Vinyl has a less compressed audio playback and is much more high definition than its CD and MP3 counterparts. However, many average listeners will not be able to tell the difference. Distributing Vinyl in 2023 is usually reserved for limited edition copies of albums and for super fans to have something collectible to keep. One drawback of Vinyl is the loss of high-frequency information as the disc continues to play.
There’s a lot of criticism aimed at the compact disc format, mainly because people are realizing that CDs do not sound the same as vinyl, and that is one of the reasons vinyl has regained popularity.
Whether this is a trend, or to do with the actual quality of the sound is up for debate. Many self-proclaimed audiophiles and music fans are unlikely to be able to tell the difference in audio quality.Â
However, it could be the nostalgia benefits, and the addition of having something physical to keep.
In order to judge whether or not we can hear the difference between a CD and a vinyl record, we need to trust the human ear, and that’s a pretty difficult thing to do, seeing as the human ear is very flawed.
We can definitely hear the difference between the two, but is it really that distinguishable?
CDs, have 44,100 slices, each with 65,536 levels of audio quality, whereas vinyl accounts for a smooth, continuous groove around the entire disc.
It is safe to assume that an average listener would not be able to tell the difference between vinyl and CD.
Another problem with vinyl is the loss of high-frequency information as the record progresses. The distance around the inside of a 12-inch record is about half what it is around the outside.
It’s a fact that the vinyl versus CD format war will never be resolved, but when deciding whether or not to use vinyl versus CD as a physical music distribution method for your project, it’s interesting to consider how they differ.
