2. pc-audio
  3. 138653-1129

I am a "Moron"




And I will tell you why I am a moron. First I have gone through a great deal of effort and expense, to get playback of my vinyl collection utilizing my PC to sound identical to just playing a record.

There was much discussion and debate about this on the PC forum, in regard as to how to accomplish this feat. Essential, was the "computer analog interface", plus you had to change some of the cards in your PC; which kind of PC didn't matter. Many people knowledgeable of various interfaces submitted their solutions; while mine is not the most expensive, it gets the same results as those which are more expensive because it's heavily modified with the most expensive "Nichicon capacitors".

Everyone testified that there was not one iota of difference between playing a record, and listening to playback through the PC.

I also read of an account of an audiophile who could afford almost anything. He belonged to an audio club that met once a month; it was the kind that discussed the merits of Koetsu Coral stone, over other equally fine cartridges, while sipping vintage wine. They were devoted to the best tone arms and turntables as well.

This audiophile had everything except time. He read where he could down load his vinyl to PC, and enjoy the same playback without handling his precious records. Naturally he was skeptical, but no less than "Stereophile" assured him this was possible. After accomplishing this feat, he no longer played his records, but enjoyed them the new way.

When it was his turn to host the meeting, he did not divulge this, but continued to engage in the conversation as though he was still experimenting with tone arms, cartridges and etc. I believe if he had revealed his secret, he would have been banned from the club.

The reason I say I am a moron is because I have tried more than once to share my knowledge on the "Analog forum", to be completely and emphatically rejected.

Anyone who does the same thing numerous times expecting different results, is a moron; especially when they get the same results each time.


orpheus10
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Let me try this one Mo time; there is absolutely no audio internally in the computer; it's all digits. In this case, the digits are stored on an external hard drive; no matter how many times you retrieve these digits, you will get precisely the same thing every time, it will be precisely what you put in. Not until it goes through the DAC will it become "ana log" again

When you have used the very best "interface" available (that I know of) to transfer very high end audio into computer digits, and stored this information on an external hard drive in the "WAV" format, which is the largest (best according to me); and you want to listen to this "very high end audio" you will simply request it, and you will hear it through your very high end DAC, that feeds your very high end preamp; you get the picture; this will get you the precise duplication of no computer in the mix at all. (I like to listen without getting up to turnover records, plus I have had fits of clumsiness)

If you change cartridge, phono, or even tone arm wire, you will distinctly be able to hear that upgrade, but if you want to enjoy the upgrade, you will have to repeat this process of down loading to external hard drive. That is no bigger deal than playing the record, which you will do anyway.

This is the best computer interface I know of, it was given 5 stars; that's rare for any piece of equipment. It functions as an AD converter on the way in, and a DAC on the way out, plus it has other desirable features.

 
    https://www.amazon.com/RME-ADI-2-Pro-4-out-Converter/dp/B01MTWM896/ref=pd_sbs_267_2?_encoding=UTF8&a....


Recently I made some upgrades, and I'm presently enjoying them. I know this was a complete waste, but sometimes that's what I do.

frogman
7,464 posts
 
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orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Digits over here, digits over there, digits everywhere, and all of those digits have to go through a "Digital to Ana log converter" in order to be intelligible; your CD player, everything on your computer operates on digits, do you have any video equipment?

You are living in a world of digits; no, your "analog" does not contain digits, but some of your records were digits before they became "analog"; which just goes to show digits are inescapable.  Did you know that electrical  impulses which shoot down a wire causing a magnetic field in a speaker to pump in and out travel at the speed of light, not the speed of sound;  plus they go through all kinds of stuff before you hear one single solitary note.

Do you question all of this when you're listening to music? Without a doubt, I assume all that exquisite equipment makes beautiful music, but do you ever stop and wonder how it all works?


Ain't life fun.


frogman
7,464 posts
 
Do I wonder how it all works? Sure...sometimes; and I have a decent (and no more) understanding of how it all works. Do I wonder how it all works while I’m listening to music? Almost never. I make a living (in part) dealing with nuances and differences in sound much finer than those at play here. I trust what my ears tell me, and they tell me what I wrote previously. Simple as that. The folly is thinking that we understand all that there is to understand about the things that affect the sound of recorded/reproduced music.
wqgq_641
59 posts
 
Hi Orpheus10, I think then it comes down to a different world view, you seem to value pure SQ and simplicity. I need the setting to be conducive too: I want to listen to aesthetically pleasing music in an  aesthetically pleasing room (I reject brutalist HiFi even if it sounds good) and there is a joy in handling vinyl (especially an old 78 of Paul Robeson on an antique Victrola)  but never mind how much you believe its the same, to many of us there is an emotional connection handling, for example, a 180g Dark Side of the Moon or other beloved recording on vinyl.
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