The debate between analog and digital is probably one of the most hotly contested in the world of turntable tech, and there’s no surprise there. But this preferential rift is not as clear-cut as you might think.
With the latest rise in popularity of vinyl records, almost everyone is falling in love with them, regardless of their age or the year they were born in. Of course, both formats have their own strengths and weaknesses, and this is exactly what you will learn in this article today.
A Quick Overview of the Analog vs. Digital Debate
The argument involving analog and digital will probably be a never-ending one. Every side has its own critics and proponents. For starters, it’s important to know the differences of these two media.
The analog sound undergoes a direct conversion onto the recording medium from the performance. The sound waves get imprinted directly without any conversion. Meanwhile, a digital recorder converts the sound waves recorded into the samples of numbers. These numbers are then imprinted on the recording medium. For example, CDs have 44,000 binary numbers for every second of sound.
An analog player reads the wave directly with no need for a converter. A digital player converts these stored numbers to the voltage wave and funnel through the speaker system. Sine waves denote analog sounds while square waves denote digital sounds.
Probably the main difference between these two is that analog sounds degrade over time naturally while digital sounds do not in general.
The Analog Allure
There are many good reasons why the most discerning music fans would rather choose analog instead of digital sources apart from the sense of nostalgia they offer. A lot of people love vinyl records because of their more natural and authentic quality compared to their digital counterparts which are often described by critics as uninviting and cold.
Some may also emphasize the superior bandwidth of analog, particularly if you compare them to the results of compressed records. But more than the bandwidth, the raw charm of analog is its real allure as it has the power of eliciting an emotional response from the listener.
Analog warmth is the phrase often used to describe this emotional response. It is also interesting to note that the unique warmth is a side effect of the technical imperfections involved in the process of analog recording.
Every flaw only helps to enhance the enjoyment, character, and mood that comes with the analog reproduction, from the transformers’ harmonic distortions to the speed-stability problems of the magnetic recording tape.
This enjoyment will only be improved if the ceremonial aspects are added to listening vinyl records. You don’t have to worry about skipping around the tracks. It will only be you, the liner notes, the artwork on the canvas-like cover, and the music against the world.
The Digital Appeal
If analog wins in terms of feel-good and nostalgic factors, digital wins when it comes to convenience and precision. While analog warmth is being advocated, remember that most of this warmth is actually the direct effect of distortion. Unfortunately, some of this distortion isn’t welcomed.
Digital recordings generally have a better signal to noise ratio or SNR and more often than not, it results in a more pleasant listening experience. Although you can find some really wonderful vinyl pressings, these records are often pricey.
The sad news is that most of the cheap records are distorted, warped, and noisy. In addition, although the ritual of taking out the album from its sleeve and listening to it while it plays in full always stands the test of time, the tape or album itself doesn’t.
The tapes and grooves of analog records can only endure a certain number of play time hours. On the other hand, you can listen to digital files endlessly without having to worry about the negative effects on their sonic integrity.
You might be better off if you stick with digital even at first play because standard CDs also offer significant dynamic benefits compared to vinyl.
Finally, it is also worth noting the convenience and ease of digital storage as well as the exciting variety of digital streaming. With the help of the ever-improving files and the rise of new technology, audiophiles can now have their whole music catalog right at their fingertips. They can also explore genres and artists that they probably didn’t even know existed before in just a few clicks.
Pros and Cons of Analog and Digital
With all of these said, you’re probably wondering why there is even a debate in the first place. But you’ll know the reason why if you ask a vinyl record collector. In general, someone who loves listening to vinyl records instead of CS is a purist.
For purists, taking sounds, turning them into numbers, and converting them all over again is considered sacrilege. True vinyl aficionados prefer the analog’s pure sound transference. For them, this completely captures the very essence of what took place in the studio. Meanwhile, digital recordings are only machine-washed copies of the real sound.
Those who like to listen to digital sounds appreciate the fact that they don’t have crackles, pops, or other imperfections in the sounds they hear. Digital fans don’t like that real sound analog offers. For them, the digital conversion and sampling as a purifying process that eliminates the flaws and only leaves the music behind.
A digital enthusiast points to the absence of high-end and low-end performance of analog and the high price tags of high-quality turntables and needle cartridges. They also emphasize on the large space required for keeping a high-end collection of records compared to the smaller players that hold more musical tracks.
An analog purist may fire back by stating that MP3s get rid of some parts of the music to finish the process of compression to allow the smaller size of the files as much as possible.
The Bottom Line
The debate between analog and digital can go on and on without an impartial and concrete solution. But at the end of the day, it is always a matter of personal preference.