Ken Kessler Article In Christopher Ward Watch magazine

[PeteVid]

Only reel to reel can sound better than Vinyl?

https://www.christopherward.com/loupe-magazine/article?cid=vinyl-plastic-fantastic&dm_i=5P8Z%2CI026%2C18BD6T%2C276IH%2C1&utm_campaign=839886_WK2%20-%20Sunday%20retro&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Christopher%20Ward%20Limited

 

[mark.king]

The old analogue v digital. Well let’s face it the older recordings were recorded on reel to reel and then mastered on reel to reel before eventually making it onto vinyl. I would hope they would sound better! His point was that as far as consumers are concerned the only available format is vinyl. I just find my turntable gathering dust unless I want to show it off to some poor unexpecting visitor.

 

[zarniwoop]

It’s surprising that someone who’s been in the business as long as Ken still doesn’t understand digital.

What all digital playback systems, including CD, streaming and downloading, do to the original recording is what a jigsaw puzzle does to a picture. No matter how fine the pieces, it cannot be a perfect nor even a near-perfect facsimile of the original.

It’s fine if people aren’t interested in what’s going on but annoying when when an audio journalist is furthering misunderstanding.

 

[narabdela]

I think Kessler lost the plot years ago.

It's a pity though, I used to enjoy reading his articles.

 

[the caretaker]

I think Kessler lost the plot years ago.

It's a pity though, I used to enjoy reading his articles.

Think he a fan of quad? Cool..

 

[the caretaker]

The old analogue v digital. Well let’s face it the older recordings were recorded on reel to reel and then mastered on reel to reel before eventually making it onto vinyl. I would hope they would sound better! His point was that as far as consumers are concerned the only available format is vinyl. I just find my turntable gathering dust unless I want to show it off to some poor unexpecting visitor.

Taping hi res onto reel to reel..then playing it back through reel to reel into hifi beats all newcomers in my golden eared opinion..

 

[paulfromcamden]

It's a lifestyle-y bumpf piece in a magazine for people who like mechanical watches i.e. consumers who likely have a preference for older technologies. He's sensibly writing for his target audience.

I thought his points about physical media were interesting. The only point I'd disagree with is that it costs a lot to get digital right compared with vinyl. Pi based streamers can sound ridiculously good for beer money.

 

[TLS]

''digital processing hacks music into bits and reassembles it''

Can't argue with this.

 

[the caretaker]

It's a lifestyle-y bumpf piece in a magazine for people who like mechanical watches i.e. consumers who likely have a preference for older technologies. He's sensibly writing for his targeted audience.

I thought his points about physical media were interesting. The only point I'd disagree with is that it costs a lot to get digital right compared with vinyl. Pi based streamers can sound ridiculously good for beer money.

Ridiculously good for beer money? Then compare that ' Ridiculously good ' against reel to reel taped from qobuz hi res...now that's proper Ridiculously good..in my golden eared opinion..

 

[the caretaker]

''digital processing hacks music into bits and reassembles it''

Can't argue with this.

Digital sounds great but does it sound esp musical?

 

[SteveG]

I like Ken Kessler as a writer and found his reviews interesting to read, however I wouldn't actually pay any attention to his recommendations.

 

[TLS]

Digital sounds great but does it sound esp musical?

Good digital can sound musical but I prefer AAA. Despite of that, I'm spoiled by the convenience of digital + having millions of dollars worth of music for a small monthly subscription...

 

[paulfromcamden]

Ridiculously good for beer money? Then compare that ' Ridiculously good ' against reel to reel taped from qobuz hi res...now that's proper Ridiculously good..in my golden eared opinion..

I can well believe it. I like tape saturation. Sadly not many serviced high quality R2R decks to be had for £50 which was my point re streaming vs vinyl.

 

[the caretaker]

Good digital can sound musical but I prefer AAA. Despite of that, I'm spoiled by the convenience of digital + having millions of dollars worth of music for a small monthly subscription...

Me too..I like the convenience of qobuz straight into my schiit eitr then into dac..then into pre amp then into amp then onto speakers with various cables joining them! Mmmm...so convenient!

 

[the caretaker]

I can well believe it. I like tape saturation. Sadly not many serviced high quality R2R decks to be had for £50 which was my point re streaming vs vinyl.

Yes good point...my mate got his teac for £350 the spools can cost upwards of £20 each pre loved...but....big but! It sounds amazing..taped hi res on reel to reel..cassette isn't too shabby either..most of my listening is qobuz..so easy to do..so cheap..all that high quality sound..so cheap..

 

[JTC]

Having taken part in an unsighted format test back in November, I actually thought hi-res streaming sounded better than the R2R of the same recordings. And I assumed the streamer was the R2R and the R2R was the streamer!!!

YMMV

 

[adamdea]

It’s surprising that someone who’s been in the business as long as Ken still doesn’t understand digital.

I spose, but TBH it would be more surprising if someone who has been writing crap for decades suddenly betrayed any understanding.

 

[MikeMA]

Ken Kessler is right.

 

[GT]

It’s surprising that someone who’s been in the business as long as Ken still doesn’t understand digital.

It’s fine if people aren’t interested in what’s going on but annoying when when an audio journalist is furthering misunderstanding.

Ken is not a technical journalist like Martin Colloms or John Atkinson, but the point is he doesn't need to be to know what gives the best sound, or audio performance and articulate this into verse...

 

[the caretaker]

Having taken part in an unsighted format test back in November, I actually thought hi-res streaming sounded better than the R2R of the same recordings. And I assumed the streamer was the R2R and the R2R was the streamer!!!

YMMV

Was the reel-to-reel a good one? Had the heads ever been cleaned? What dac was used from streamer to reel-to-reel? Was the tape used good enough quality? And most importantly what amp and what speakers? Was it van damme it cables used? Too many variables...