Al Stewart Year Of The Cat Vinyl Flac 24bit 96khz Better -
The Ultimate Pursuit: Is the Year of the Cat Vinyl Ripping Better than an Official 24-bit/96kHz FLAC?
- Turntable: Rega or Pro-Ject (minimum).
- Cartridge: Moving Coil (e.g., Denon DL-103) for that rich midrange.
- Phono Preamp: A vacuum tube or high-quality solid state.
- ADC (Analog to Digital Converter): RME ADI-2 or even a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (gen 3 or higher).
- Software: Audacity (free) to record at 24bit/96kHz.
Verdict:
Perfect for daily listening. 90% of the way there.
Best Pressings:
The Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (MFSL) version is often cited as the gold standard for vinyl, noted for smoothing out the saxophone and providing fine dynamics. Original UK RCA and Janus pressings are also highly regarded for their "punchy yet wide" mixes. al stewart year of the cat vinyl flac 24bit 96khz better

