Vinyl vs SACD- a single comparo

[reyneman]

Ok, first off let me tell you straight up- I listen to and enjoy both formats, and listen to the shiny discs more often than vinyl- please forgive me, Grumpy;)

I am only comparing ONE recording- Willie Nelson's "Stardust". Why? Because I have an original mint condition standard Columbia record and the Sony SACD. Had a bit of time this evening, decided to listen to both back to back per track just to satisfy my own curiosity, so I cleaned up the record and let er rip.

The two front ends consist of the original Sony SCD-777 for the shiny disc and a Rega 25/ Benz Silver for the black stuff. Both are connected to the proper inputs of an MF A-300.

SACD- smooth, mellow sound. Very pleasing, I like it. Compared to the vinyl, more rounded, less real.

Vinyl- whoa. The string attack, decay, soundstage, and imaging are way ahead of the SACD. Much better sense of the recording environment, echos. More 'holographic', deeper staging. Deeper fuller sound across the board. Way closer to you are there.

Now, I would NOT apply this to ALL recordings across the board and make an overall statement as to which is the better format. I will say that, for THIS recording, there really is no comparison- the vinyl is better across the board.

JM2c, YMMV, IMHO and all that other rot. I'm now wondering what an audiophile version of the record would sound like...

And no, I will not stop listening to or buying SACDs (or CDs for that matter). Just wanted to share

Thanks for reading...Sharing Rey

[Wardsweb]

Thanks for sharing and by the way Stardust is a GREAT album. I grewup with Willie. He and my Dad were buddies since high school days. The third member to their "posse" was a fiddle player named Johnny Gimble. They use to have jam sessions at our house. I've got unreleased stuff on cassette that Willie use to give my Dad.

[WildWest]

"Vinyl- whoa. The string attack, decay, soundstage, and imaging are way ahead of the SACD. Much better sense of the recording environment, echos. More 'holographic', deeper staging. Deeper fuller sound across the board. Way closer to you are there".

That was very well said. Gimme five bro! :beerchug: It rather states my general opinon in such comparison. Not all vinyl does this of course but many do and when it does you just can't live without it. I don't have a SACD player and I never will but a buddy down the road does and when ever I listen to someting new he "just got", it never seems to hit the mark for me. Always walking away going hmmmmm things were missing...

[michael w]

Digital heresy this may be, but I've heard a lot of CD players that can do the musical immediacy thing so much better than SACD.


cheerio

[botrytis]

I don't know if this has been linked here, if it has, please forgive me. This is an interesting article - http://www.sound.westhost.com/cd-sacd-dvda.htm .

Here is another - http://www.multimod.com/uk/shop/600-dvd-audio-vs-sacd.html .

And here is an intersting forum - http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?act=ST&f=1&t=3390

Just trying to help.

Dave

[reyneman]

bot- I've read those articles before (not the thread, however), along with several others that all seem to be mimicing (sp?) the same dogma spread by the DVD-A manufacturers (YES! a CONSPIRACY!)

In the thread did you notice that they claimed SACD players won't play CD-Rs? I better let my Sony know, as it plays them quite well...

Actually, the early SACDs had quite good CD playback, as good as or better than 'normal' CD players in their price range (at least the ones I'm familiar with). If I was buying another player today, I would not limit myself to one system if I could get extra versatility for around the same price.

As for the 'dissing' of SACD- I say let YOUR ears be the guide. Listen to all three formats, and then decide what YOU hear. If SACD is so bad, then there is something seriously wrong with my hearing- I find many SACDs to sound VERY good on my system. I guess many reviewers also have my hearing disability.

Saying that. let me also say that I belong to neither the SACD or DVD-A camps- I believe both will show technical advantages over CD. I will also state that, IMHO, the care used to record and produce the individual performance has a greater effect on the final sound through your system than the format used (pretty good dancing around on my part, eh?). CD, SACD, Vinyl- I've heard great and not so great through each format (no DVD-A- YET!). I will say that, on quality recordings, I've found vinyl to be the only one that gets me that 'wow' response.

