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Digital Audio for Dummies

As I have stated before, I'm a bit of an audio dinosaur.  I love simple.  I love reliable.  I love a high performance/price ratio.  So no surprise I'm still happily spinning discs.  Give me a nice CD player direct to an integrated and I'm good to go.

But it is 2018.  Reading on this forum about the demise of Oppo was a bit of a wake up call. Also the Lyngdorf 2170 has inspired me.  An elegant all in one box product that is ready to connect with many of the digital options now available.  So I'd like to get educated on what's out there and what you suggest.  Basically I would want to know about ripping all my CD's--exactly how that is done.  Dedicated audio computer?  How big of a hard drive/other considerations?  Wired vs. wireless.  And then what streaming services are out there?  Cost, quality, ease of use?

PLEASE keep things simple and don't assume the reader knows, for example, what Roon is.  I've seen it mentioned, but would want to know exactly what this does, how it functions, etc.

THANKS!
corelli
corelli OP
993 posts
 
Got it.  Now that I think about it I see where it would be very unlikely hi-res would be streamed.  Thanks for the correction.  A necessary part of learning!
sdj888
13 posts
 
On more vote for the bluesound vault 2. I just gave one to my 75 years young father. Works a treat, operated via tablet or computer. It’s bringing him great joy. He struggles with lots of tech incl vcr’s, pc’s ect.
The vault had great internals and is stable. Rca out or various digital. Will be good for another 15 years plus. All the best.
2psyop's avatar
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2psyop
1,593 posts
 
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).
corelli OP
993 posts
 
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?
gdhal's avatar
gdhal
1,641 posts
 
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.
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