Is computer audio a bust?

So there...posted twice for emphasis.

In all seriousness, it still intrigues me that plastic remains in the game due to perceptions of SQ superiority. I have been reading about the Devaliet stuff recently (thanks Erik), and even a reviewer type admitted to preferring the slightly more analog presentation of a Wadia spinner.

Again, for the record, I respect and believe my fellow philes who still cling to plastic (JesusaO/Danaiel, I was not trying to out you as a rube) in the name of SQ. I am not a true computer devotee but rather a lazy streamer type (Auralic Aries). Streaming technology can put you in the same ballpark as a computer and/or plastic spinner minus the hassles of either platform. Just my two cents. Arguably, it can still require modding or tweaking to to this, but I like to leave that up to people who feed their kids designing audio equipment rather than thumb my way through things as Joe DIY.

09-02-14: Raymonda
Charles....I find both done right to sound fantastic and I'm not trying to convince anyone one is better but rather that the premise that computer audio is bad....wrong or dead is way off base. Again..computer audio is the way most recording are created and sound fantastic.

Let me put it this way; a recent recording project did for a client, consisting of the group Spyro Gyra was a 26 track recording. If you were afforded the hardware....software....and tracks....would you like to have total control of your mix and afterwards would you burn it to a disc for playback in a cd player or would you save a 2 track file and use this as your playback reference? My guess is the later.....which is how most engineers keep and listen to their 2 track master mixes. Not that it doesn't get burned to a disc but that the file is saved, archived and referenced on a computer and a hard drive. A dedicated computer based system for sure but today, for most people, it is not hard to put together a dedicated computer based system.....and can cost a whole lot less than a sota cd player.

My point about Spyro Gyra was made because...In the not too distant future this might be possible.....at first I can see it starting with the ambient mix....then surround....then limited track mix....and then total mix. The variables that would need to be reconciled is distribution. ..royalies...and artist creative control. The latter is the biggest...but doable.

You might think that it could never happen but it could....copy protection of some sort could be applied...everything could be save in a cloud and payment could be fee for access. Your home hardware could be the restriction point for protection through software loaded on your computer.

Sound crazy...but so was the light
bulb....telephone....radio...and lp. All this can happen..and nd someday will. Sorry to take off an a tangent....but this is along way of saying computer audio ain't dead but rather just beginning.

Ray, I appreciate your input. You highlight the harsh reality of the situation and that is that plastic is going away. This thread is really an academic exercise. If anyone is paying attention, CD sales are lagging significantly due to the phenomenon of streamed content and downloads. Its a good thing as Ray insinuates since you have control over your own content choices in terms of resolution, etc.

Ray, for personal listening, what gets you closest to the master? RB, 24/96, what? Thoughts on DSD?

Network-based audio playback is definitely the future as it is for multimedia in general. Just as there has been an explosion of manufacturers jumping into the DAC business, more network players are right around the corner.

If you're using your PC or MAC as a DAC or digital source hardwired to a DAC then sure you can argue all day and night about the pros/cons of USB, firewire or any other physical interface, quality of PSU's, fan noise or whatever. But if you're streaming your music over wifi (not bluetooth in its current state) then it won't take long for those variables to be made irrelevant by the very nature of how networked computers work - hardware and software layer abstraction.

So long as your network is up to par, a $200 chromebook will feed your networked DAC the same file as a $2,000 gaming rig. And home based networks have been more than capable of doing this for a long time with minimal router tweaking by users.

Additionally, you can't talk about computer based audio in terms of quality without admitting that in terms for, DISCOVERY, computer-based audio is already unparalleled and getting even better.

For the record, I've been building gaming PC's from scratch for years. All the music I buy nowadays is vinyl (new or used) and I use Rdio extensively.

Tortilladc, I agree with you that a $200 chromebook would sound as good as a $2000 game rig. Both would be little better than MP3.

I am not interested in such noise.

I record in either 24/48 or 24/96 for my multi track gigs. Admittedly I'm a small fish in the world or recording engineering. The beauty of digital is that once I mix down to track and master the mix a file copy of that 2 track will sound the same as the master. The only difference will be in sound will occur due to the difference in playback hardware. I've never worked in DSD but many rave it's sound.

When I archive and transfer analog tape I use 24/96. Believe it or not there is a current argument claiming that properly dithered 16/44 or less, is all that is needed to to maximize the transfer resolution of any analog tape. I've been involve in some of these discussion and don't subscribe to this belief and argue that my own listening test tell my ears otherwise but these folks are smarter than me and throw all kinds of math and science at me telling me I'm buying snake oil and only gilding the lily by using anything beyond 16/44.

If anyone is interested in my work, which is all on location live concert recording, I would point you to Frank Vignola Trio with Bucky Pizzarelli, Live Standards or Felipe Salles, Timeline, or Ronnie Leigh, live at Apple Jazz...to name a few. These are only available in cd but I do have the hi res 2 track master mix. I also have 3 more releases coming out next month.... 1 is a limited run surround mix, the second is a blue ray dvd....which will have 24/48 audio and the 3 will be a mostly acoustic jazz concert on cd. All of these will be released on the Apple Jazz lable.

I'm not trying to pedal my wares but give you a frame of reference from which I speak, albeit, just a very small part of a much larger industry.