Understanding the Analog Obsession

[firedog]

I know this is slightly off-topic, but I hope at least some people will find it amusing:

 

A few weeks ago I was giving a final exam. There is no clock in the room, so I took my watch off and put it on a document projector, so the students could look up at the projection screen and see what time it was.

 

I have an analogue watch, which I prefer to a digital display. (It is powered by a photovoltaic cell, fwiw.) No numbers, just a minimal analogue clock-face.

 

About 1/3 of the students did not know how to read an analogue clock. These are Univ. of California students, which means usually among the top 10% in their graduating high school class.

 

I had to find and use a website with a digital timer display.

 

The grade school kids where I live were shown an old dial phone, told it was a phone, and asked if they could figure out how to make a call. They couldn't. There's a video. Maybe I will get a copy and put it up online.

[mordante]

“Despite the number of problems, Harley and BMW owners were among the most satisfied with their bikes.”

 

"Both the Harley rider and the vinylphile carry on about their product experiences in transcendental terms that are difficult to understand."

 

 

I think, analog and Harley's lovers don't look for safe and easy-to-use product.

 

 

As example, in audio I preffer digital things: less distortions, easy-to-use.

 

But I have same (like quoted above) look to cars. For me emotions are more important, than other aspects.

 

I really like vinyl but dislike Harley.

[vmartell22]

They never had a Mickey Mouse watch? I'm an engineer who can't use a slide rule. I'm not sure if that's the same idea.

I guess so - I am exactly that too - but I guess that's a generational thing! We did not get to experience slide rules but we did experience analogue watches and learned them - younger ones (millennials?) did not - Therefore they are dumber!

 

 

Then I again, I think my dad never let go the idea that I was both stupider and weaker than he and previous generations were...

 

v

[Ralf11]

Chemistry.

 

Well, no out for them then. If it was digital circuits we could maybe make excuses...

[new_media]

Roman numerals aren't taught anymore either. I recently asked a twenty-something record shop clerk what year the album that was playing was relealesed, and he couldn't decipher the Roman numerals on the record sleeve.

[astrotoy]

There's an old New Yorker cartoon of a teacher trying to explain to her class what clockwise means. Above her is a digital clock.

 

Of course, the hour hand in an analogue clock is an analogy to the earth's rotation with respect to the sun - only twice as fast.

 

Larry

[Norton]

I really like vinyl but dislike Harley.

 

I really like vinyl and really like Moto Guzzi. No experience with HD, but don't understand why BMW was bracketed with HD and vinyl in original article - to me a modern BMW is a very "digital" bike (but I wouldn't mind a nice 5 or 6 series R75)

[jabbr]

I know this is slightly off-topic, but I hope at least some people will find it amusing:

A few weeks ago I was giving a final exam. There is no clock in the room, so I took my watch off and put it on a document projector, so the students could look up at the projection screen and see what time it was.

I have an analogue watch, which I prefer to a digital display. (It is powered by a photovoltaic cell, fwiw.) No numbers, just a minimal analogue clock-face.

About 1/3 of the students did not know how to read an analogue clock. These are Univ. of California students, which means usually among the top 10% in their graduating high school class.

I had to find and use a website with a digital timer display.

 

I suppose there aren't questions about chirality on this exam?

 

You are far far too nice.

 

My undergrad neurobiology exams were open book and unlimited time ... basically if you didn't know the material already by the time of the exam, there was no hope... (luckily I had a copy of Hodgkin & Huxley, 1952)

[wgscott]

I suppose there aren't questions about chirality on this exam?

 

Upon reflection, yes there was one.

 

You are far far too nice.

 

That's not what the student evaluations say.

 

My undergrad neurobiology exams were open book and unlimited time ... basically if you didn't know the material already by the time of the exam, there was no hope... (luckily I had a copy of Hodgkin & Huxley, 1952)

 

Two great dynasties.

[audiventory]

I really like vinyl but dislike Harley.

 

I'm not biker and don't have a motorcycle, but I like Harley and motorcycles

[semente]

Understanding the Analog Obsession | PS Audio

 

I think that the text is interesting in that it emphasises the importance of the object and of possession.

It doesn't so much compare the (listening) experience...that, the music, seems to be of minor importance.

 

The word "gearhead" comes to mind.

This is true for both Harleyists and Hondaists...

