What digital evolution?

I saw a new car the other day and it had...fins on it.

UncleJeff,
Those are my sentiments, too. Maybe I'm too cynical, but my question remains: are there really improvements being developed so quickly in digital playback technology that the life cycle of CD players and DACs is like a PC (say 18 - 24 months)? If this is the case, then I want to understand what these improvements are.

Computer life-cycles are short because of Moore's Law, making more processing power and memory available to run more complex software at a given price point. I don't see the parallels to digital playback. Considering Redbook only, the software is no more complex, some DAC manufacturers promote simplicity (no upsampling like 47 Labs and Zanden and even old DA converters, again Zanden) as a virtue.

Perhaps equipment manufacturers would like the market to believe that technology evolves quickly and that equiment is obsolete in a few months, as an incentive to increase unit sales.

Reubent,
Ooops, maybe this is only thought-provoking to me!

I don't think the parallel with Moore's Law is terribly relevant, but if you think it is, then ask yourself whether people are much happier with their computers these days because of chip speeds. I would suggest not much more than people are happier with their DACs.

One obvious issue is that audio gear performance is as much driven by vibration issues, imperfect passive components, management of stray interference, how much trial and error through listening went into the finalisation of the design as it is by improvements in active components like DAC chips.

Another obvious issue is the problems of needing to stay within a standard format - the size of the CD/DVD, Redbook standard etc.

For a more continuous development of digital audio we need to move CD Players away from being vertically integrated standardised items towards open architecture, open standard devices, and move away from physical media like CDs to downloaded files. Therefore in the future, if your device has enough power, the release of a new piece of music in a new format is as simple as downloading the file and the software to decode it into analogue audio. Your PC is already a device of that type, and Media PCs are moving towards becoming more specialised to meet entertainment needs. It is not too much of a stretch to imagine the release of a Wadia Media PC (in whatever incarnation they are in at the time). Some of us remember that this vision was first envisaged by, I think, Theta. But our understanding of what it takes to deliver good audio via digital has still to evolve a bit before that dream will be a reality. And we also have to overcome the desire of the likes of Microsoft to turn the Media PC into a proprietary device, or one crippled by high royalties for its operating system - but I think Linux has that one covered.

I feel every sentiments expressed here are very good.

My beef with this digital evolution, atleast in the stateside, is that we can't even get redbooks to sound right most of the time. I hope the recording industry can go back to the basics before brainstorming new formats.

Every new CD should be HDCD.

Ofcourse, for the recording industry, where is the money in that...

Regarding the evolution of digital technologies, I don't think you have too much break throughs in terms of DAC chips outside of upsampling. But, there seem to be many new implementations of the same building block from SE and tube outputs to Non OS configurations..

Digital amps are sure taking off.

Just a thought, I remember asking my teacher when I was in high school why computers didn't make better CD players than CD players since the computers have massive processing power compared to CD players. Yes, I was a budding audio geek even then.

Unclejeff,

Glad you didn't mention automobile manufacturers like Yugo, Kia, or Hyundia. Otherwise this digital discussion might reflect Down/Under-sampling?

I saw a new Toyota Pick-up with 1959 Cadillac style Fin rear light lens covers. Talk about coming full-circle?