorite albums.

[@TheVinylDen]

Absolutely! I think both have their upside. At the end of the day, if I was forced to choose it would be vinyl. I love the warmth and natural sound that records tend to have, that can't be reproduced on CD.

[@ke6533]

I hear about compression issues from a lot of people out there. But I dont know what they are talking about. I've heard it sounds distorted? How so? I know with copyright it is probably impossible to show examples on YT.

[@TheVinylDen]

When an audio file gets compressed from a lossless format like a FLAC file to a more portable MP3 file, parts of the audio track is removed (FLAC is 1400kbps compared to either 128 or 320kbps). It’s only supposed to be inaudible parts of the track that are removed, but too much compression can greatly affect the sound quality of the file and make the audio sound off (sometimes it can be distorted or hollow sounding). When a file is compressed for vinyl, it reduces the dynamic range of the track (the difference between the low end and high end). This can create additional problems because the dynamic range of a record is already limited (about 70db compared to the 90db of CDs).

[@Gabesmusicdiscography]

Play the lp & the cd at the same time and then switch your amp/receiver while it’s playing to see if you can hear the difference.

[@TheVinylDen]

I've done that with a couple of different albums I own. There are definitely subtle differences between the two (depending on the pressing of the record and when the CD was produced), but there are also things I love about both formats.

[@johnricco5366]

the only real debate regarding cd vs lp is whether analog is better than digital. and that depends on your listening preferences and hearing. pretty much subjective opinion. otherwise cd wins hands down. no crackling pops orskips with cd. when an issuearises its usually surface smudges which can be easily cleaned. no wear factor with laser vs needle wear on lps. repeated playback has no effect on cd as opposed to lp. cds can easily be played in a portable setting. a walkman or car cd player. the lp would have to be put oin a file or in earlier times on tape. compareable liner notes and graphics. often much better on cds. both collectible on hands media. cd is the last of the handson collectible media. storage is a no brainer. 1000 cds can easily be stored on bookshelves. try that with lps. need a room dedicated to shelving and crates. everything has to be considered in a cd vs vinyl debate. besides sound, portability,durability,collectability,and storage. it never got better than cd. the vinyl resurgence is mainly down to 2 factors. nostalgia with older collectors and longing for a past format they never experience firsthand with younger collectors.

[@TheVinylDen]

I definitely collect both, and love both for different reasons. For the most part, crackles, pops, and skipping shouldn't occur with records, and it's something that doesn't happen if they are properly taken care of. As someone who grew up when records were king, and went through the CD revolution, the experience for me of putting on a record really has nothing to do with nostalgia, but I often prefer the sound of most records. As far as overall sound quality, you are right that it's hard to beat CDs as it has a much larger dynamic range, but that doesn't always mean the listening experience is better.

[@robertforrestmontreal7707]

I listen mostly to 20th century symphonies Mahler and later but I agree with some engineers who say the cds have better bass while discs have a warmer treble. But when you talk about attack ( rapid piano or timpani's the cd wins hands down ) When I listen to a pop or jazz artist so Paul Simon or Janis Ian or the Take 5 drum solo you might like vinyl better .

[@ScubaDiverPicker]

I disagree with the concept that cds from the 80’s don’t sound as great as CDs made today. I actually think it’s the opposite in many cases. Listen to the early Iron Maiden albums on Capitol released in the mid to late 80’s. They BLOW away all these remasters done over the last 20 years. Minus the Castle Records ones which sound about the same. Also if you go to the higher end Audiophile market the MOFI/MFSL GOLD CD’s, DCC, Audio Fidelity CDs sound AMAZING! Given they are from the Master Recordings. It depends on the album but from my experience is I prefer many of the CD’s from the 80’s & 90’s than most of the remastered CDs made today.

[@TheVinylDen]

Like most things with music, it really comes down to mastering in most instances. When CDs first were released it seems like there were a lot of inconsistencies in mastering, and I think that's where a lot of the problems come from. That doesn't mean that there aren't fantastic sounding CDs from the early days, but from the late '80s through the early 2000s there was just a better consistency with releases. I think it took some labels a little longer to figure out how to maximize the audio on CDs.

