Due to my unique transient job,I am in a new city,anywhere from Washington State to Texas every 2-6 months.My computer based system(Peachtree Audio "MusicBox,Sonus Faber "Toy Monitors" & Sennheiser "HD 598" cans)travels with me & my only sources are my iPod Nano Gen.III & the Internet.When I finally do get home(every 3 months for 2 weeks)my main system is fronted by a Pioneer Elite 3D Blu Ray player that handles source duty & I quit enjoy spinning silver discs for the simple reason that I couldn't fit them all on my iPod.. With a $Grand to spend I would look at an Oppo BDP-95,pretty much state of the art for Redbook playback. |
After spending close to three months ripping my collection to a hard drive - no, I have no desire to spin a CD. Buying a CD player now almost seems akin to buying a typewriter. |
yes...but only because i have the ps audio pwt to spin disc's with my pwdII. as good as my pc set-up sounds, i still think it sounds a tad bit sweeter with my pwt in the mix.
i'd say about 85% streaming....15% transport. |
i've spent so much on my PC audio front end (and still not done), it far surpasses my Denon changer in SQ. i have no desire to pull a disc and mess with the button pushing and CD handling. I'd rather just stay seated, grab the iPad and start playing some tunes. but I do know people who really enjoy cover art and liner notes, they still spin discs. Funny, these people also own a lot of vinyl... there are times when my PC audio setup is down for some reason, or I don't have the laptop in the listening room. There are other times when i don't want to wait on a rip to hear my new disc. Those times it is relly nice to be able to pop a CD into a player. i will always have one in my system. i need to get a nice, single disc spinner, but i am too busy upgrading everything else right now. |
I recently upgraded my dac to an Empirical Audio Overdrive SE and it is a game changer for sure. Since this addition, my pc rig has surpassed my cdp in every way. My cdp is no slouch either- Modwright tube Oppo 83.
My cdp doubles as my blu ray player so its not going any where. I never thought PC audio could sound this good. Better than SACD! |
i never thought i would make the plunge, all digital now,have not loaded a cd in many moons. 24/96 files help with this, now if they would just stop price gouging for them |
I sold my NAD BEE CD player and my moddified MHZS Tubed CD Player, Don't miss either one. |
I use the same DAC for my CDP and my SBT/Vortexbox music server. I only have about a third of my CDs ripped, but I reflexively reach for the SBT rather than hunting for a CD. So consisent is my preference for my server instead of a CD that I recently swapped my better digital cable from the CDP to the SBT. There is no going back. It's either vinyl or a FLAC file, now. |
i'm aware as i write this that i've lost my integrity as audiophile, but like bondmanp et. al., i've become addicted to the convenience of SBT and to MOG. these days i listen to CDs mainly because i feel guilty about having so many shiny discs simply laying around. soundwise, i'd still opt for CDs over SBT, mainly because the SBT is prone to little hiccups, tho the difference is very small. MOG doesn't sound quite as good as either, but it's still very credible and by far the most user-friendly. |
. Buying a CD player now almost seems akin to buying a typewriter. Ouch!! . |
I just set up my new music server this week (Naim NDS Server/DAC, Uniti ripper, Qnap NAS) so I have begun to rip my CD collection. This is going to take quite a bit of effort, particularly, the editing of metadata. In addition to ease of accessing and browsing my collection, I am looking forward to buying high resolution downloads.
But, in terms of the sonic quality of CD play vs. CD ripped to a server, I think I like my current CD player a little bit more (Naim CD555). The CD playback has a little bit more weight and fullness and does not have quite as much of an artificial hardness or edge to the sound. I know this is not exactly a direct comparison because the DAC in the server is different from that of my CD player, even if it is the same brand, but I expect that there should be a lot of similarity.
Don't get me wrong, I like the sound and I am excited about high rez download capability, but, I am not hearing superior sound from the server vs. the cd player where both are top of the line models from the same company.
