Is Vinyl Better Than Digital?

In current times, an important part of search engine optimization is keyword research.  In other words, writing about a keyword or keyword phrase that is unlikely to be entered into a search engine may not be the best use of time.  Such keyword research regarding this topic, occasionally debated among music lovers, suggests that no one will be reading this post.  So it will be short.  Is vinyl better than digital? No.

Okay, fine.  There is more to the story.  It’s a story of both emotion and science, and one that unfortunately lends itself well to being verbose.

 

A Reminder

When vinyl is being compared to digital sound, it’s important to remember that we’re discussing the final product of a long and arduous pathway to recording music.  In other words, leading up to the final product, an immense number of variables such as artistry, musician expertise, equipment used, production work, etc. determine the quality of recorded music.

For example, Radiohead will sound vastly superior on any medium compared to that kid’s band down the street (unless that kid’s band is surprisingly awesome).  Similarly, Radiohead would not sound as good on any medium if they were to move from a professional studio with their trusted producer to an unfinished basement with Garage Band.  The point is that the debate between vinyl and digital is just one sliver of a much larger process.

 

The Soft Science

The vinyl experience is exactly that – an experience.  Browsing at the local record store, talking music with the guy who works there, flipping through physical products, and landing the record you were hoping to find are all part of the emotional aspect of vinyl.  (Yes, CD’s can be a part of this picture, but other digital formats clearly cannot.)

At home, the process of laying the stylus on the record and hearing the first few notes (with perhaps a mild crackle) seems to bring great joy.  As the record needs to be flipped, vinyl often makes the music the centerpiece of the scene, not a mere background addition.  Add a little nostalgia to the equation, and it’s clear why vinyl brings great satisfaction to certain users.

 

The Harder Science

First and foremost, the exact comparison at stake must be made clear.  For the sake of this particular debate, vinyl is being compared to lossless digital entities such as CD’s and FLAC files from which no data has been removed.  As the amount of information between such entities and vinyl is the same, the debate boils down to analog versus digital.  (Lossy audio files form the backbone of most streaming services.  Some would argue that the loss of data equals loss of quality, though even that stance is up for debate.)

Secondly, it must be mentioned that the dichotomy between analog and digital is a bit murky, as most of today’s vinyl pressings are made from digital studio recordings.

Now, for the actual debate.  It’s kind of confusing.  Here is an understandable breakdown, and what follows is an attempt at a summary.

The Move to Digital Recordings

When recording studios made the change from analog recording to digital recording (1970s and 1980s), those in the industry realized that the options for mixing recordings increased significantly.  Mixing refers to the optimization of the multiple recorded tracks (different instruments and vocals) of a song to create a cohesive end product.

Dynamic Range Compression

One option was dynamic range compression (completely unrelated to audio compression), where softer sounds are made to be louder.  This process thus compresses the difference between the loudest and softest sounds.  A necessary byproduct of this manipulation is that the average loudness of the piece increases.

The increase in average loudness that has occurred in recorded music over time has been referred to as the loudness war.  This phenomenon was driven in part by a school of thought that loudness would boost sales.  Unfortunately, when taken too far, the listener experience can suffer at higher volumes.

Vinyl’s Exemption

The loudness war did not affect mixing that was done for the purpose of creating vinyl.  Why? High loudness can cause the needle of a turntable to jump, thus making the dynamic range compression that leads to increased loudness undesirable.  The result is that mixes for vinyl often end up having a higher dynamic range (the difference between the softest and loudest sounds), allowing certain parts to stand out more.  Furthermore, higher listener volumes can actually be pleasant.  The result is an overall favorable auditory experience.

As the loudness war has waned, mixing for digital mediums is trending towards less dynamic range compression.  Vinyl’s advantage in this regard could thus eventually diminish.

 

Other Considerations

Buying records is not exactly a cheap hobby, particularly as it pertains to new pressings.  Often running in the $25-30 per record range, a collection of such pressings can get expensive quickly.  A turntable and its maintenance only add to the cost.

Some might argue that these costs might be offset by the value of owning music (as opposed to streaming it from a virtual library).  In other words, certain records may become valuable over time.  Obviously no guarantee exists in this regard.

The sound quality of records may diminish over time, something that should not occur with digital files.  Furthermore, one cannot argue with the convenience of the modern digital platforms over the space-occupying nature of a vinyl collection.  Finally, trying to match the diversity in offerings of a streaming service with a vinyl compilation is essentially impossible.

 

Ultimately, when answering the initial question, a safe answer may be the correct answer.  These mediums are simply two different ways of appreciating the amazing art form of music.  And if it is an art form that inspires you, there is ample room for both.