[@moneygooddude]

They both have music that fits!

[@richardwhite2344]

Hi, In my opinion, it all depends on how much care was taken to transfer a Analog recording to a CD. I have come across many examples where the Vinyl version of a recording sounds much better then the same exact recording on a CD. One example is The Osmond Christmas Album. The Vinyl version sounds very rich and warm with the bass and treble at equal levels. The CD sounds very good but kind of flat with the treble reduced. Another example would be John Denver's Greatest Hits Vol. 1 and two. The Vinyl sounds superior then the CD of the same recording. So it depends on how much care was taken during the transfer process

[@Baz63]

i can only speak for my system but i have recorded vinyl albums onto blank c.ds and compared to the pre-recorded c.d version. Every time the vinyl album version sounds superior.

[@highrantdistrict]

Why not have both? 😉 For brand new non-audiophile recordings, the vinyl can be poorly manufactured so I go for the CD on new stuff. For old stuff (pre-90s or so) I think the records sound better so I get those. Good topic.
Cheers, Tom

[@TheVinylDen]

I feel like there’s definitely more sound issues with newer vinyl (made after the mid 90s). I think it has more to do with the fact that a lot of labels (generally bigger labels) simply don’t care about the sound quality of the vinyl format (compared to the analogue vs digital argument). They’ll put the fewest amount of money into the engineering and manufacturing as possible to maximize profits, knowing that for the most part fans will still buy them up.

[@highrantdistrict]

@@TheVinylDen To be fair, I think those of us who are picky about poor manufacturing are in the minority.

[@jazzrepublika]

I have the same opinion like you, Tom. I buy vinyls with music from the 50s to 80s. New music on cd 💿. I love both formats for different reasons. Great topic!

[@gavinhardy75]

Great video. I own Led Zeppelin 4 on vinyl, cd and iTunes download (all 2014 remasters), I think they all sound great. All this “vinyl is better, cd is better, a 256 kbps aac file can’t contain all the audible sounds” nonsense annoys me and I’m fed up of some telling me I’m wrong (Michael Fremner; I’m looking at you).
. Lower bit rate mp3 is poor; although no streaming sites in 2022 offer that.

[@TheVinylDen]

Every format has its pros and cons, and all formats can sound great if they are mastered properly. Unfortunately, some treat "analog" like a religion and hate on anyone that doesn't adhere to their way of thinking. I love all formats, and as long as people are enjoying the music that's all that should matter.

[@scotthullinger4684]

Asking that question is just like asking ... "Which is better? Steel belted radial tires? Or those flabby old tube tires?" How about paper or plastic at the grocery store?
Anything which vinyl can do, a CD can do MUCH BETTER. Plus - -
You don't need to flip over a CD.
You don't need to get the dust specks off your CD.
You can put the entire Beethoven symphony 9 on just one compact disc.
It takes a hell of a scratch to destroy a CD. But it only takes one careless slip of the needle with your vinyl to ruin it forever.
Hey, but at least you can get high by sniffing the liner notes of your vinyl recordings.

[@gloriabulgariu981]

The moment I pressed on the video I was listening to the same album LZ IV🤣💓

[@leswidner632]

Love that you have Taylor swift

[@chrisrees7054]

Damn rcords don't fit in my CD player!

[@user-zu2cb3ds5h]

Vinyl is the best ...

[@daviddines7003]

Good point about early produced CDs (some of them). Very poor engineering.

[@hollowillusion4732]

The greatest format is CD 😊

[@TheVinylDen]

I can definitely see the positives in both formats (and love them both). I think the sound quality is very comparable (especially newer records & CDs), but you definitely can't beat the dynamic range of a CD.

[@patrickc8007]

​@@TheVinylDenStereo separation on vinyl is 30dB vs 90dB on CD, night and day difference, vinyl is not comparable, its just much worse.

