Dynamic Comparison of LPs vs CDs - Part 4 - page 6

The other interesting point of note is that the DVD-A side (MLP 2.0 192/24) has better relative dynamics than the DVD-V side (Linear PCM 2.0 96/24). It is interesting to speculate whether this is statistically significant!

The digitally ripped DVD-V waveform:

The recording is quite faithful:

The MLP version is again very similar:

And so is the LP recording:

I was a bit disappointed to discover there is no extended frequency content even on the digitally ripped version:

And of course, it is not reproduced in the soundcard recording:

And not in the DVD-A recording either:

It looks like the original master tape has had all frequencies above 20kHz filtered out, because even the LP is not showing a lot of content above 20kHz:

More Than This from Avalon (Roxy Music)

I compared the digital rip of the CD layer from the Hybrid SACD against 96/24 recordings done using my soundcard of the:

• CD layer of the Hybrid SACD
• Stereo DSD content from the Hybrid SACD
• LP

The CD and DSD recordings have such similar values it's scary (apart from slightly higher peaks for the DSD recording). I suspect the CD layer is a downconversion of the DSD master.

Notice once again the relative dynamics superiority of LP over the digital formats.

Looking at the digital rip of the CD reveals a typical over-compressed and heavily manipulated pop recording:

... which the recording of the CD faithfully captures:

And of course the DSD version as well:

The LP recording shows that the compression is intentional and present in the original master:

The spectral view of the recording of the CD layer:

Interestingly, the DSD spectral view shows extended frequencies:

Unfortunately, though, not on the LP:

I suspect the LP is derived from a low resolution PCM digital master.

Conclusions

It appears that the vinylphile claims are not as outrageous as they seem: LPs do have a usable dynamic range far greater than the measured dynamic range would suggest, and LPs consistently have higher relative dynamics over digital formats. But it is also true that LPs have higher distortion levels which translate to ultrasonic frequency harmonics.

The question is: is the higher relative dynamics of LPs an indication of higher accuracy, or are LPs exaggerating transients and dynamics? I'm not sure, and I would welcome comments.

If LPs have higher distortion and are exaggerating dynamics, it may explain why the apparent "benefits" of LPs translate even into LP recordings, and potentially explain why LPs of digital recordings sound better than their CD equivalents.

© 2004 Christine Tham