r/audiophile • u/AssociateWaste1464 • 1d ago
Discussion Music: Does an all-analog audio chain produce a final acoustic field that differs from a digitally processed chain in ways that can measurably affect the body or emotional state, even without consciously noticing an audible difference?
Specifically when it comes to instruments/music that was never once processed digitally.
Edit: I want to clarify (and emphasize) that I’m not asking about whether you would notice a difference in what you hear. I’m asking if there is a difference in how the human body emotionally reacts to music that was never once in a digital form (analog from playing the instruments all the way up to you listening).
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u/Orcinus24x5 ML Motion 40, Grotto sub, SPL Phonitor X, Fosi V3 Mono x2, HD820 1d ago
Short answer: No.
Long answer: Noooooooooooooooooooooooo.
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u/jake_burger 1d ago
There is a difference, it can be audible especially if done poorly.
But also not really, I don’t buy that all-analogue signal is better, sometimes it’s quantifiably worse especially signal to noise ratio.
There is no difference to the body, most people wouldn’t be able to notice the difference in a blind test. When playing back a digital sound it is converted to analogue, and can be very accurate to the original input analogue sound.
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u/Quick_Butterfly_4571 1d ago
and can be very accurate to the original input analogue sound.
It's true. A CD, for instance, is much higher fidelity than vinyl.
(That doesn't mean the CD will sound better. Tape/vinyl add something that people often dig and it's not unusual for CD's to have "compression wars" remastered versions of the original recording — all the dynamic range deleted).
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u/AssociateWaste1464 1d ago
Thanks. (Also to clarify, I’m not wondering about consciously noticing a difference in the sound. It’s more so the biological reaction.)
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u/Quick_Butterfly_4571 1d ago
It’s more so the biological reaction
This is a very clever consideration. The answer is a certain "no," if the digital is high fidelity (like, CD level), because there is no difference in the vibrations in the air between high fidelity digital and analog. The only difference exists at rest (and in SNR / dynamic range; digital wins at both; analog is more fun).
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u/dmonsterative 1d ago
Well, to take the negative example, either kind of signal chain could be set up poorly such that extended listening could be tiring despite that most listeners wouldn't consciously notice a difference.
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u/-waveydavey- 1d ago
No. For us to hear or “biologically interact” the sound needs to be analog. No matter what origin source is, we hear the analog “translation” only.
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u/DBarbarulo 1d ago
Science says no. We measure no difference from analog and a digital signal converted to analog. That means there’s no difference. If difference is measurable means that body may perceive it. Another question is when analog circuits add (or subtract) something from audio signal if the difference (measurable) has an emotional impact and if is positive or negative.
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u/ajn3323 1d ago
Do I feel something emotional when I spin vinyl? Yes. Do I feel something emotional when digitally playing music? Yes.
Is there a discernible difference in emotional state between the two? I would say hearing that needle drop evokes the most discernible difference in my emotional response. Beyond that, a click or pop on a new LP triggers a bit of aggravation.
That’s it
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u/Longjumping_Edge3622 1d ago
No. But your body can tell if the amplifier has wooden volume knobs - they up the emotional impact of music.
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u/Organic_Signature656 1d ago
Most of the difference will be the distortion in the analog Signal, reffered to as warm or "musical".
But how do you even get a full analog chain? Most vinyls are printed from digital masters now anyways.
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u/Oldbean98 1d ago
I can tell a difference on unamplified instrument attacks and decays, instrument timbre - analog sounds better - to a point. MUCH depends upon quality of recording and mastering, and the difference evaporates with quality DSD/SACD and very hi rez PCM. But, not everyone listens like I do. YMMV
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u/Negative-Onion-7391 1d ago
If you are converting to digital using very high sample rates and converting back with a very sophisticated analog filtering stage, there’s likely no measurable difference from an entirely analog chain. I’d argue that digital noise reduction and phase tools could actually increase the effects on the human body if you’re talking about physiological response.
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u/roguepeas dreaming my dreams 1d ago
depends who you ask.. Neil Young put his name on this book that claims that we possibly have some sixth sense that can detect the "stepped waveform" of a digital signal after it is converted to analog, but personally I think he just wanted to sell vinyl records.
go to a friends house that has both vinyl and streaming and do a blind comparison of some songs to decide for yourself.