[@davemorrow3168]

Will CDs be around 50 years from now?

[@TheVinylDen]

Yeah, I don’t see CDs going anywhere anytime soon. On a units sold basis I think they still out sell vinyl every year, and I don’t see that changing in the near future. There definitely still a market for them, but as older generations die off that will be less likely. Vinyl is definitely a lot more popular with younger generations than CDs are.

[@davemorrow3168]

@Mike P agree!

[@RobertQuant]

Well I have a lot of cds 💿 and ima keep buying them I hate streaming 🤢🤢🤮🤢 physical media supports the artist and makes more money and u get bonus tracks from Japan 🇯🇵 📀📀📀📀💿💿💿🙏🙏🙏👍👍there still number 1 in Japan 🇯🇵 and music 🎶 stores still exist in some countries

[@pauldhoff]

For decades now, masters for recording are digital.

[@adairsteve]

The question, "which sounds better?" is hotly debated because it is subjective, i.e., it is simply a matter of personal taste. If we make this a more objective question, "which produces the most accurate sound", this can be proved by scientific analysis, and without doubt CD wins. This video makes a niave statement that vinyl records the original wave form, which of course it does not; it records an anologue encoding of the master reconding's wave form. CD records a digtial encoding of the master recording's wave form. The original wave form has a huge dynamic range, and the recoding media (including the master recording) has a much more limited dynamic range - vunyl is 80-90 db; CD is 120 db. So in both cases the master recording used to generate commercial vinyl or CD copies compresses the original dynamic range to suit the recording media. Normally, when both vinyl and CD issues are planned, a single master suitable for vinyl is used (i.e., compressed to 90 db); in some cases separate masters are used, where the CD has a higher dynamic range. This, by all scientific means, CD is more accurate than vinyl.
Of course there is signal to noise ratio, which CD wins also.
Some suggest that because the CD uses sampling to rebuild the wave form, it is not continuous, and hence not so accurate. This is a simplistic argument. The sample rate is 44.1 khz, in other words, the CD notes the change in wave form 44,100 times per second. To put this in perspctive, an electric light turns on and off at the main frequency of 55 Hz - that is 55 times a second, and yet the human eye is not capable of seeing this on-off sequence; similarly, the TV refresh rate is 60 Hz (60 times per second), and yet we cannot see fractured movement, but we just continuous action. There is not way that the human ear or the human brain can determine breaks in the sound wave when the CD is sampling at 44,100 times a second.
Now consider vinyl. The groove in a record does not reproduce the wave form, but a anologu encoding of the wave form. For accurate reproduction the stylus needs to follow the groove without skipping or missing data. This never happens. The stylus will not always reach the bottom of the groove; sometimes, partciularly in highly dynamic music, it can vibrate in a way that causes it to skio or jump in the groove, sometimes the stylus misses data in the groove because the tone arm to groove angle changes from the start of the record to the end. These factors cause higher distortion in vinyl playback comapred to CD.
As for warmth - the warmer sound of vinyl is due to distortion.
You may prefer the warm sound, but its not more accurate than CD - its actually less accurate - less close to the original sound.

[@clarkegriswold7410]

I love cds and still buy them, but have been thinking about starting a vinyl collection, is it really worth replacing my cds with vinyl?

[@TheVinylDen]

I think it really depends on the individual. I definitely see the benefits in both formats. Vinyl sounds great (most of the time), but it isn't exactly a cheap hobby. CDs can deliver a superior sound (simply because it has a much greater dynamic range than vinyl), and is definitely cheaper.

[@clarkegriswold7410]

@@TheVinylDen yeah I really do like the look of vinyl, the artwork and the packaging and having that thing in your hand, but I really can't fault the sound of cds, to use an example, the Beatles remasters on cd sound amazing.

