Digital Audio for Dummies

There are many choices in digital audio. Each choice has it’s pros and cons. I like the simpler options...but even with those options there are drawbacks. If one decides upon a Bluesound Vault or similar device the advantage is that the one box will rip, store and tag your files...easy. After which you pick your music and play! One big disadvantage is that the storage and tagging is proprietory and exists within that one box! If it goes down or technology advances you are stuck with it. When one rips, downloads, stores onto a separate HDD or NAS this acts as your own personal library that could potentially be used with any updated technology. This is the case with the Bluesound Node 2 as it finds your own digital library and if the files are labeled, tagged in a way they can be read, you are fine. But this way requires one to sometimes be more computer savy. CD playback is fine, but hi-rez files are becoming mainstream soon and CDs will considered low resolution audio. I am not knocking CDs, I have many and luv them. I think any device that offers a dedicated research and development into the future of both hi-res audio and streaming is the way to go. Soon this will become standard as the streaming file sizes get bigger. That is one main reason I like Bluesound and NAD since the company seems to be heading in that direction. Not sure about Sony, they have been known to abandon technology (think SACD).

So are wav files currently "the best" way to go as far as SQ is concerned?

What are you guys paying to download hi-res music?

So are wav files currently "the best" way to go as far as SQ is concerned?

Yes. However, just because its a wav file doesn't mean the origin of the file isn't lossy, and doesn't mean its as high of a bit depth and sample rate as it could be. That said, assuming lossless and high-res, then yes.

I have a question regarding flac.  Steve states he can hear the difference between compressed flac and wav on his setup.  dBpoweramp gives you the option of flac conversion of your wav files uncompressed.  It appears that the uncompressed flac file size is the same as the wav file size. Has anyone explored this?

nutella .....It appears that the uncompressed flac file size is the same as the wav file size. Has anyone explored this?

Yes. In my view this is pointless *unless* you need to make use of the additional file attributes that flac can accommodate. Otherwise, no need to convert. Just use wav.