Is the sound on vinyl records better than on CDs or DVDs?

Abstract vector illustration design diagram.
Comparison of a raw analog audio signal to the CD audio and DVD audio output

The answer lies in the difference between analog and digital recordings. A vinyl record is an analog recording, and CDs and DVDs are digital recordings. Take a look at the graph below. Original sound is analog by definition. A digital recording takes snapshots of the analog signal at a certain rate (for CDs it is 44,100 times per second) and measures each snapshot with a certain accuracy (for CDs it is 16-bit, which means the value must be one of 65,536 possible values).

This means that, by definition, a digital recording is not capturing the complete sound wave. It is approximating it with a series of steps. Some sounds that have very quick transitions, such as a drum beat or a trumpet's tone, will be distorted because they change too quickly for the sample rate.

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In your home stereo the CD or DVD player takes this digital recording and converts it to an analog signal, which is fed to your amplifier. The amplifier then raises the voltage of the signal to a level powerful enough to drive your speaker.

A vinyl record has a groove carved into it that mirrors the original sound's waveform. This means that no information is lost. The output of a record player is analog. It can be fed directly to your amplifier with no conversion.

This means that the waveforms from a vinyl recording can be much more accurate, and that can be heard in the richness of the sound. But there is a downside, any specks of dust or damage to the disc can be heard as noise or static. During quiet spots in songs this noise may be heard over the music. Digital recordings don't degrade over time, and if the digital recording contains silence, then there will be no noise.

From the graph you can see that CD quality audio does not do a very good job of replicating the original signal. The main ways to improve the quality of a digital recording are to increase the sampling rate and to increase the accuracy of the sampling.

The recording industry has a new standard for DVD audio discs that will greatly improve the sound quality. The table below lists the sampling rate and the accuracy for CD recordings, and the maximum sampling rate and accuracy for DVD recordings. DVDs can hold 74 minutes of music at their highest quality level. CDs can also hold 74 minutes of music. By lowering either the sampling rate or the accuracy, DVDs can hold more music. For instance a DVD can hold almost 7 hours of CD quality audio.

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Sampling Rate

  • CD Audio = 44.1 kHz
  • DVD Audio = 192 kHz

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Samples per second

  • CD Audio = 44,100
  • DVD Audio = 192,000

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Sampling Accuracy

  • CD Audio = 16-bit
  • DVD Audio = 24-bit

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Number of Possible Output Levels

  • CD Audio = 65,536
  • DVD Audio = 16,777,216

DVD audio discs and players are rare right now, but they will become more common, and the difference in sound quality should be noticeable. To take advantage of higher quality DVD audio discs, however, you will need a DVD player with a 192kHz/24-bit digital to analog converter. Most DVD players only have a 96kHz/24-bit digital to analog converter. So if you are planning to take full advantage of DVD audio be sure to look for a 192kHz/24-bit DAC.

Here are some interesting links:

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Vinyl vs CD FAQ

 
Is the quality of vinyl better than a CD?
Since CDs have a better signal-to-noise ratio as compared to vinyl records, they’re considered to have better sound quality. A CD also has more than 10x the dynamic range of vinyl records.
Should I buy CDs or vinyl?
It all comes down to personal preference. While some prefer the crisp and clear sound of a CD, others enjoy the crackling of vinyl records and find it to be more authentic.
What lasts longer: vinyl or CDs?
It's hard to know. If kept in perfect condition, both vinyl records and CDs could last for hundreds of years.
Can you hear the difference between vinyl and a CD?
Yes, you can. The mixes that are made for vinyl records are quieter than CDs. However, the warmth and richness of them cannot be recreated in a digital format.
Why is vinyl so popular?
Many people believe that vinyl records are making a comeback because the vocals and audio quality of them are much closer to a live performance, with the different instruments and vocals distinctly audible. In digital files, the sound is compressed because of the need for a smaller file size.

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