Steve Guttenberg on Analog vs. Digital Sound Quality

[Artisan Fan]

I enjoyed this column:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20...?tag=mncol;txt

As to whether digital sounds better than analog, that's a moot point. A wise old audiophile once told me the best way to enjoy digital is never listen to analog, and it's still true. I enjoy digital for what it does well, but I can't go back and forth between CD/SACD/DVD-Audio discs and LPs. Digital just sounds boring and flat after you've spun a decent LP on a good turntable. High-resolution digital is certainly better sounding than MP3s or CDs, but high-res is nowhere as musically satisfying as LPs.

 

[edmorel]

Nice to see him getting a gig after Police Academy.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by edmorel

Nice to see him getting a gig after Police Academy.

He's more Woody Allen than actor Steve Guttenberg in person.

 

[grundletaint]

i loved the gute. unfortunately, i subjected myself to this ******* travesty

and was so traumatized by how HORRIBLE it is that i've had to let my love die

 

[thats.mana]

I enjoyed parent trap.

 

[Dakota rube]

I always get him confused with Steve Landesberg.

 

[A Y]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

I enjoyed this column:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20...?tag=mncol;txt

That is a truly awful article. First, it panders to its audience by doing the "all reasonable people agree that analog is more musical than digital" without any justification. He doesn't even try: he just asserts it.

And second, he is completely clueless in saying "virtually all the music you hear live ... is digital" when you can walk into any bar with live music, any classical music concert, any classical recital, many rock and pop concerts, and hear a totally analog playback chain, if not the direct acoustic output of the musicians. I can even walk down the street this month, and hear people singing!

I rate this article

.

--Andre

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by grundletaint

i loved the gute. unfortunately, i subjected myself to this ******* travesty

and was so traumatized by how HORRIBLE it is that i've had to let my love die

 

[audiophilia]

An easy read. Not much more. Ur basic please read me blog post.

 

[Rambo]

Why do we care what the guy from Police Academy has to say about audio quality?

 

[Douglas]

high-res is nowhere as musically satisfying as LPs.

evidence?

 

[Artisan Fan]

I differ with Steve that I think good hirez digital can equal fine LP.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by A Y

That is a truly awful article. First, it panders to its audience by doing the "all reasonable people agree that analog is more musical than digital" without any justification. He doesn't even try: he just asserts it.
I don't see any evidence of the "all reasonable people agree." In fact he says the following:

As to whether digital sounds better than analog, that's a moot point. A wise old audiophile once told me the best way to enjoy digital is never listen to analog, and it's still true. I enjoy digital for what it does well, but I can't go back and forth between CD/SACD/DVD-Audio discs and LPs. Digital just sounds boring and flat after you've spun a decent LP on a good turntable. High-resolution digital is certainly better sounding than MP3s or CDs, but high-res is nowhere as musically satisfying as LPs.

Clearly he is expressing a personal opinion here. It's his blog after all. Reasonable people can disagree. I do think he is more right than wrong here even if we differ on the quality of hirez digital v. LP.

 

[Beetleything]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

I differ with Steve that I think good hirez digital can equal fine LP.

I don't.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by Beetleything

I don't.
Why do you feel this way? What gear are you using to listen to each format? I used to think LP > Hirez but recently I've been playing with and listening to better more reference level DACs and my opinion has changed. I still believe LP >> CD at 16/44.1.