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C D players soon prehistoric items whith the quality dacs on the market, I own hegel hd11 and PS audio perfect wave. Playing files from itunes on AIFF, excellent results Remote control for macbook pro and lets the music play. |
Still getting mixed results comparing CDs with Computer based Systems- sound quality wise. I see no reason for either/ or contest between the two. Next Solar Flare wipes out all software for word processing, you are going to be hurting for that Typewriter. Computer Audio is flaky, fragile, susceptible to fragmentation, not to mention all manor of viruses/ malware/ spyware/ and magnetic fields. Despite this Computer Audio is still usable, but I certainly would use CD as a back-up. I have never had to back-up a CD. Music Files are disposable Computer trash, much like disposable lighters. Back-ups are only lipstick on this Pig. Sneeze and you would fragment half of your Music Files. They are only temporary, and certainly not made to last. They are only cheap, and inexpensive- not unlike magnetic cassette tapes! Remember those? A good magnet can wipe out both, how reliable can that be? |
It sounds like a lot of folk are settling for a computer based system and extolling its virtues, proclaiming the death of CDPs. It's only when I read reviews like this: http://www.stereotimes.com/ (on the Laufer Teknik Memory Player 64) that I realize said folk are settling for less. Granted, present day PC audio might be better than some, or most, CDPs out there, but there is still a long way to go. It seems there is much more to jitter than thought and what arrives at the DAC is far from perfect and the DAC can't reconstruct what is already riddled with jitter due to a host of things. Even standard memory players can't make whole what is damaged to begin with. Reading data, transmitting data, and converting data is not all there is to it, or so the designer of the Laufer MP would have you believe. Jitter is introduced at each and every step you can imagine. There is no perfect signal that is captured so when jitter laden data enters the DAC, no matter the pedigree, it remains there when outputted. At least that is what I got from the review. The price of the unit is right up there where I can't afford it but those who have heard it swear by it (so says the reviewer) . Does anyone here know of or have heard this player and is the article correct? It seems that some kind of reconstructing of the data has to be done AFTER going through a DAC. If this is so, then all bets are off and folk here are merely settling for something incrementally better. All the best, Nonoise |
I still love the sound of a CD played on my modded CEC TL-1X transport through PWD MKII DAC. Generally use a Byrston BDP-1 digital music player, but sometimes there is a warmth to the CD playback that analog fans probably love about their LP's.
Neal |
What your DAC or CDP can produce depends on the quality of your cdp and the DAC therein.
On the weekend we test-drove a $900 DAC, and also a $4000 DAC at the dealer steamed from a MAC computer in Apple Lossless format: neither matched the performance from the same tunes played as the redbook CDP (about $12K) w.r.t. sounstage width and depth, vocal presence and instrument clarity, digging out much more the subtle details in the recording, and mainly the PRaT and overall emotion.
In this audition, the digital music server playback was comparatively compressed with a perceived dip in the midrange and upper midrange upper midrange
The point: what are are you prepared to give and compromise between the different formats? |
"It seems that some kind of reconstructing of the data has to be done AFTER going through a DAC. If this is so, then all bets are off and folk here are merely settling for something incrementally better."
There are a lot of designers that have tried to do this, but all so far have failed. There are technical reasons why this will probably never achieve the optimum jitter result.
The best solution IME is still a low-jitter digital source, whether CD transport or computer interface, feeding a DAC with no reclocking in it.
There are lots of poor digital sources out there, both CD transports and computer interfaces. The trick is to cut through the BS and find the best ones.
Steve N. Empirical Audio |
Neal, I think you hit the nail on the head. My PC rig was basic, at best, but it still bested my CDP in terms of clarity, detail, ambience and extension at both ends. It wasn't until I tried some old Mapleshade ICs I had that now, the CDP bested my iMac in every way you could think of. That warmth you mentioned was the missing ingredient.
It could very well be some form of jitter, for all I know, but it's full bodied, rich, and tonally loaded along with all the positive attributes I get from my iMac. There is no loss of detail, ambience or clarity but just the opposite: a more fully depicted rendering.
I get it that folk get a certain amount of satisfaction from mastering PC audio. It's like repairing a car and enjoying the ride. There is a romantic aspect to it all, not to mention the convenience. But all the PC rigs I've heard at audio shows had that missing warmth you mentioned, to some degree. Exacting, they were. Almost, but not quite hyper, and a bit unnaturally in-your-face. Only the MSB set up had me on the opening notes, and it was a CDP set up I was listening to. Exorbitantly expensive but still a CDP.
