Vinyl doesn’t sound better than digital.
Nor do digital recordings sound better than analog. At least not scientifically or as a blanket statement. There are exceptions, of course. But the exceptions are a product of recording and production techniques (or failures) and playback equipment, not a product of the medium itself.
Many studies show that equipment and listeners can’t discern these differences, but those who favor one format have a confirmation bias based on their preferences or values going into the test — i.e., people like us.
Vinyl-lovers is a club with exclusive membership for people like me. My story about myself confirms my membership. We all want to be part of an exclusive club, even if that club is “people who don’t join clubs.”
Our stories tell us which clubs we’re part of. Which people are “people like me.”
Next time you insist that vinyl or digital sounds better, remember that’s your heart talking through the story you tell yourself, not your ears.