[@Jordan-fn5rj]

Cds all way

[@InfectiousGroovePodcast]

I kid you not, I shot a similar video the other day. Great minds, right? Lol. Mine isn't exactly the same, but it's just about "why vinyl" in general.
In any case, I totally agree with a lot of your points. Often times, vinyl collectors get the stigma that they're "anti digital". I don't think many of us are, I just think we all want to have the best overall experience we can.

[@TheVinylDen]

Absolutely! I'm interested in high quality, good sounding music, whatever the form. I even gave Tidal a try for a month, but I really couldn't justify the price even though it did sound better (although I didn't think there was a huge difference between it and Spotify or Apple Music).

[@InfectiousGroovePodcast]

@@TheVinylDen I have Tidal but it's only because I get a HUGE discount due to being a Third Man Vault member. Sometimes I love the TMR Vault package, sometimes I don't but that sweet Tidal discount is usually worth staying signed up for. If I don't like a particular Vault package, I just trade it (at face value) for other records, but I still get the Tidal discount. If I happen to love the current Vault, then it's a win-win.

[@TheVinylDen]

That's a big bonus, I'll have to look into that. I didn't know they offered a Tidal discount to vault subscribers (plus I hate that I missed out on the vault greatest hits, that thing looked awesome).

[@TheVinylDen]

@@InfectiousGroovePodcast The funny thing is, this topic had absolutely nothing to do with what I had originally planned on talking about this week. Then there were a couple posts/comments on our Facebook group over the last week about digital music that got me thinking about this. Funny how that stuff works sometimes. 😂

[@shawnbowers4836]

I would highly recommend looking in to HDCD it's a dead format that went on from 1995 to 2005, you can play an HDCD on any CD player but most cd players do not have a decoder to unlock those extra bits off an HDCD. But anyways this really is by far the best music format to use, because it has that warmness that people love but also having even more dynamic range and sound color than a normal CD, but you have to find a player tht decodes it. The HDCD will not sound as good on a normal player.

[@TheVinylDen]

I think I've had a couple HDCDs over the years, but I've never had a player for them. I have been getting into SACDs though. How similar in sound are they to HDCD? The SACDs I have sound absolutely fantastic!

[@shawnbowers4836]

@@TheVinylDen From my own experiences, SACDS sound amazing also, they sound louder and super crisp. but HDCDs sound very smooth almost like super high quality analog, but it's a digital CD, I know that sounds weird but that's how it is, and like I said before they have a higher bit rate than a normal CD, so more dynamic range. Regular CD is 16 bits while HDCD is 20 to 24 depending on the album.
I refuse to listen to any King Crimson albums or Tools Lateralus unless it's HDCD, it's hard to go back. It's not a gimic, it's real. Go online and find a player that decodes HDCD. I use a Toshiba SD -9200 DVD player from 2000, it's amazing for CDs and it decodes everything.

[@TheVinylDen]

@@shawnbowers4836 Awesome, I'll have to check it out!

[@shawnbowers4836]

@MF Nickster Well, from my experience it truly does sound just a tad more rich and quality compared to a normal CD, but your right a normal CD still has plenty of range for most people's liking.

[@shawnbowers4836]

@MF Nickster And even if it just sounds a little better, it's still worth seeking after as a music lover.

[@jaycoleman8062]

I think it is subjective, like the recording. Eary USA Bowie sounds better on RCA CDs than the vinyl. The UK early vinyl sounds much better, imho.

[@chrisrees7054]

IS IT LIVE OR IS IT MEMOREX?

[@RobertQuant]

😅😅😅😅 the blank cds phrase 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[@rich_t]

For speakers - vinyl
For headphones - cd

[@MarioGonzalez-nm2ql]

CDs sound better not even close

[@chrisrees7054]

You can thank Alexander Graham Bell, the man who invented the record player.