All the best, Nonoise |
I use my CDP and will wait for the Computer based systems to mature. Would like to wait till we have "affordable" NAND/Flash based storage in the 2-4TB range.
Currently researching transports and DACs available. What I would like: -To get a "transport" that can play ALL types of discs and formats. MSB has one that is priced at around $4K. Looks like that is a modded Oppo. -To get an affordable DAC that can decode, along with regular stuff (PCM, FLAC, AAC, etc), DSD, DXD and HDCD. DCS and MSB has that, but I will have to donate some organs to be able to afford that.
So, looks like I am at least a couple of years away from the PC audio stuff. Hence I am pretty happy with my CDP. Also interested in the new Marantz SA-11S3 player that can play SACD. |
If my listening sessions were short, I probably would have bought a very nice CDP. But I work from home sometimes, and that happens in my listening room, and it gets really old constantly getting up and swapping discs throughout the day.. Not to mention the stacks and stacks of plastic cases that I have to re-alphabetize. Even my night work sessions are at least 2 hours long; I'm not a single-disc guy...plus a PC rig can be incrementally updated, a nice CDP cannot. When I compare the final price of my PC rig to the cost of a nice CDP, used or new, the convenience factor plays a huge role in that decision. I get great sound from my PC rig, but there are too many variables in the all the other systems I've heard to decide the CDP vs PC debate. I'd have to A/B my friend's MF NuVista vs my PC rig. Now that would be something. Also, Empirical's Mac-based rigs at RMAF 2010 and 2011 were not cold-sounding. But they weren't anywhere near my budget either! |
Akg - The compressed formats are not as good as .wav for sure, however AIFF comes pretty close to .wav on a Mac, and retains all of the tags and album art.
Steve N. Empirical Audio |
We are just now discovering all of these warts with Computer Audio? Now that we have been trying to kill off the CD Market with "Soon all New Music will only be available as Music Downloads"! I have been desperately promoting the use of both Formats so long as Computer Audio remains an unfinished Format- it is indeed that! Now we are caught between the loss of one Format, and the premature underdevelopment of its replacement Format. Nice job cutting off your nose to spite your face for the sake of convenience (At the cost of everything else!). |
No need to gloat.
There is no vindication here, just another aspect to be considered.
All things in good time.
All the best, Nonoise |
Not gloating! Vindication, never expected it- don't now! I just wanted the freedom to play both Formats, and there is alot less risk that way. In that respect do we now plan on saving the CD Format- I didn't think so! Obviously, this doesn't help me; therefore, I have nothing to gloat/ be vindicated about. I am in the same sorry lifeboat (Without a Format Paddle) as everyone else! "Well Olie, another fine mess you have gotten us into"! No Gloat, no Vind- just rolling around with the egg on my face (Same a everyone else). Can we clean the mess up now? |
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Yeah, I kind of felt the same way being cajowled into pulling teeth for some CD Selection out of a dwindling Format. Been painted into a corner of Computer Audio Format Selection (Still Limited). Both Formats have something to offer. Shoot, I would buy the same selection from both Formats. I would probably keep the one that sounded the best- never in the same Format! Buy the best sounding of Computer Audio, and CD- never the same selection. No, everyone had to have the CONVENIENCE of Computer Audio Format- or the HIGHWAY. Who is more foolish, the fool- or the fool who follows him. If you were fooled, I followed! We have no adequate Music Format now! Our Music is splintered all over the place. I find this condition unacceptable. When do we start to fix this- or is it too INCONVENIENT to do so? Do we continue to strangle what little life is left in the CD Format? Simple question only requiring a simple YES, or NO! You tell me where we go from here- I'm just lost! I'm out of suggestions, and completely frustrated- I give up! Our Music is a mess of splintered Formats. Computer Audio is completely splintered. I don't know where to get Music from anymore. |
I just buy used or new CDs and rip them. I basically open the CD case once, pop it into my laptop to rip it to my external hard drive, and practically never open that case again, unless I want to re-rip it into another format for some weird reason. So I guess I am a PC audio guy who still buys CDs. People come over and simply marvel at how many CDs I have, and they wonder why anyone would still be buying shiny discs..."they sound better than the iTunes stuff," I tell them; I don't get into details. Whenever this happens, it reminds me of the old CD vs vinyl issue, and it makes me feel really old! CDs are going to be around for a long time still. |
. I would hazard a guess that people that have computer based systems listen to a lot more music than those that don't. The convenience factor is a monster. Yes, my cd player sounds much better, but I get much more enjoyment out of my computer based system because getting to the music I want to hear is very easy to access. For me it's all about the music. The more music I have access to the better. . |