[1420-1503]

'in the 80s if you wanted good sound you had to pick up a CD (and dump your turntable)'
'and SACD is the same now to CD as what CD was to VINYL back then'

...stuff like this you can read on Sony's SACD webpage.

Very ironic, when seeing the 'worse' format beating the 'best' (worse best acc to Sony). Ok it was but 1 example, but it couldn't be if vinyl was so bad.

When I was a kid I used to listen to Vinyls by Sting, Sade, Dire Straits and Simon/Garfunkel etc and I had kids stuff too on Vinyl like the 'jungle book'. and that was mid 80s, but my parents dumped nice TT we had, and I had to settle for a philips cd210 in 1993, my very first cd-p. I'm getting nostalgic now though.

[gonefishin]

Thanks for the comments Ray!

Even tho I don't have me a vinyl set-up any more...I've still listen them from time to time. It does seem a shame that some form of CD hasn't been able to take the good from both formats and mix it into one media. The presence and fullness that good vinyl has is unique to that media so far. But I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Wouldn't it be nice if they could finally mix the good of vinyl with the quietness and frequency extension of digital. It's not like we're asking to put someone on the moon!



1420-1503...hi there. You do bring up some interesting points. I could remember when CD first came out...and the CD players and the majority of recording on CD were full blown crap! it sounded gawd awful. I know...it was introduced as the perfect format...but it still sounded bad
:puke:

Thru the years, CD has certainly improved...both the players and the recording on the redbook format. I have wondered if sacd could have more to offer, much like early CD did. Maybe time will tell, thru the advancement of its players and possible recording advancements that may exist for the format. Then again...maybe it'll turn to beta ;)

one more thing...is Belgium chocolate really as good as they say?

[Andyman]

Originally posted by gonefishin
one more thing...is Belgium chocolate really as good as they say?

No, it's BETTER!

Best chocolate in the world, and I'm not Belgian.

[1420-1503]

Originally posted by gonefishin



1420-1503...hi there. You do bring up some interesting points. I could remember when CD first came out...and the CD players and the majority of recording on CD were full blown crap! it sounded gawd awful. I know...it was introduced as the perfect format...but it still sounded bad
:puke:


The first time I listened to cd's was in 93, with the philips cd-player. I was young, and I was happy with it.
To me it sounded perfect because accostumed to K7-tapes sound after the TT was gone in the early 90s.
And I haven't known those early full blown crap cd's.

I just acquiered a beautifull Sansui TT but I have to wait a week or 2 before I'll have it shipped.

I'd like to start a record collection and I'll start with the vinyls I used to listen to. Not 'the jungle book' per se ;) but surely the Dire Straits one with the silver guitar on it, the 1 by Sting with the song with the Prokofiev melody. etc





Originally posted by gonefishin

Thru the years, CD has certainly improved...both the players and the recording on the redbook format. I have wondered if sacd could have more to offer, much like early CD did. Maybe time will tell, thru the advancement of its players and possible recording advancements that may exist for the format. Then again...maybe it'll turn to beta ;)



It'll possibly get better and better, I don't know? But their 777ES player is supposed to be a good one, asit was handcrafted in Japan using superior materials. And on top of that they're able to use their +20 years of experience crafting cd-players.

one more thing...is Belgium chocolate really as good as they say?

Yes it is, but it's all I eat. I don't know about other chocolate? I think Belgians are good for all patisseries and sweets in general.

I live near a Daskalidès (http://www.daskalides.com/world.php) chocolate factory, they organise yearly tours around the factory where you may taste all the chocolate you like.

But if ever you visit Belgium be aware of some unknown praline-shops with big letters reading 'real homemade Belgian chocolate' as they offten are tourist-catch. They potentially offer you the worst of the worst pralines in Belgium! (like no cacao taste and too fatty) Go for a wellknown brand such as 'Daskalides' and 'Leonidas'.