[@mrhoffame]

I've always found that it depends on the album if cd or vinyl sounds better....BUT...I would say a majority of the time if you take the best type of pressings you can have with vinyl and the best audio gear and compared it to the best cd and audio gear...vinyl typically wins. I think vinyl, being the sensitive/physical media it is can vary SO MUCH from pressing to pressing. Where you literally might have not only 40 different pressing of an album from different plants with different quality of vinyl, but the actual various quality control of each plant can make a difference. The actual individual stamping of each record can make a total difference. There are almost infinite factors that can effect each record as it is made. So in a way, comparing vinyl to cds (which are bit more streamlined being digital) is kind like asking "do all blondes (vinyl) look better than those two brunettes (cds)". LOL the variation from pressing to pressing (even in the same batch being pressed, much less the various pressings over the years, and conditions it is exposed to, the various stylus, phono preamp variation, etc)...and many more factors play into the sound quality of vinyl than does the average cd.
This is why I have always said that vinyl sounds better most of the time, but to prove that it usually requires more time, money, and due diligence to achieve: Finding the best pressing in mint condition, equipment set up, etc. .......IMO lol

[@TheVinylDen]

Perfectly said! There are a lot of variables that can affect overall sound quality that go into both. I just find it interesting that there are a chunk of the VC that dismiss CDs simply because it's a digital source, when honestly almost all music from the last 25+ years is digital (regardless of format). The thing that initially drew me back into CDs last year was the unbelievable dynamic range that doesn't even come close with streaming services, and is unobtainable with vinyl (CDs have about 10x the dynamic range of vinyl).

[@mrhoffame]

@@TheVinylDen Totally agree with you!!! I love my Mofi cds just as much as my vinyl. Hell, don't sleep on the sound quality of some cassette tapes if you have descent equipment lol. I like collecting all formats because each brings something to the table that the other two don't...and as big of a music fan as I am, I WANT IT ALL!!! LOL

[@josegallardos4265]

In a few more years CDs will be revived.

[@vrakula]

It has already started...

[@TheVinylDen]

I think CDs have definitely made big strides in regaining some of the market they once had, but I think there's more of a ceiling on that growth compared to vinyl, simply because younger generations aren't into CDs the same way they are with vinyl.

[@RobertQuant]

@@TheVinylDenlet’s not count young generations that stream😅😅😅🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ Let’s talk about old school people like me that grew up with cds 💿 in the 1900s those are the ones that are true music lovers support the artist and have old cars to play cds 💿 💿💿💿📀📀📀🙏🙏🙏🙏🤦‍♀️

[@nizguy]

the question not answered is "what sounds better after being played 15 times, CD or vinyl?"

[@spyderhead7160]

👍

[@ferdinandgonzalez7407]

CD has the capacity to have higher db's, 90. Vinyl only has 70 db. CD's are 16 bit vs 11 bit vinyl. I love vinyl. The warmth people talk about on vinyl is distortion. lol

[@patrickc8007]

Stereo separation on vinyl is 30dB vs 90dB on the CD😂

[@j.csingingministries6213]

I like vinyl! I also like FLAC MUSIC

[@continentalgin]

No perfect answer. Too many factors involved.

[@TheVinylDen]

Absolutely!

[@metaljoe9088]

Cd-cd rot, records- IGD

[@redcomusic]

Oh no Nick didn't!!!

[@BlytheWorld1972]

The records are closer to the actual sound recorded especially the older stuff and all theses remasters and stuff that is released are not even taken from the master copy a lot of master copy's are lost some of the 70s and 80s 12 inch singles sound stunning the cd versions do not have the same clarity ..cherry read did a weather girls re isue a few years back it was horrific i recorded a mint Vinyl onto cdr the sound is superb i recorded it with a cd recorder not a computer

[@BlytheWorld1972]

@@nicksterj I am talking about that amazing sound you get from records that is lost through digitalized mastering i know what i am talking about i have collected records since i was a kid mint records play amazingly well .. i have a remastering cd of the weather girls big girls dont cry album from 1985 it sounds rubbish nothing like my original album the clarity is stunning also dear see some of the remastering you get today a lot are taken from good qaulity vinyl records or even tapes i know some remastering cds that rips from youtube have been used the fact of the mater is early records sound closer to the original recording that is fact .. anyone with half a head will tell you that pal .

