PS Audio Head Declares HD-Audio Wins!

I’m feeling somewhat vindicated today…or actually I felt vindicated a couple of weeks ago when I read a daily post by Paul McGowan, the CEO of PS Audio entitled, “Vinyl on the big system”. I think the title of today’s post gives away the punch line, but I wanted to go back a little and provide a little background.

The August 2008 issue of The Absolute Sound (TAS 183) had an interview with Paul as the “Back Page” feature. Each month, writer Neil Gader selects a prominent person in the audio area and asks that person 10 questions about their background, thoughts on analog, digital, vinyl etc. (I was recently the subject of Neil’s Back Page questioning).

In issue 183, near the end of the interview Neil asked if vinyl was still the reference for audio fidelity. Paul answered, “Absolutely, I think digital struggles to come up to the standards that are easily attained by vinyl.” As you might expect, I disagreed with that statement then and I still do. Vinyl LPs might sound terrific but they cannot provide the same level of actual fidelity of a newer HD-Audio PCM digital recording…by a long shot. Apparently, Paul now agrees.

Absolutely, I think digital struggles to come up to the standards that are easily attained by vinyl.

Here’s a generous quote from his post of June 19, 2013:

On the other side I also have a Patricia Barber vinyl pressing of Modern Cool and have acquired a high resolution copy of the same (don’t ask me where). Now the tables are turned. The vinyl sounds great, full and round, great presence, but when compared to the high-resolution copy played through the PWT and PWD combination there’s just no comparison. The high-resolution version clearly demonstrates the restricted dynamics, frequency response of the vinyl – and now, for the first time, I can clearly hear just how superior the high rez copy is. No one would miss this hearing it on the big system. No one.

Sorry, I don’t mean to squash any cherished emotional ties to vinyl – and please don’t shoot the messenger I am just reporting what I hear – but there’s no question in my mind that on the right recordings with the right equipment, high-resolution digital just stomps anything on vinyl.

…there’s no question in my mind that on the right recordings with the right equipment, high-resolution digital just stomps anything on vinyl.

Wow! That was my reaction after reading this. How does a seasoned professional with many years of experience go from the position expressed in the 2008 TAS interview to the post from two weeks ago? This is quite a change of opinion and my hat is off to Paul for having the fortitude to express in such strong words his change of heart.

It’s not like “high-resolution” digital suddenly just emerged a few weeks back. My company AIX Records, 2L and others have been doing this since 2000! Maybe he simply hadn’t been exposed to the right recordings? Or perhaps there were other factors involved. I should write him and see if I can learn more about his conversion.

I’ve always maintained that once you hear the real deal, you’ll know. The epiphany moment happened for Paul just recently but I believe it will happen for everyone sooner or later. I’m not asking anyone to abandon his or her valued LPs or analog tapes in favor of an inexpensive Oppo universal player. What I would like to see is an acknowledgement that there is “audio” life beyond the “analog” world and it is capable of “showing off what’s truly in the music”. Thanks Paul and welcome to the high-definition future!