Sorry Realremo! The Major Labels ARE gearing up for all of their New Music to ONLY be available as Music Downloads. That means NO CD Release! I have already come across numerous New Artists whose Music is only available via Music Downloads. I have already come across thousands of CDs that are out of print (Not Available in CD). Only access to these selections still remains strictly Music Downloads. "...and they wonder why anyone would still be buying shiny discs", those are the majority of Customers that Manufacturers are targeting with Music Downloads $$$! Shiny Disks just get in the way, well...they have just got to go! The CONVENIENCE is in the money going into the pockets of these Manufacturers, selling disposably cheap Music Files. Music Quality being replaced with the conveniently disposable cheap for profit. Quality costs money to produce, lower Quality to maximize Profit. To give up Quality for the sake of convenience- IN THIS ECONOMY??? If there is another Recession, maybe we deserve what we get! We no longer have ANY Standard for Music Quality. Any Standard for Quality in anything else we buy- will be the next of many dominoes to fall. Might as well just sign over your entire monthly Paycheck for a few beans! Sooo Sad!!! |
Mitch,
I would not guess about others, but, my experience mirrors yours. I like the sound of my CD player, but, I find much more pleasure in the music using the server--it is so much easier to locate and sample long-forgotten purchases, and I enjoy putting together playlists that are hours long with just a few minutes of scrolling through my collection.
In the two weeks I've had the server, I have managed to load almost 600 albums, so I have a LONG way to go. The tedious task of loading albums and editing the metadata is the big ergonomic downside to the server. |
. Larry, the tedium of loading those albums is going to pay huge dividends once you are all done.
Next year I plan to buy an analog to digital converter to digitize some of my LP's that were never released on cd....now THAT will be tedious! . |
I had fun as well when it came to the convenience of perusing my collection. Fast and easy became the norm. It was only when I swapped out some ICs that I came to the conclusion that all bets were off as far as sound quality: the difference was that big. Being a cheapie, I 'retreated' back to my CDP and my old ways, Ol' fart that I am. Better PC audio is just around the corner and when it comes, I'll be among the first to adopt. Check out Sarjans review of the ASUS DAC/Headphone/Preamp http://6moons.com/audioreviews/asus/1.htmlYes, that ASUS. And pay attention to his remarks at the end of his review. ASUS has the means and market reach to finally come up with a dedicated laptop music server and keep the cost down, if only they listen..... I recall a member here who wanted to see if there were enough feedback and willingness to seek out a maker of laptops for the same purpose. After reading Sarjans review, I feel it's just a matter of time. All the best, Nonoise |
Mitch/Larry, this is why I decided to go with a PC audio setup, instead of buying a really nice CDP. I was at a crossroads, had bought a cheapo changer, and I knew I wasn't a single-disc guy, so after much hand wringing I went PC audio and never regretted it. Petty officer, yes lots of new artists are only available via .mp3 download. I feel your pain. The indie music scene seems to think producing music with poor dynamic range is "stickin' it to the man." Some bands think going into a studio with tons of great recording gear is "selling out," I guess. I don't know how this kind of sound got popular, maybe it's all about budget, maybe not. Consider the Arctic Monkeys. Their first album was not well produced, but was very catchy and capitalized on their huge club following. Set all kinds of sales records. I will say that the quality of the 256kbps downloads on iTunes has improved greatly, but I still won't buy them. I vote with my wallet, but the vast majority of people really don't care about sound quality, and it is that majority that has most of the buying power. How do we change the sonic preferences of 20 million U.S. teenagers? All that said, a lot of serious musicians make sure their music is available for lossless download somewhere on the 'net, consider Total Control's Henge Beat. Very edgy garage punk/synth pop; a lesser known Australian band made a very specific decision to release their album on the internet, and made sure a lossless version was available on allmusic.com, along with downloadable artwork so you could make your own CD jewel case. Of course that specific download is no longer available...and yes I have a lossless copy! |
. New music being released only on download is fine with me. I rarely buy new music. I'm 59 yrs old and I primarily listen to jazz. There are so many jazz recordings that I still don't have from the 1940's thru 2010. It will be another 40 years before I discover all of the older jazz recordings that I have yet to hear....so, I'm all set. Every thing that I want to listen to is already either on a cd or a vinyl record. . |
