How pure is the signal when it reaches our ears?
"ST" wrote in message ...
Recently, I saw an oscilloscope screen capture of digital and vinyl signal
in a forum. The vinyl signal as expected was wobbling and jittery. It was
concluded for that reason that digital playback is more accurate
representation of real sound as it preserves and plays back the original
signal almost unaltered.
However, in real life, how much of vinyl signal is distorted compared to the
actual sound waves arriving at the ear's canal? We are talking about the
most fluid medium (air) that stands in between our ears and the source.
Unlike a wire, the air that transmit the waves to our ears relies on the
vibrating particles of air. The air's density varies every inch. It is the
most unstable medium to transfer any audio signal accurately. Signal
reaching our ears may very well be wobbling and jittery like seen in the
oscilloscope.
A simple speaker's measurement of loudness itself reveals at any other
distance of 1 meter it varies so much that the measurement becomes so much
meaningless for a proper evaluation of speakers. That's exactly the reason
why some manufacturers are not publishing the technical specs other than
what's can be measured by point to point wired measurements. That medium
(wires) is stable and repeatable but not the measurements involving signals
traveling through the air which varies with temperature, pressure, wind and
many others factors.
We are actually listening to wavy, wobbly and jittery signal all the time.
That's natural. Vinyl signal maybe be distorted but it may be the correct
representation of the way real signal reaching our ears or at least make it
as close as what actually reaches our ears in live sound.
ST
This view seems to ignore that the wavy, wobbly, and jittery signal that
arrives the ear from the vinyl will be subject to further wavy, wobbly, and
jittery distortion once it leaves the speaker resulting in even more
distortion. Somehow, I doubt that results in a closer representation of
live sound. Perhaps I've misunderstood the OP.
Ed Presson
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