Analogue Hearts, Digital Minds

Few people will disagree that the strict technical performance of the vinyl LP audio reproduction system has since long been eclipsed by other (digital) storage and replay systems. Yet, vinyl enjoys a sort of renaissance, and many listeners comment favorably on its sound quality. Realizing that ‘hearing’ is not the same as ‘perceiving’,  Mike Uwins decided to find out what it is exactly that attracts listeners to vinyl – is it indeed the sound quality or are other factors involved.

Mike devised a very clever system that enabled him to test listener preference in a double-blind setup. His conclusion: there are indeed other factors involved in addition to the sound quality itself, and if these factors are removed, listener appreciation for vinyl is altered.