Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

In article ,
JustMe wrote:
"A long-time fan of analogue and a trenchant critic of CD sound, Young
reckons he has finally found a modern digital format to meet his
exacting standards" [2 channel DVD-Audio]. "There's just no comparicson
between DVD-Audio and a regular compact disc or even 5.1 multichannel
sound. It's the difference between a true reflection of the music and a
mere replica."

He then goes on to say, "The analogue records always sounded better than
anything else to me" etc.

A CD - or DVD-Audio - which is a straight 1 to 1 copy of the master tape
will sound just like that master tape regardless if it's analogue or
digital. An LP won't. Just about anyone will tell the difference instantly.

If he says he prefers LP to CD, but DVD-Audio to both, he's a fool or
charlatan.

--
*If you don't pay your exorcist you get repossessed.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

JustMe awoke the sleeping dragons when he wrote

Just reading an interview with Neil Young . . .

.. . .and whatever your point of view about whether dragons are most
enjoyable with a vinyl finish or silvery reflective scales, it made me go
and dig my copies of 'Harvest' and 'After the goldrush' out last night for
the first time in a while (1). 'Harvest' is especially fine, and the title
of one of the tracks might be used by some here with an alternative slant .
.. . but the pair of them fair took me back a while. Hang it all, I might
indulge myself again tonight. Throw the cat a goldfish and pass me those
albums!

T.
(1)To keep the balance, one was on CD and the other vinyl.

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

"Tony Buckley" wrote in message
...
JustMe awoke the sleeping dragons when he wrote

Just reading an interview with Neil Young . . .

. . .and whatever your point of view about whether dragons are most
enjoyable with a vinyl finish or silvery reflective scales, it made me go
and dig my copies of 'Harvest' and 'After the goldrush' out last night for
the first time in a while (1). 'Harvest' is especially fine, and the
title
of one of the tracks might be used by some here with an alternative slant
.
. . but the pair of them fair took me back a while. Hang it all, I might
indulge myself again tonight. Throw the cat a goldfish and pass me those
albums!

T.
(1)To keep the balance, one was on CD and the other vinyl.



Well stone a crows Mary Poppins I did exactly the same thing!
I'll state no preferences here.. but pass me those albums ;-)

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

"Mike Gilmour" wrote in message
...

"Tony Buckley" wrote in message
...
JustMe awoke the sleeping dragons when he wrote

Just reading an interview with Neil Young . . .

. . .and whatever your point of view about whether dragons are most
enjoyable with a vinyl finish or silvery reflective scales, it made me
go
and dig my copies of 'Harvest' and 'After the goldrush' out last night
for
the first time in a while (1). 'Harvest' is especially fine, and the
title
of one of the tracks might be used by some here with an alternative
slant
.
. . but the pair of them fair took me back a while. Hang it all, I
might
indulge myself again tonight. Throw the cat a goldfish and pass me
those
albums!

T.
(1)To keep the balance, one was on CD and the other vinyl.



Well stone a crows Mary Poppins I did exactly the same thing!
I'll state no preferences here.. but pass me those albums ;-)

Likewise :o)

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 12:43:18 -0000, "JustMe" wrote:


Sure he's *one* recording artist. That does not invalidate his opinion in
any way.

Without diving into the vinyl vs digital debate, I offer the
observation that Neil Young has regularly commented that his hearing
is shot after years of abuse from performing rock concerts.

I suspect that may invalidate his opinion slightly.

I'm a big NY fan all the same.

tom.

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

"JustMe" wrote in message
...
Further quotes from the article:

"A long-time fan of analogue and a trenchant critic of CD sound, Young
reckons he has finally found a modern digital format to meet his exacting
standards" [2 channel DVD-Audio]. "There's just no comparicson between
DVD-Audio and a regular compact disc or even 5.1 multichannel sound. It's
the difference between a true reflection of the music and a mere replica."

He then goes on to say, "The analogue records always sounded better than
anything else to me" etc.

I read that as saying that he is not happy with CD, that of the digital
formats he feels DVD-Audio is a "true reflection of the music", and that
vinyl sounds best of all the formats.


