Thought for this Friday...

steveinaz
steveinaz Posts: 19,538
edited May 2011 in 2 Channel Audio
If compact Disc were encoded/decoded (preemphasis/deemphasis) with RIAA equalization curves, would it sound more analog?

Hmmm....
Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
Post edited by steveinaz on
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Joe08867
    Joe08867 Posts: 3,919
    edited May 2011
    Wow, that question made my head hurt. Cut it out......

    I think the problem we have now is most bands record digitally. I remember when Rush went from recording Analog Record, Analog Mix, Digital Master to Digital, Digital Digital how the sound instantly got thin and weird.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • WilliamM2
    WilliamM2 Posts: 4,775
    edited May 2011
    If it's encoded and decoded, it should sound the same as when you started.

    The problem is the loudness wars, and highly compressed discs mixed to sound good on portable devices, not hi-fi systems.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited May 2011
    steveinaz wrote: »
    If compact Disc were encoded/decoded (preemphasis/deemphasis) with RIAA equalization curves, would it sound more analog?

    Maybe if you are popping corn in the background.
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited May 2011
    Is it the mechanics of a turntable/vinyl interface, or the RIAA eq that gives vinyl its warmth?

    This is the kind of stuff that racks my small brain on a lazy Friday....
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited May 2011
    steveinaz wrote: »
    Is it the mechanics of a turntable/vinyl interface, or the RIAA eq that gives vinyl its warmth?

    I can tell you one thing, after recording from an LP onto CD it has the same character as the LP, however instead of the ticks and pops being way off in the background they end up between you and the speakers. This leads me to belive some of the sound lacking on standard CD's is actually added by a component of the LP analog system.
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited May 2011
    What gives vinyl its warmth is the distortion created from dragging a needle across a grove. Even though it is distortion, it comes off as pleasing to the ear, just like a class A amplifier.
    Jake
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Rev. Hayes
    Rev. Hayes Posts: 475
    edited May 2011
    zingo wrote: »
    What gives vinyl its warmth is the distortion created from dragging a needle across a grove. Even though it is distortion, it comes off as pleasing to the ear, just like a class A amplifier.

    hmmmmmm,

    I like that. Good head food.
    Sounds good to me...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • I-SIG
    I-SIG Posts: 2,243
    edited May 2011
    My understanding was that the RIAA curves were developed because the actual response of dragging a needle through a groove couldn't reproduce the full range of the music, i.e. grooves for bass tracks being so wide/deep that it went through the vinyl record itself.

    When those curves were applied to full range digital recordings, the sound got really jacked up, or something like that....

    Wes
    Link: http://polkarmy.com/forums

    Sony 75" Bravia 4K | Polk Audio SDA-SRS's (w/RDO's & Vampire Posts) + SVS PC+ 25-31 | AudioQuest Granite (mids) + BWA Silver (highs) | Cary Audio CAD-200 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Rotel Michi P5 | Signal Cable Silver Resolution XLR's | Cambridge Audio azur 840C--Wadia 170i + iPod jammed w/ lossless audio--Oppo 970 | Pure|AV PF31d
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • billyjeff2
    billyjeff2 Posts: 11
    edited May 2011
    my head is spinning over this one
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • stuwee
    stuwee Posts: 1,508
    edited May 2011
    :rolleyes: Does matter much anyway since we're all gonna Die today :eek:

    My old tube preamp has curves for NAB and AES, pre RIAA, some records were EQ'd to those before the standard was set in stone (some folks think RIAA is the scourge of music before the loudness wars swiped the tiara).

    Maybe someone will master a CD with RIAA curves just for the hell of it and see how it sounds?
    Thorens TD125MKII, SME3009,Shure V15/ Teac V-8000S, Denon DN-790R cass, Teac 3340 RtR decks, Onix CD2...Sumo Electra Plus pre>SAE A1001 amp>Martin Logan Summit's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter