Why Vinyl Is Better Than Cds

Cds are now cheaper than lps.

Why vinyl is better than cds.

The answer lies in the difference between analog and digital recordings. The difference between the loudest and softest sounds an lp can play is about 70 decibels db. Original sound is analog by definition. On a theoretical level there s just no reason it should be the case that vinyl sounds better.

It wasn t long before vinyl recordings of the same content often had better sound quality at normal listening volumes simply because they had higher dynamic range. Vinyl is in a resurgence of course with records outselling cds for the first time in almost three decades. Cds give you more bang for the buck. A vinyl record is an analog recording and cds and dvds are digital recordings.

You ll also hear vinyl enthusiasts discussing the warm sound they get from their record players. Cds can handle over 90 db. It s for this reason that vinyl sounds better than digital. What is perplexing is that when the eventual resurgence of high quality audio came it wasn t via a glorious return of the compact disc but rather a hipster fueled vinyl record revolution.

There are built in problems with using vinyl as a data encoding mechanisms that have no cd equivalent. It didn t used to be this way which is part of what made collecting used vinyl in the 90s and early aughts such a gas. Cds on the other hand have been on the decline. In practical terms this means that cds have more than 10.

Their sales have dropped by 95 percent since 2000 the peak days of cds according to a new report and are currently at their lowest level since 1986. Digital got its act together but not until the death of the cd. The vinyl format can generate other issues. For comparison listening to vinyl as opposed to digital is like viewing the mona lisa with your own eyes rather than looking at a picture of it on a smartphone.

Take a look at the graph below. Maybe it was coincidence but vinyl began its resurgence at around the same time as recordings started this trend. The simplest is to make a record that plays faster.