Oh right, now you give me the full story. But it still only he says he
prefers the sound of vinyl. It doesn't say he "sees vinyl as the source
which is closest to a true replica". If he did, I'd simply have to assume he
has cloth ears. It does beg the question though - does he like the original
master?

Roy.

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

On Tue, 23 Nov 2004 13:11:42 +0000, Kurt Hamster
wrote:

On Mon, 22 Nov 2004 07:11:36 +0000 (UTC), Stewart Pinkerton used
to say...

On Sun, 21 Nov 2004 21:49:41 -0000, "JustMe" wrote:

I think everyone here would agree that the concept behind "Straight-line" is
to deliver the music as the artist intended, unsullied and uncoloured - an
accurate reflection of the artist's work.

Just reading an interview with Neil Young (HiFi Choice, January 2005), in
which he states,

"The analogue records always sounded better than anything else to me. But I
compared the new vinyl versions, which are taken from a first generation
analogue master copy, and the best just got better. It's a really good
feeling."

To be fair and put this in context, he also speaks well of DVD-Audio, but
it's clear that NY is one artist who sees vinyl as the source which is
closest to a "true replica".

Yup, and he is *one* recording artist out of thousands. Furthermore,
his stuff is heavily EQ'd and overproduced pop crap, so who knows what
it's supposed to sound like? Finally, if he also likes DVD-A, which
sounds *nothing* like vinyl, what does that tell you? Now, try to find
*one* jazz or classical artist who wants his pure and natural master
tape sound mangled by vinyl.

Tut, tut. Showing your own prejudices now eh?

It's not prejudice when it's based on the outcomes of many trials.
Check any dictionary.....................
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

"JustMe" wrote in message
...
I think everyone here would agree that the concept behind "Straight-line"
is
to deliver the music as the artist intended, unsullied and uncoloured - an
accurate reflection of the artist's work.

Just reading an interview with Neil Young (HiFi Choice, January 2005), in
which he states,

"The analogue records always sounded better than anything else to me. But
I
compared the new vinyl versions, which are taken from a first generation
analogue master copy, and the best just got better. It's a really good
feeling."

To be fair and put this in context, he also speaks well of DVD-Audio, but
it's clear that NY is one artist who sees vinyl as the source which is
closest to a "true replica".


I've just been listening to a CD of Neil Young's Tonight's the Night, an
album I'm very familiar with. I listened to it through my Sennheiser HD 580
headphones using a Musical Fidelity X Cans V3 headphone amp and a Cambridge
Audio D500 CD player. Although I tried to enjoy the music, I couldn't help
thinking how much it was grating my 46 year old ears. I heard greater
detail then I remember, including laughter in the opening track amongst
other things. But I kept wanting to turn the volume down when it grated,
and up when I felt I just wasn't hearing enough. There was a hard edge to
the music that really bothered me.

On the weekend I played an old scratchy vinyl version of Tonight's the Night
on my 20 year old Technics turntable (with it's original needle) and, even
though it skipped (once), popped and crackled, I just ended up wanting to
turn it up and up.

I was about to concede that, regardless of its imperfections, vinyl just
sounded so much better.

But then I put on a CD of Neils' newer (and underrated) Sleeps With Angels,
and it sounded wonderful. No hard edges. No grating.

I also have a CD of Benjamin Britten's Cello Symphony with Mstislav
Rostropovich (Decca 425 100-2), which was recorded in 1964. Although there
is a certain amount of tape hiss, of my 1200 + CDs (mostly classical), this
is one of my favorites sonically and emotionally.

All I can conclude from my own experiences is that it's not the medium
that's important, but the way the music is mastered. If Neil Young (as well
as countless other artists and their works--Yes's Close to the Edge comes
immediately to mind) would have remastered his works for a vinyl-conditioned
audience by upping the bass and darker tones a bit, I'm certain that he
wouldn't be yearning for the warmth of vinyl today. Most of his earlier CDs
sound like crap.

BTW I wouldn't be listening to mostly classical today if not for the doors
that Neil Young's and Frank Zappa's abstract guitar jams opened up for me.

Keep it lit,

Roland Goetz.

