Record or CD? The experts say
A disk or a CD, Vinyl or aluminum with polycarbonate? In forums you can find to the part heated, but at least a lively discussion about the differences in quality of vinyl record and Audio CD. Because many people feel personally attacked when someone criticizes your Medium of choice, we rely in this practice tip on the following literature and hold back our own opinion to be modest:
- Hans Jörg Friedrich: sound for media designers. Listen to the sound - understanding the technology - media design, Springer, 2008.
- Reinhard Lerch, Gerhard M. Sessler & Dietrich, Wolf: Technische Akustik. Fundamentals and applications, Springer, 2009.
- K. G. Schwartz, "The mechanical pickup impedance and their effect on the wear and tear of records", in: progress of acoustics (DAGA), Berlin 1970, S, 193-196.
- Stefan Weinzierl (EDS.) Handbook of audio engineering, Springer 2008.
CD or record: What is better?
The psycho-acoustics of the gramophone record and the CD which sounds better?
No matter whether LP record or Audio CD, both to be heard at the end of the people. The Translation of physical stimulus to the psychological perception is the core task of psycho-physics. So plate, and CD are reflected in the psycho-acoustic comparison:
- Dynamic range: The dynamic range from just audible to painfully loud AC sound pressure comprises about 120 dB. Music has more of a circumference of 60 dB. Acoustic panels have a noise ratio of about 60 to 70 dB, Audio CDs can represent with 16 Bit encoding with 90 dB dynamic range. Both disks enough for music.
- Dynamic accuracy: LPs can provide frequencies from about 30 Hz to 20 kHz with a precision of ± 3 dB, with Audio CDs range from 0 to 22,050 Hz with an accuracy of ± 0.5 dB. Under optimal listening conditions, a sound pressure level change of about 0.3 to 1.5 dB is just perceptible. This means that the frequency spectrum of the records is different under certain circumstances, audible from the original recording.
- Distortion: record needles from the time a little of PVC, which can lead to non-linear distortions. So frequencies that were not included in the original signals. Electromagnetic systems have minor signs of wear and tear as a piezo-electric pickup. The Read-Laser Audio-CDs do not influence the CD content, however. Even after 1000 times of playing Audio CDs still sound true to the original.
- Localization and spatiality: By Recording, Panning, and Pseudo-Stereo methods to generate a music producer and sound engineer the desired sound source Position and extent of sound sources. To do this, you create targeted signals for both channels in a Stereo Setup. Due to the spatial proximity of the two electromagnetic pickup cartridge in a turntable these can affect and sometimes each other. So the channel separation is located in the middle frequency range of 25 to 30 dB. This "crosstalk" in the rule for a narrower Stereo Panorama and a weaker three-dimensionality impression. Audio CDs have, however, a perfect channel separation, which usually results in a larger space. The Feeling of extended sound sources and einhüllendem space detection is part of the sound to the main sound-quality characteristics of concert halls and audio systems. Here, the CD is clearly superior.
A record sounds better?
Durability and vulnerability of the gramophone record and Audio CD
Vinyl records and Audio CDs are available as a physical disk, of course, vulnerable to shocks, scratches and dust. In addition, they have some of the other deficits. Both media are reflected in the physical comparison:
- Durability: Both records as well as Audio CDs hold, according to experience, at least decades if stored properly. Regular sun baths or a pair of slip-sliding on the sandy floor of the boot, make a mess of both media in a few weeks. Records eggs and then jump, Audio-CDs, give no sound again. As she records properly store , you will learn a practice tip.
- Durability II: If you don't store your music, but also play, you will notice in the case of Vinyl wear. The plates needle scratching the record groove, and using them. After 60 time play to achieve a total harmonic distortion of almost 5%. Since the playback speed of vinyl records is a constant, return the needle to the outside, a greater distance in the same time, than on the inside. Thus, the audio quality of the first Tracks is always higher than the last. Audio CDs have less than 0.01% harmonic distortion.
- Dust: Through its grooves, records are more prone to dust. Problems due to dust inclusions can be minimized by "wet play" with alcohol or distilled water. Audio CDs to suffer with thick flakes of dust. However, we provide you with practical tips to both LPS as well as CDs to clean.
- Robustness: record players need to stand firmly and level. The early shellac records, have quickly emerged as a not very durable. Vinyl, i.e. polyvinyl chloride (PVC) since the 1930s, an optimum compromise between flexibility, small to absorb impacts well, and stability to abrasion by the needle long withstand. The "füllschrift method", i.e., a larger groove spacing at higher levels, prevented a breakthrough of the needle. In particular, portable CD players often have an Anti-Shock function. Here are a few seconds of sound are cached. This means you can fit the CD Player just as long mercilessly by shaking, such as in the Cache.
- Scratches: In the case of oarlocks bumps against the platter, the needle will slip and you can lose the plate on the spot demo. Thus, noise or a jump can occur. Audio CDs for scratches also, usually with much shorter jumps. They have a transparent polycarbonate layer, of the even deep scratches or refilled ground can be. A scratch in the aluminum foil is destroyed, however, a portion of the audio content permanently.
- Characteristics: sound-plate signals are initially distorted and must be corrected, therefore, of a Phono-amplifier according to the so-called RIAA-curve. Audio CDs have no such distortions.
- Noise: noise of vinyl records are well known and have colloquial names, such as "Clicks", "Scratches" and "Crackles". In Audio Mastering Software, such as Steinberg Wavelab, simulates the vinyl, which are typical of noise to awaken a nostalgic or "historic" impression of the sound. The CD, of course, shares a fault with the plate: the leap.
- Mobility: From today's point of view, a decision between plague and Cholera: There are both portable record player as well as CD-Diskmen. Both are, of course, relatively cumbersome and not particularly shock-resistant.
- Digital sound boards play only an unsightly Timecode sound in order to synchronize digital audio files with this. So you can scratch even WAV files, and the Pitch Shift to the faster play listen.
- Long-term experience With sound boards, we have long-time experience. Some of the hundred-year-old shellac record sounds almost as beautiful as back then... mono, with a narrow frequency range and a hell of a lot of noise. At least the CDs hold, however, often five years.
Portable record-player: Heavy and bulky
More important for the sound than the choice of your product is likely to be the correct setting on your Subwoofer, the choice of the speaker connections and the optimal Transfer. Of course you can with the help of our guides also records to digitize , and then the sound will improve.
