All records have been digitally mastered since the early 1990s. It's nothing new. The resurgence of vinyl is marketed towards people who prefer being music collectors rather than music appreciators. Nothing wrong with that, it's nice having a physical copy of a work of art instead of an impermeable file source.
There are certain things about vinyl records that actually DO sound different than their CD or digital counterparts; dither, for example. When an LP is spun, the needle mechanically responds to discontinuities in the analog medium by the curvature of the needle. This introduces an oscillatory frequency mode which is construed as pleasing to the ears, even if it isn't necessarily an accurate reproduction of the original recorded work.
In essence, our ears love randomness...and that's why vinyl sounds "better" than digital at times.
Whether or not you feel that extra effort is worth the $20+ you end up spending on the vinyl, that's up to you.
|