My CD still sounds better than my server. And my server sounds awesome (JRiver 17 w/JPlay, ESI Juli@, Esoteric G25U/Berkeley DAC). The Esoteric X03Se/G25U/Berkeley sounds better. (I an running 30 feet spdif cable which may be a factor, though). |
So many distortions, so little time. Nonoise: "Better PC Audio is just around the corner...". Microsoft, Mac...etc, are NOT interested in the AUDIOPHILE business- or Music business. There is no plans on the table for "RESEARCH", "DEVELOPMENT" in the "SOFTWARE" department of Computer Audio. Other Audio Formats have had a history of Research, and development. Software development for Computer Audio in Operating Systems is non-existent. These Manufacturers are strictly in the Information business, not the Music business. You have no Advocate in Software development for Computer Audio. If Major Manufacturers won't even support development of Computer Audio Format, you don't have a Format. Realmo: "Petty officer, yes lots of New Artists are only available via MP3 download". Nice try in distracting from the fact of Tens of Thousands of CD Selections are currently out of print. Bizarre that they all remain available for sale on i-Tunes. "Vast Majority of people really don't care about Sound Quality". The best fable to boost profit at your expense. You would have to accept that people generally don't care about quality in anything. That they are desperately seeking the lowest quality anything at a higher price. I don't see people rushing to the market demanding to pay double of what is on the price tag. I am having a hard time trying to apply this same bizarre scenario to Products that produce Sound Quality. It is a fable from Manufacturers, to benefit Manufacturers, to benefit their Profit at your expense. Such convenience must surely be by accident, and not by design. Am I also supposed to buy that the Earth really is flat after all? Sorry, you are not picking my pocket for that one- or any other conveniently profitable fable. We instinctively demand lower value (Quality), and demand to pay double/triple for it with Computer Audio? Yet, with other Audio Formats we do the inverse? I wonder why? People have a self interest in promoting the Format they like best, by eliminating the competition with Fable/Rook/ or by Crook!. Give me more than one Audio Format for competitions sake- That is what I am trying to promote. I am not promoting a single exclusive Format here for New Music- or any Music!!! Lower Quality in many things is something this economy cannot afford; because, it can only lead to lower acceptable Quality in everything. This creates severely harmful Recessions, and Depressions. This is NOT CONVENIENT at all for you! Continuously lower the bar, it will eventually strangle you- and any hope for economic recovery. What a waste, choice is yours. Results are on your head. |
Pettyofficer.
You are too pessimistic. Plain and simple. High quality music will always be around as it's not that difficult to maintain high standards be it with CDs, laptops, etc.
Someone will hit the nail on the head, format wise, and all will be well.
All the best, Nonoise |
Realremo How can I get a copy of the Australian band? Thanks |
@ mountainsong, look up Henge Beat's album Total Control on allmusic.com...other sources might include discogs.com or even amazon.com, i buy cds from amazon almost monthly. |
Whoooaa, Nonoise! I thought that we were all supposed to be NOT be interested in Sound Quality since we are purchasing Computer Audio now! I am not pessimistic. I just know that the ONLY way to hit the nail on the head of High Quality Music is COMPETITION between Formats. No joy if we are in the business of terminating Formats. Unless you have something to hit Microsoft (And Bretheren) on the head to get their Software in the High Quality Music business- there is your bottleneck of pessimism. They are not exactly doing any research/development on Computer Audio, so we have to patchwork around their Audio defficient Operating Systems. This is the source of Computer Audio research/development being hog tied. This is the ball, and chain wrapped around Computer Audio's neck. Lots of joy in research/development in other Audio Formats- NO JOY in same from Major Software Manufacturers. Without research/ development Computer Audio (Music) goes nowhere. Lots of research in games, apps, and Video though. Music, ehhh... not so much from Microsoft. As far as they are concerned, you don't have a Computer Audio Format since they don't support it (That is their pessimism, not mine). They are sort of like the rest of us Joe Shmoes that are not interested in Sound Quality (Excuse me, I mean that they don't see a profit in it!). Yet, those who promote Computer Audio DO SEE a future in using it. How is that possible with Major Operating System Software Manufacturers DO NOT see a future in doing ANY research/development in Computer Audio Music. Me thinks there is a serious flaw here in your logic, and reason. That doesn't necessarily mean that I am pessimistic. I can be just as optimistic as anyone else about that large crack in a huge Dam, spewing water. No reason to panic, right? It will hold, right? |
Pettyofficer, you can't keep playing both sides against the middle. The bits and pieces that comprise really good audio playback are already out there. Standardization will follow once one of the major players takes a first step. Others will follow.