 

 

R

[Ajax]

My wife took me for a walk tonight along the foreshore near our beach house - she misses our golden retriever who we lost 18 months ago so she "took" me instead as I am recovering from 2 x TKNs (two total knee replacements). The op was 4 weeks ago and I was very proud of myself walking, albeit slowly, without a cane.

 

Anyway we walked past a surfers van and it was obvious from the way it was decked out that he was on the road travelling. As we went past I peered in the back window and saw heaps of vinyl records stacked neatly in boxes. Irrespective of which side of the digital vs vinyl debate you are on this I think we can all agree is taking the love of analogue too far. Imagine the hassle of wiring up power to a turntable and the inconvenience of playing vinyl in a van?

 

For the record I loved my 70's vinyl rig - Linn Sondek LP with Ittok arm into Naim Nait amp and Tannoy 15' Ardent speakers and hated the early CD players, however, I haven't spun an LP for over 20 years and love the convenience, sound quality and flexibility of digital.

 

I think Jud is on the right track - as I remember some stuff sounding better on vinyl and that remastering for "loudness", or simply poor digitisation, has spoilt al lot of albums. I know we should A/B things properly and my acoustic memory cannot possibly be that long but I distinctly remember the Fleetwood Mac albums in particular having a lot my dynamic impact though my Linn Sondek than my current system being a Devialet 200.

[semente]

My wife took me for a walk tonight along the foreshore near our beach house - she misses our golden retriever who we lost 18 months ago so she "took" me instead as I am recovering from 2 x TKNs (two total knee replacements). The op was 4 weeks ago and I was very proud of myself walking, albeit slowly, without a cane.

 

Anyway we walked past a surfers van and it was obvious from the way it was decked out that he was on the road travelling. As we went past I peered in the back window and saw heaps of vinyl records stacked neatly in boxes. Irrespective of which side of the digital vs vinyl debate you are on this I think we can all agree is taking the love of analogue too far. Imagine the hassle of wiring up power to a turntable and the inconvenience of playing vinyl in a van?

 

For the record I loved my 70's vinyl rig - Linn Sondek LP with Ittok arm into Naim Nait amp and Tannoy 15' Ardent speakers and hated the early CD players, however, I haven't spun an LP for over 20 years and love the convenience, sound quality and flexibility of digital.

 

I think Jud is on the right track - as I remember some stuff sounding better on vinyl and that remastering for "loudness", or simply poor digitisation, has spoilt al lot of albums. I know we should A/B things properly and my acoustic memory cannot possibly be that long but I distinctly remember the Fleetwood Mac albums in particular having a lot my dynamic impact though my Linn Sondek than my current system being a Devialet 200.

Your reference of "dynamic impact" is interesting; I find that there's little mention or discussion about real dynamic amplitude vs. the perception of dynamics...

 

Do certain distortions or types of colouration produce an apparent increase in "dynamic impact"?

 

R

[wgscott]

My wife took me for a walk tonight along the foreshore near our beach house - she misses our golden retriever who we lost 18 months ago so she "took" me instead as I am recovering from 2 x TKNs (two total knee replacements). The op was 4 weeks ago and I was very proud of myself walking, albeit slowly, without a cane.

 

Anyway we walked past a surfers van and it was obvious from the way it was decked out that he was on the road travelling. As we went past I peered in the back window and saw heaps of vinyl records stacked neatly in boxes. Irrespective of which side of the digital vs vinyl debate you are on this I think we can all agree is taking the love of analogue too far. Imagine the hassle of wiring up power to a turntable and the inconvenience of playing vinyl in a van?

 

For the record I loved my 70's vinyl rig - Linn Sondek LP with Ittok arm into Naim Nait amp and Tannoy 15' Ardent speakers and hated the early CD players, however, I haven't spun an LP for over 20 years and love the convenience, sound quality and flexibility of digital.

 

I think Jud is on the right track - as I remember some stuff sounding better on vinyl and that remastering for "loudness", or simply poor digitisation, has spoilt al lot of albums. I know we should A/B things properly and my acoustic memory cannot possibly be that long but I distinctly remember the Fleetwood Mac albums in particular having a lot my dynamic impact though my Linn Sondek than my current system being a Devialet 200.

 

Maybe it was a homeless audiophile, kicked out by his spouse, and all he has now is his vinyl collection and surfboards and the van.

 

Sounds like it is time to get a new Golden. (Just don't get two puppies at once -- today is the fourth year anniversary of mine collaboratively destroying my ankle.)

