Cd Dynamic Range Vs Vinyl

As implemented the bit depth of cd and dvd digital audio formats accommodates a higher dynamic range than vinyl is capable of.

Cd dynamic range vs vinyl. 16 bit cd digital audio has a technical dynamic range of 96 db though many argue the perceived range is higher when taking dithering into account. Cds and vinyl records are both audio storage and playback formats based on rotating discs from different times i. The dynamic range of digital audio systems can exceed that of analog audio systems. Consumer analog cassette tapes have a dynamic range of 60 to 70 db.

Vinyl records typically yield 55 65 db. Cds can handle over 90 db. Comparing compact discs cds to vinyl or gramophone records is the musical equivalent of comparing digital photography with film photography. Cd vs vinyl record comparison.

Narrow dynamic range sounds very odd to the ear when sounds that are supposed to be loud are quiet and so on. In practical terms this means that cds have more than 10 times the dynamic range of lps. When i cut a master for vinyl and a cd master from the same digital master tape they sounded pretty much the same except for the noise floor. Dust particles in the grooves of an lp cause crackles and ticks that are present and audible no matter.

Lp vs digital is a religious war that has been played out by various audiophiles ever since the cd format. Here lp actually wins over cd. Another significant impact of finite quantizing resolution is finite dynamic range. The dynamic range of a direct cut vinyl record may surpass 70 db.

Yes vinyl was noisier. The difference between the loudest and softest sounds an lp can play is about 70 decibels db. Dynamic range is the difference between the loudest signal and the noise floor. Analog fm broadcasts rarely have a dynamic range exceeding 50 db.

Digiphiles on the other hand laugh at lp s pitiful dynamic range surface noise pop and crackle harmonic distortion and various other limitations to do with the ability of either the cutting head to master difficult signals onto. The only signal that can exist between the bits of a cd is drowned out by random noise from the vinyl surface grain. Even though digital music has a higher theoretical dynamic range 96db vs. Pcm of any flavor has a flat response to fs.

With the above in mind i began exploring why some vinyl records have greater dynamic range rightly concluding that mastering lay at the heart of the issue.