The 6moons review of the ASUS product and Srajans take on what could be done tell me that it's just a matter of time. There are no monolithic masters out there dictating to others what will be done. They are competing for our dollars and once one of them figures "us" out, the rest will be history.
These major players tend to eat each other, not us. Yes, they want our dollars but they covet each others markets more and that is what they have their sights on.
As I said earlier, all of this will not stop the research and tinkering that propels audio. Markets aside, it will be done because it can be done by those of us who desire better music/sound.
When companies like ASUS make a serious audio product, they don't need nor seek Microsofts or Apples permission. They simply do it. If what they make makes a serious enough dent in the market, others will heed the trend.
I'm content to wait.
All the best, Nonoise |
I happen to agree with Pettyofficer. In fact, I just posted a note to my system description that pretty much makes the same point.
Look, I'm almost 60 years old. I am tied to IT and computers as much as anyone out there. But I do not know or keep up with all of these "exotic" PC formats, e.g., flak, MAC, iPod, and ya da ya da.
All I want to do is stick a CD into the player, or drop (not literally) a tonearm on an LP, sit back and listen.
Yes . . . if and when the music industry settles on some standard PC digital format that us PC dummies can pronounce and understand, I'll look into it. But right now, I am standing pat. |
Bifwynne, I concur wholeheartedly. My CDP is my only method of listening.
It's all a matter of if and when something better this way comes.
I think we're all just seeing this from different perspectives.
All the best, Nonoise |
Nonoise, I use ASUS products for Computer Audio. On the Hardware side Computer Audio has huge potential. There is actual Research/Development being done in the Hardware for Computer Audio improvement. It is just that this can't fill the vacuum of lack of the same for Software in the O.S. with Computer Audio. Microsoft (And the rest) are just laughing their butts off at their idea of silly expectations for Computer Audio. Of course there are competing dollars. Dollars for Computer Audio (Music) versus Dollars for other Computer Entertainment (Games, Videos, Apps). Microsoft sees ZERO profit for the former, and ALL of the profit in the latter. You tell them that " The American Public is not interested in Sound Quality "! They believe you, and vote their dollars in research/development in all things Computer other than Computer Audio Music. This has to be the first Audio Format that shoots itself in both feet, and cuts its own nose off to spite its face. No matter how hopeful, no Audio Format can survive this. I want to use more than one Audio Format, one being Computer Audio. Microsoft would rather put a game, video, or an App. in my hand rather than a Music File. Talk to them if you want Computer Audio to be successful. I wish you luck (Sincerely!). I like Music too! Here is a secret- THEY DON'T!!! They like maximizing profit instead. You can't build on a Computer Audio Format without some Software Foundation. "FORGET ABOUT IT"! They are not going to provide it! Hold your breath if you want- they will win that one too. |
Pettyofficer,
This is too much despair for me.
I quit. I will go the way of others who have met you and left this topic of discussion.
