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PC-Audio vs. High-end CD Player-GAME OVER

Hi All,
I just auditioned the Wavelength Audio Cosecant DAC on a very nice system at the local dealer. It was run through a Hovland 200 preamp , a Plinius amp and Avalon Eidolon Diamond speakers. This is all in a very well treated, good-sounding room.
It was, in a word spectacular. Beautiful tone, excellent bass, imaging soundstaging, etc. What was really amazing was a sense of space, or ambience that was imparted. We then compared the same CD's (Diana Krall, Jennifer warnes, some jazz), on a Levinson CDP. I'm not saying that the levinson is the last word in players, but it was what he had on the shelf.While it sounded good, it was much more bright, and "constricted".
Control was through an Imac using I-tunes, and the CD's had been nurned using Apple Lossless.
I ordered my Crimson on the spot.

David
deshapiro
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Pschoi, why a $3K or $5K CDP does not sound as good as a comparable PC-Audio/DAC speaks for the CDP, not the PC-Audio/DAC.

I agree with you, but it seems like you are the only one around here to acknowledge that PC-Audio is not "the best". Others say it is GAME OVER and THE BEST. So this is what I disagree with.

But that doesn't mean Deutsche Gramophone or Decca will come back issuing the new Berlin Phil or Metropolitan Opera recordings on LPs.

I don't know about LPs but they have many of those on SACDs, it is "good enough" for me. :-) With close to 5000 SACDs currently available (and growing), I am very happy!

Regards,
Alex
pschoi
23 posts
 
I still believe that in most, not highest-end budget situations, the PC-Audio will sound better than comparable CD Players. I am just not willing to extend that logic to "PC will beat any high-end CDP any time" simply because I have not heard enough comparisons to make the judgment. However, it seems safe to say that the industry as a whole is moving to the on-line download path, albeit at a much slower pace than some here claim.
bigamp
219 posts
 
Sammie: before you dump those CDs, make sure your ripped copies are backed up and that you won't face digital rights management issues in the future. E.g., you may need to the original source disk for some reason.
goatwuss
877 posts
 
Isn't it illegal to rip CDs and then sell them?
sammie
220 posts
 
Bigamp, yep my collection is backed up. And, I suppose you're right about hanging onto the source disc. Well, and it's against the law (obviously!).

And to stick my head where it doesn't belong and sidetrack this argument a bit, the PC solution offers an incredible amount of convenience, which, being new to PC audio, took me and my significant other by surprise. To have you're whole collection at your finger tips, instantly accessible has made a big difference for us.

And, the other thing I'll write is that once all your music is placed on HD, you've instantly circumnavigated over two decades of technology so to speak. The CD will be replaced with, probably, downloadable music, or small memory chips bought in stores or both...I don't know. But, it will come. The word is just not out yet to the masses. Once that happens, given the convenience factor, the CD will fall by the wayside. Wavelength Audio has been swamped since the recent NY Times article on DAC's.

Which sounds better...it seems to me if you are capable of spending an equal amount of money on either format, you're going to get comparable sound quality (IMHO). There will be exceptions on both sides of course.

OK, off my soap box..
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