[@BlytheWorld1972]

@@nicksterj obviously a amateur away and play your cds then fud

[@BlytheWorld1972]

@@nicksterj maybe with new music but i am taking about 60s and 70s and 80s recordings some of the master tapes long gone i have lods of cd remasters and most of them are crap kate bush ones and loads of cherry red remasters all taken from good qaulity record rips ..

[@BlytheWorld1972]

@@nicksterj Ah but when i record rare mixes or rare albums not issued on cd i do no noise reduction or change the sound in any way i just record it "as" is .. i have proven the fact a record can sound better than a cd the cherry red remaster of the 1985 weather girls album sounds horrific murky dull the sound is horrific i recorded my record on to cd and that sounds better i even posted a clip on line side by side and everyone said the record sounded better that's the only version i play i collect german super round 12 inch maxi singles the sound from them are stunning the german boney m. super sound singles have been released officially on cd but again the sound from the cd is much duller and not as funky as the record .. i find early cds sound better than cds released now the original 1983 abba the visitors cd is stunning but the 1997 version is crappy .. as its been tinkered with tweaked or "remastered" in some way .. another box set i have from japan a 14 cd box set have all been remastered even the fans and other fans say the remastering is rubbish and prefer the sound from the records or the early 90s cd versions just because it says remastered does not mean its been done from the original master copy ..

[@SharpEdgeStandardOfficial]

Tapes sound better than vinyl, CDs sound better than tapes, MP3 sounds better than CDs. Wait we’re talking vinyl…it old technology what more to say

[@chrisrees7054]

Unless you can hear frequencies like a dog, I don't think you can hear the difference.

[@Matt-fd9hc]

Nobody actually thinks vinyl sounds better than CD, right?

[@TheVinylDen]

It depends, I have some CDs that sound better and I have some records that sound better.

[@memberrrberry7282]

For me vinyl all the way, I stream using Tidal which is very good and the same as cd’s to me. You should try tidal if you haven’t before. Sounds much fuller than Apple Music

[@TheVinylDen]

I used it for about a month and really wasn't all that impressed. It definitely sounded better than Apple Music, but I didn't think it sounded quite as good as some of the CDs I have. So ultimately it came down to the price of the service. I didn't think the difference in sound was enough to overcome the difference in price.

[@Johnniemost05]

@@TheVinylDen what streaming service do you use?

[@TheVinylDen]

@@Johnniemost05 99% of the time it’s Apple Music, I rarely use Spotify anymore.

[@memberrrberry7282]

@@TheVinylDen I don’t stream music through my speakers, I used my nice headphones set up. Maybe it’s a pretty big difference from tidal vs CD on speakers. Keep making great videos 🙌🏼

[@RobertQuant]

All streaming is garbage 🗑️ 🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮 cds 💿 will always have better sound quality than streaming Physical media all the way 💿💿💿📀🙏🙏🙏👍👍👍👍

[@Phangaea]

short answer: the CD is superior in everyway.

[@RobertQuant]

Cds 💿 better sound quality u pay once own the music and support ur favorite artist 📀📀📀📀💿💿💿💿🙏🙏🙏👍😂😂

[@mafi211]

CD is and will be superior to vinyl

[@RobertQuant]

Was long is physical media is what people buying that’s cool aknow streaming nooooooo 🤮🤮🤢🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@carljung9230]

listening to vinyl on a non-hifi system is really a waste of time (and vinyl). it will sound ok but not very special. and there are dull sounding vinyl albums that won't show off the medium. but when you get a decent system and a decent (vinyl) recording, there really is a lushness and low level detail, that cd won't give you.

[@RobertQuant]

Well ima cd 💿 huh No offense to records but I only care about people buying both as king it’s physical media 🙏🙏🙏💿💿💿💿👍👍No streaming that’s garbage 🤢🤢🤢🤢🤮🤮🤮 lazyyyness 😅😅😅