My view on cd decks........

[Phil B]

It was just my view and posted because the growth of the cd deck from where it was when I first came across them has shocked me! I wouldn't call what I have said snobbery as I now own a cd deck so it would be 'pot calling kettle black'.

 

I wasn't saying they are a bad thing.....I just feel personally that there isn't the same amount of fun in using them. Yes, the end result of what comes out of the speakers is what the clubber wants and is the most improtant thing.

 

A case of each to their own

[Blink]

I agree with what Alisdair said, and don't worry Phil, I know you weren't being judgemental. I will say that there is maybe a degree of vinyl snobbery, but totally understandable, I haven't embraced soft synths as much as hardware, just cos there is that "physical" element, I think anybody who has spent a time working with one medium finds it harder to embrace a different medium, it is a sign of us becoming our parents (I have noticed it in myself, learning new stuff is just harder now I am old

[Phil B]

Blink said:

it is a sign of us becoming our parents

 

*books into clinic*

 

[Wub Wub]

I've never once been able to stand on a dancefloor and tell whether a DJ is using a record or a CD. As long as the tunes are playing....

[Dave M]

 

most of the dj's @ heat used cdj 1000's, in place of turntables in turnmills.(i know, i spent most of night in dj booth) it's also good if a dj wants 2 use 3 or 4 decks. 2 turntables, and 1/2 cdj's

[Tony P]

CD Decks are great for all the above reasons........... but i find you still don't get that full bass spectrum you do with Vinyl thou. Don't get me wrong it's close but not the same.

 

 

Still gets the thumbs up

[Chris Hutchinson]

Tony.P said:

CD Decks are great for all the above reasons........... but i find you still don't get that full bass spectrum you do with Vinyl thou. Don't get me wrong it's close but not the same.

 

 

 

Interesting that you say that cos I looked into the alleged 'sound quality issue' and it seems the only frequencies not allocated for digitally are frequencies outside the range of human-hearing..... I certainly cant tell the difference between sound quality of a cd track and a vinyl track when I play on my setup, or when I have played out

 

Also, about 90% of tracks are produced digitally now anyway so vinyl and cd quality will be identical with the exception of pops+clicks on vinyls....

[Blink]

Chris_Hutchinson said:

Interesting that you say that cos I looked into the alleged 'sound quality issue' and it seems the only frequencies not allocated for digitally are frequencies outside the range of human-hearing.....

 

This is a debate that could go on for ages, there are certainly a band of "purists" who site that analogue (vinyl), covers a full range, both of the audio (digital drops bits) and the inaudiable, and there is also the debate about how subsonic frequencies interact with the air, and other waves, thereby altering how a sound "feels"

Also, about 90% of tracks are produced digitally now anyway so vinyl and cd quality will be identical with the exception of pops+clicks on vinyls....

 

Just because it is digital, does not mean they are working at CD Quality, CD quality is 44.1kHz, 16 bit.....44.1kHz is the number of times the sound is sampled/sec, 16 bit is the "accuracy" of each sample.

 

Modern digital work stations can work at upto 192kHz and 32bit. 32 bit is not twice as accurate, it means that the number describing that sample is made of of 32 digits, not 16 (a crap analogy is (in hexadecimal, 2 bit is 0-99, 4 bit is 0-9999, 8 bit is 0-99999999...but remeber computer is binary).

 

So anyone worth their salt works at a lot higher kHz/bits, and it is only at the final mastering/burning stage that you convert down to CD quality, so this is where the loss occurs, but when mastering to vinyl, you do not get this final, lossy process.

 

I hope that has made things a bit clearer (altho I doubt it)

[Andy Whitby]

Chris_Hutchinson said:

The only problem is when your in a club and some tw@t plays his/her last tune from cd - NOTHING pisses me off more then people who do that.... if you dont know the track, you cant judge how/when its gonna drop, and where best mixing points are......please dont do that to people....ever

 

It angers me because i usually start each set with an acapella or a intro, and 99% of this stuff is on c.d so if the club has one c.d deck i can't start with it, although i have done on numberous occasions, i just fade down, eject the c.d and stick the new one in in a matter of seconds to avoid random boo's/chants/jeers from the music-wanting crowd.

[Chris Hutchinson]

Blink said:

Just because it is digital, does not mean they are working at CD Quality, CD quality is 44.1kHz, 16 bit.....44.1kHz is the number of times the sound is sampled/sec, 16 bit is the "accuracy" of each sample.

 

Modern digital work stations can work at upto 192kHz and 32bit. 32 bit is not twice as accurate, it means that the number describing that sample is made of of 32 digits, not 16 (a crap analogy is (in hexadecimal, 2 bit is 0-99, 4 bit is 0-9999, 8 bit is 0-99999999...but remeber computer is binary).

 

So anyone worth their salt works at a lot higher kHz/bits, and it is only at the final mastering/burning stage that you convert down to CD quality, so this is where the loss occurs, but when mastering to vinyl, you do not get this final, lossy process.

 

I guess, but surely if the master is burnt to cd and taken to the pressing plant on cd, the quality will only be cd quality??

[Blink]

Chris_Hutchinson said:

 

I guess, but surely if the master is burnt to cd and taken to the pressing plant on cd, the quality will only be cd quality??

 

Yes, but only an idiot would mix a master down to CD and then master vinyl from it. CD should be the FINAL step in your production process, as this is where you lose all your quality.

 

You would keep your master at 192/32 bit digital, and then mix it down to analogue tape, and then produce your vinyl from that (I think that is what they do, don't quote me), and you would also produce your CD from that master.

 

Just imagine, for audio fidelity, that CD is the lowest common denominator, so you only use that at the very end.

 

 

BTW, I am not a vinyl junkie, or audiophile, as a (mainly non dance) music listener, all my music has been CD/MP3 for the last 10 years, so I am not sticking up for vinyl...I can't hear a difference, but I just understand that CD loses data that you cannot add back in

[Lisa]

I think all Tony was getting at was, that there is a difference in his opinion of bass quality between CD & vinyl, better bass sound with vinyl...

[LittleMissLoud]

I'm getting quite worried now, cos I have never used a CD deck (as I have not had the oppurtunity), and one day I will turn up at a club and be expected to mix out of one and I won't know what the [censored] to do!!

 

I can't afford one at the mo, but I really feel I should learn to use one, or I'll be [censored] pretty soon!

[Lisa]

well if you get that sexual position!!!!, you wil have to start saving up.....

[LittleMissLoud]