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

"Spiderant" wrote in message
news:xQUod.317587$nl.7866@pd7tw3no...
"JustMe" wrote in message
...
I think everyone here would agree that the concept behind "Straight-line"
is
to deliver the music as the artist intended, unsullied and uncoloured -
an
accurate reflection of the artist's work.

Just reading an interview with Neil Young (HiFi Choice, January 2005),
in
which he states,

"The analogue records always sounded better than anything else to me.
But
I
compared the new vinyl versions, which are taken from a first generation
analogue master copy, and the best just got better. It's a really good
feeling."

To be fair and put this in context, he also speaks well of DVD-Audio,
but
it's clear that NY is one artist who sees vinyl as the source which is
closest to a "true replica".


I've just been listening to a CD of Neil Young's Tonight's the Night, an
album I'm very familiar with. I listened to it through my Sennheiser HD
580
headphones using a Musical Fidelity X Cans V3 headphone amp and a
Cambridge
Audio D500 CD player. Although I tried to enjoy the music, I couldn't
help
thinking how much it was grating my 46 year old ears. I heard greater
detail then I remember, including laughter in the opening track amongst
other things. But I kept wanting to turn the volume down when it grated,
and up when I felt I just wasn't hearing enough. There was a hard edge to
the music that really bothered me.

On the weekend I played an old scratchy vinyl version of Tonight's the
Night
on my 20 year old Technics turntable (with it's original needle) and, even
though it skipped (once), popped and crackled, I just ended up wanting to
turn it up and up.

I was about to concede that, regardless of its imperfections, vinyl just
sounded so much better.

But then I put on a CD of Neils' newer (and underrated) Sleeps With
Angels,
and it sounded wonderful. No hard edges. No grating.

I also have a CD of Benjamin Britten's Cello Symphony with Mstislav
Rostropovich (Decca 425 100-2), which was recorded in 1964. Although
there
is a certain amount of tape hiss, of my 1200 + CDs (mostly classical),
this
is one of my favorites sonically and emotionally.

All I can conclude from my own experiences is that it's not the medium
that's important, but the way the music is mastered. If Neil Young (as
well
as countless other artists and their works--Yes's Close to the Edge comes
immediately to mind) would have remastered his works for a
vinyl-conditioned
audience by upping the bass and darker tones a bit, I'm certain that he
wouldn't be yearning for the warmth of vinyl today. Most of his earlier
CDs
sound like crap.

BTW I wouldn't be listening to mostly classical today if not for the doors
that Neil Young's and Frank Zappa's abstract guitar jams opened up for me.

Keep it lit,

Roland Goetz.

I agree about production in that it has a massive influence on the
sound-quality of a recording. It may well be that the older production was
deliberately hard-edged, or that today he takes advantage of superior
techniques.

His voice can sound quite sharp and tracks like Southern Man seem to have
this emphasised with distortion added to his vocal., which serves to
reinforce the song's sentiment. Don't Let it Bring You Down has none of the
same edge, none of the distortion on his voice and employs an acoustic
rather than an electric guitar-lead arrangement. As a result his voice
sounds sweeter and the track sounds less "edgy".
Given that these are from the same album, it seems pretty clear that these
are deliberate production choices and that the hard edge in this case was
quite deliberate.

I don't hold with the idea that vinyl is "warm". Vinyl can sound bright,
dry, sharp etc. For me the difference is one of "projection". The sound to
my ears is more "out of the box" - it delivers greater dimension and
presence and it involves me more in the music, compared with CD which seems
flatter and lacks the same involvement.

Why that should be and what it is that causes these perceptions, I don't
know but I am not the only one and, as long as that remains the case, I
shall chose vinyl over CD.

Neil Young prefers vinyl
 

"JustMe" wrote


I don't hold with the idea that vinyl is "warm". Vinyl can sound bright,
dry, sharp etc. For me the difference is one of "projection". The sound to
my ears is more "out of the box" - it delivers greater dimension and
presence and it involves me more in the music, compared with CD which
seems
flatter and lacks the same involvement.


Ditto in toto....



Why that should be and what it is that causes these perceptions, I don't
know but I am not the only one and, as long as that remains the case, I
shall chose vinyl over CD.



Me too - so that's two of us against the *whole world* then!!

(Or, *is* it....??? ;-)