All the best, Nonoise |
You don't think that "The American Public is not interested in Sound Quality", isn't a despairing statement? This is not my statement. Check my previous entries. I am the optimist arguing against this statement. Those who promote PC Audio use this despairing statement as support. THAT IS SAD!!! It would be like them saying that everyone should lower their Sound Quality in utilizing Computer Audio- How Mundane! I am taking the optimist route here that I believe Computer Audio has potential. I am optimistic about keeping CD around as a check, and balance in case manufacturers get lazy with the Sound Quality of Computer Audio. I am optimistic at targeting Software O.S. Manufacturers for dragging research into improving Computer Audio Music. I am optimistic about a Public planting a size 14 up their b___s to get them out of their myopic obsession over profit- and do something about improving Computer Audio. Why must it always be dragged down by severe limitations in the O.S. Software? People will eventually realize what they have lost in Music, and eventually demand it back! That is my optimistic answer to the first statement at the beginning of this Response. What, pray tell, is your optimistic answer? Fairie dust just isn't going to cut it with Microsoft. You need to put some pig skin in the game to get that research/ development a movin' in the O.S. Software for Computer Audio. It simply cannot succeed otherwise. How can it? Give me a reason why it would (That is NOT being pessimistic!). Do we really expect that Microsoft reverse researching, and reverse developing Software for Computer Audio will magically make it more successful? HOW MUNDANE!!! |
Pettyofficer i am by your side, you really understand well the phenomenon that certainly will not get fix as per request of stereophile magazine or audiogone forums...... I enjoyed your analysis of the matter! Salud |
I appreciate your response, Mountainsong. The most important thing to remember is that all Consumers are in competition with manufacturers in demanding bigger bang (Music Sound Quality) for the Buck. We are in constant negotiations over quality. We are playing poker with these manufactures across the table. We show them our hand when we claim "The American Public is not interested in Sound Quality". What are we doing in boosting the competition when we tip our hand? Who does this help, yourself- or the guy across the table? We should be eyeballing him to make sure he doesn't have anything up his sleeve. He is not our friend. He is in this game to win at our expense- spelled out LESS BANG (Sound Quality) FOR THE BUCK! He carries his own six shooters, I don't think he is in any desperate need for our help. We are the Prey in this game, the Predator is NOT going to be our FRIEND! CONVENIENCE is a hook the Predator uses very well to lure its Prey. Try looking in the mirror if you still don't understand who that Prey is. LEVERAGE is our only defense, not empty hopes and promises. Stop shooting Sound Quality (And Yourself) in the foot all of the time. Everyone will be very glad to give you alot less, unless you demand more. Who are you negotiating with- yourself? Appreciate it if you wouldn't lose! We all lose. |
Wow, a lot of thought on this. Pretty intense and cynical....
My two cents, pretty simple: I have CD's and no longer have a CD player. Everything is through my computers music library to PW DAC mkII. Sounds excellent and cd's are going the way of records, 8 track, and VHS. I will keep buying Cd's as my hard copy backup, but will only use them to burn them. |
Do respect your two cents, Jeffatus. Everyone thinks that I am cynical. I am trying to uncynicalize Major Labels/ O.S. Manufacturers from a narcistic obsession over profit at the expense of sound quality. That means that they want to take away your option of buying releases on CD, therefore force you to strictly buying your Music via downloads ONLY!!! There are atleast several thousands of CD releases OUT OF PRINT! You cannot buy them on CD, but they are strictly available as downloads ONLY! New Music is starting to not even be released on CD- download ONLY! Pretty soon the only thing that you will be able to burn a copy of will be a download, unless you are blocked by Copyright Data Management already installed in Microsoft O.S. MUSIC is going the way of CDs, Records, 8 Track, and VHS. You are NOT going to get any improvement in sound quality for PC Audio from Microsoft. That is the end of PC Audio Format- what else is there? Cynical Anti-Audiophile Manufacturers are now in charge of sound quality for PC Audio. There is no sound quality for most downloads when it stands in the way of profit. I am trying to be optomistic about us holding onto atleast one other Format so that Gamers don't decide that my MP3 Sampling Rate is just too high- and cuts into Computer Manufacturers profit. You want sound quality, you are going to have to fight these bast___s for it. For me, that is being optimistic. Music, and sound quality, IS worth fighting for! What sound quality a majority of American Public is not interested in- IS BEING CYNICAL! I am trying to promote QUALITY over PROFIT. This is something that I am OPTIMISTICALLY trying to do! Yeah, wish me luck!!! |