Have you ever preferred the CD to the Vinyl release?

It seems that there is a strong preference to the vinyl release vs the CD release on the forum.

I've also noticed a number of people expressing negative opinions about one format or the other, apparently without hearing both on their systems.

My question is, have you ever heard both versions and preferred the CD release? If so, what is the reason?

In my case, the main reason I have preferred CD releases is that their vinyl counterpart suffered from pressing issues.

 

^
^
^.........in a nutshell

 

Almost always

 

Love vinyl but yes there are times I do prefer the cd.

 

Never.....except once, when I was camping in the forest and needed a reflective surface to use as a mirror so I could comb my hair.

 

Ah, the old “LP vs. CD” chestnut. This oughta be good. These threads always go well. Even if it wasn’t the OP’s intention, that’s likely where this thread is headed, only to be locked down because of it.

Ed

 

The Beggar's Banquet SACD is superior to any vinyl version that came before it, IMHO.

 

The Zombie Heaven CD box set was leaps and bounds ahead of any previous vinyl versions of the tracks that came before, IMHO.

 

Veruca Salt's Ghost Notes. The LP as absolutely terrible.
So, usually new releases on vinyl with bad mastering and pressing.

 

Absolutely and exclusively! I do not tolerate surface noise or any other distortion inherent in every phonograph record.

 

I hope not. I'd like to think we can all politely share our different preferences and just be happy for one another that we're all fortunate enough to be able to enjoy the music we love.

 

No vinyl it dont sound better it LOOKS better

 

No

 

Very very rarely. A couple of examples however are Air/Virgin Suicides Sndtk and Elton John/ Don't Shoot Me...

 

I hope not Ed... I know it has the potential to go badly, but I wasn't intending this to pit one format against the other... there are inherent pros/cons baked in to both.

Let's see how it goes.

 

I always prefer the CD. Frankly, the only time I buy vinyl is when I find something which is (A) very rare which hasn't been released on CD (B) a CD which was recorded from a less than pristine record because the master tapes weren't available or (C) because the CD release was deleted and impossible to find or ridiculously expensive. In all three cases I transfer the record to CD and hard drive and consign the record to a shelf if I really like the artwork or just scan the cover and resell it.

 

The Rhino CD of Love's Forever Changes sounded better than other previous LP versions I had heard. My few copies of the LP -- including an original brown label Elektra -- always sounded muddy and noisy compared to the CD. On the LPs, it seemed like the levels were so low and the medium couldn't really handle the dynamic range of the music.

 

Actually, there's a (D). If I know I'm going to meet an artist I'll pick up a copy of my favorite LP of theirs for them to autograph.

 

I've been recently rereading a huge thread about the Robert Johnson complete Centennial Edition on this forum.

The CD was apparently much better than the vinyl. Or at least that's what the consensus settled on eventually, but there was of course argument.

Robert Johnson: The Complete Original Masters - Centennial Edition Box Set

 

Usually only in my car.

 

There instances where the vinyl does sound better or vice versa.

As long as the vinyl has a low crackle it really is a beautiful thing to listen to. You almost forget its there. It requires a taste not all have, I don't mean that in a bad way. I understand people that don't like any noise during a music listen that's the reason I went to cds in the mid to late 1980's As long as it doesn't snap crackle pop the music I love the vinyl listening experience. One or two pops I could live with but no more.

 

If the mastering is better

 

My only concession too

 

i personally don't buy into the vinyl is better than cd debate. to the best of my knowledge cd has the ability to contain a higher dynamic range and also not have the aforementioned pressing flaws. cd's don't deteriorate from my experience, take up less space and are more portable. vinyl does have the bonus of a nice big cover and no microscopic lyric sheets lol
i love listening to my vinyl, but i feel it's more a nostalgia thing.
when cd's first came out we all jumped for joy at friction free playback.
one of the problems with all releases, no matter the format, these days is the overwhelming want for too much limiting and compression. i think this started with a mind to making songs louder on the radio and therefor making them stand out from the crowd. then it morphed into a case of everybody wanting to be as loud as possible, to the point where i have read people's album reviews saying things like "this album is too quiet and i have to turn the volume right up" .... as if hifi's don't have a volume control.
i personally enjoy sacd's, dvd audio and blu ray audio and although they have the ability to contain more dynamics and frequency range than anything the human ear can actually hear, i get them for the 5.1 mixes lol ...
anyhow, i am just a layman, not a sound technician, but that is my two cents.

 

I prefer cd's but i have a strong preference for vinyl floors though