A few weeks into enjoying a growing collection of LPs on a Pioneer PL-400 with an Ortofon 2M Red, plugged into my Sony STR-DH-190's phono preamp, I've come to realize that I never get the sonic clarity and punch that I do from my CD player (Sony CDP-491). I also have to turn up the volume more for the turntable. Is this common between vinyl and CD's respective sound? If not, is it because of my particular turntable, or my receiver's built-in phono preamp? It's not that my turntable playback sounds bad, but that my CD player's playback is on a totally different level. It's like I listen to a record and wonder if my new ELAC Debut Referenc Premiere speakers are really as fantastic as everybody says. Then I put it in a CD and without a doubt have the speakers I was hoping for. If the lesser turntable playback is because of a deficiency in my system, and not the vinyl format itself, I'll upgrade asap. Thanks!
My two thoughts, first that comparisons should be at the same loudness level. The gain of the phono pre does not match what you're getting from the CD player, so either you need a separate phono pre with selectable gain, or simply turn up the volume control. Louder sounds better, perceptively, even if one source may be slightly inferior.. the loudness is a major factor on how we hear music. Secondly, the record may not be the best quality. It is better to compare a quality pressing, to a quality mastered CD. In any comparison, it's just as important to note the matrix number, or mastering engineer of the formats you are comparing.
I think well mixed CDs always sound better than their vinyl equivalent even though I still have a few hundred records and three turntables (see profile for gear). That said, there's still something special about playing an LP you've owned for five decades or longer.
In principle, I think it's easier to get 'good sound' more inexpensively with a CD player than with a record deck. And there are more things to consider, mechanically, with a turntable than a CD player. But turntables are more tunable across a wider variety of factors that are accessible to users than most digital. Draw from this what you will.
I have found the opposite in my experience, (only sometimes) records can sound overwhelmingly wonderful, the CD more sterile. Maybe I should change my CD player cartridge?
For better sound when playing records, try a different cartridge (Audio Technica VM95ML - $169), replace the receiver with an integrated amp (Yamaha A-S501 - $550) and get an external phono preamp (Lounge LCR III - $340).
Thanks for your replies. Good point about testing with records and CDs of equivalent quality. When I got my turntable serviced a few weeks ago, I bought a Project Phono Box MM phono preamp for the powered speakers I was planning on. Now that I've gone with a receiver and passive speakers instead, I was going to return the Phono Box. Would it be worth using it instead of my receiver's phono preamp?
Right? What's better you guys, digital or analogue? This reminds me, I've been thinking of trying out some new cables--what's the best Beatles album for this purpose?
I actually meant the Quran and the Torah, a far less controversial pairing. But yeah. White Album. CD/Vinyl. The lot.
It turns out that was the issue. I remembered that my receiver has adjustable phono gain, and bumping it up a bit did the trick. Thank you!
Noticed todays LP issues/re-issues (run of the mills) are being cut at a much lower dB level than the oldies also. If you want dB's, grab some 12 inch singles
The most accurate, revealing, uncolored, flat speakers will sound uninspiring or even disappointing until you turn them up to mastering levels. Thanks to how clever our ears are, it won't sound like there's a piano in your living room until you're as loud as if there's a piano in your living room. Same goes for expensive 1GB Steinway sample sets on a fully-weighted hammer-action keyboard, it actually feels under your fingers like you're playing a toy if it's not replicating an instrument loud enough to be heard at the back of the auditorium.
Congrats! You've discovered that the vinyl emperor has no clothes! This is why we got rid of vinyl in the 80's Kidding aside, I had a 10k USD vinyl rig and at the end of the day, digital just sounded better 90% of the time. It's not your setup.
For the future look into an SPL meter, or a friend who will let you borrow one. Or get an SPL app for your smart phone. As you found out mismatched levels can make all the difference in the world. This is also true of the quality of the respective releases. You must get these to be comparable before you start questioning the hardware. A bad sounding CD or LP is going to sound bad no matter what you play it through. I remember some sleazy hifi stores that used to use differences in level to try and push you towards speakers they wanted to sell you. If you made them match levels the speakers they wanted you to buy suddenly sounded worse, not better.
Only reason I own a turntable is to listen to records that don't have a better master in a digital format (there are a surprising amount). Eventually there will be needle drops of virtually everything so I don't know how long I'll need to keep the table in my system. Maybe I'll take it out and relegate it to needle drop duty. In the meantime I'm saving my pennies for a top-end digital player. Just when I was getting close to pulling the trigger on an SA-10, Luxman drops the D-10x. I guess one nice benefit of vinyl is that there's not going to be Earth-shattering breakthroughs with the technology like there will be with digital.
Hold the press!!!! We've got NEWS for you!! Someone found a cd player that sounds better than a turntable......with a 2M Red cartridge... Sorry, fake news . Ditch that cart (AND get a proper phono stage), then come back to us!