 

I hope your recovery is quick, full and uneventful. You are doing great. I was on crutches for four months.

[Jud]

Upon reflection, yes there was one.

 

 

 

 

 

Ouch!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[Apesbrain]

If this van's a-rockin', don't come a-knockin'.

 

[jabbr]

Upon reflection, yes there was one.

cis and trans have a whole new meaning to this generation. come to think of it, now that there are electronic sensors, you won't have the obvious problem of trying to teach them how to turn on and off the faucet in the bathrooms

[Ajax]

Your reference of "dynamic impact" is interesting; I find that there's little mention or discussion about real dynamic amplitude vs. the perception of dynamics...

 

Do certain distortions or types of colouration produce an apparent increase in "dynamic impact"?

 

R

 

Hi Semente,

 

As I mentioned it was a long time ago that I listened to vinyl and maybe a better word to describe the difference I remember would be "vitality" in lieu of "dynamic impact". I am sure those of us that have some knowledge of digital understand that it trumps vinyl in every "measurable" criteria, which is not to say that some will prefer the sound of those albums which were mastered specifically to be played back on vinyl and were then digitised.

[Ajax]

Maybe it was a homeless audiophile, kicked out by his spouse, and all he has now is his vinyl collection and surfboards and the van.

 

Sounds like it is time to get a new Golden. (Just don't get two puppies at once -- today is the fourth year anniversary of mine collaboratively destroying my ankle.)

 

I hope your recovery is quick, full and uneventful. You are doing great. I was on crutches for four months.

 

Thanks Bill,

 

A picture of our Molly, who we had since 6 weeks for 16 years, beautiful girl - the vet thinks there was some collie mixed in as well as retriever. We miss her a lot, especially down the beach where she was great company on a walk.

 

[Pat Case]

Haha. BTW, i have been buying vinyl records for the past few years, and am looking forward to having a turntable set up sometime in the future. Will not be giving up my digital though!

 

 

While most of my music sic is played from digital files on an Aurender streamer, I have hundreds of vinyl albums - I play vinyl on a weekly basis. I also have a load of music on CD - about 1/3 in SACD the rest in very high quality red book.

 

I enjoy fiddling within and between formats. Not giving up any if them.

[Kimo]

Vinyl does have a bit of a fetish thing going on. Everything sounds better on vinyl. Lots of mainstream music was mastered and pressed to vinyl by some real gurus. By contrast, lots of early cds were mastered indifferently from less than ideal sources. Of course those better the compressed crap that the loudness wars gave us, even if better sources were on hand.

 

A well mastered 24 bit download from a good source and transfer will sound excellent as a file or a well produced album, though not exactly the same. I would prefer the former for all the right reasons, but there are those who would prefer the latter for its extra something. I guess you could call that an analog obsession.

[rodrigaj]

I still listen to vinyl. Not for sound quality, though. It slows the world down a bit. I actually enjoy cleaning the record on my VPI cleaning machine, cleaning the cartridge, de-stating the record, etc...

 

What I positively hate doing is looking through box sets for the second half of a symphony, because the record label assumed everyone had automatic record changers.

[Pat Case]

I still listen to vinyl. Not for sound quality, though. It slows the world down a bit. I actually enjoy cleaning the record on my VPI cleaning machine, cleaning the cartridge, de-stating the record, etc...

 

What I positively hate doing is looking through box sets for the second half of a symphony, because the record label assumed everyone had automatic record changers.

So that's what that ridiculous numbering is for? I haven't had an automatic changer for 50 years and I'd completely forgotten the purpose. After CDs came out, I had a five or six year gap when I played little or no vinyl. Since then however, I too have enjoyed Sunday afternoons when I play nothing but Dylan of play the whole Karajan Beethoven cycle (those discs are not numbered for an auto changer).

[wgscott]

cis and trans have a whole new meaning to this generation

 

In Santa Cruz, I have to be very very careful of how I explain such things. The snark that I would exhale normally with no more consideration than breathing air has to be reigned in. These are dark days, indeed.

[wgscott]

Thanks Bill,

 

A picture of our Molly, who we had since 6 weeks for 16 years, beautiful girl - the vet thinks there was some collie mixed in as well as retriever. We miss her a lot, especially down the beach where she was great company on a walk.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]31965[/ATTACH]

 

That's a very sweet pup. Sixteen years is a good long run. My boy Sampson made it to 15 - 4 days.