Computer vs CD/SACD discs

I think archiving your CDs and downloading higher-res music on your computer is the way to go. The next question is which computer--Apple or PC--and how you're going to play it back.

My choice has been to use a PC, rip and download in FLAC format, and then transfer the music to a 500 GB USD drive and play back through the Bryston BDP-1 outputting to a NAD M51 DAC. I also have the option of playing discs--CDs, SACD, and DVDA--through my Oppo outputting to the NAD M51 with HDMI.

Is there better sound? I'm sure there is but I really like this solution. I control the Bryston with MPOD software on my IPhone and IPad and it's a cinch to use. I compared this with outputting to the NAD M51 via USB on my computer and I think the Bryston sounds better. I also think CDs ripped to lossless files on FLAC can sound better than the original CD, my theory being the error correction while ripping produces a more stable file (but don't have a shred of engineering background to prove this).

My two cents.

For me, the main factor is convenience. I still have to death match my CD player (Simaudio Moon Nova) vs server>Slimdevices Transporter> Audio-gd Master 7, but I really doubt that I will bring the CD's up out of the basement and give up user friendliness of the Slimdevices sotware if the Nova wins.

I think the main consideration is how much fiddling you want to do. I'm fairly computer literate, so I have very few problems that I can't solve on a timely basis. If you hate dealing with computers, keep the CD.

I've not gone to computer based audio. I have two Sony 300 disc changers linked, and a Sony 595 five disc player for SACD's. Works well for me, does away with all the downloading. Computers? I have a few, mostly built myself, and did not find the time consuming transfer process very productive use of my time.

I climbed the mountain from a computer newbee to being well versed in all
things computer audio. I climbed the sound quality ladder for computer
audio and have tasted the best of what computer audio has to offer in
sound quality.

I spent endless hours reading, ripping, backing up, upgrading, learning
more and the end of the matter is this for me. I sold it all and went back to
spinning CDs.

I simply found it too stressful for ME to deal with all the ripping, file types,
file management, RAID backup, downloads, and on and on etc...

Now I simply load a CD and relax. Until there is a simple one box solution
and it is as easy as loading a CD, I am not going back to computer based
audio.

I can find all kinds of CDs for cheap and never have to deal with computer
issues and exhausting ripping and the like.

I work on a computer all day and it is a joy to handle a CD at home. Pure
joy!

This was true for me and not all. Ask yourself if you will find all the
computer stuff a hassle or an exciting new opportunity to learn? Really
think on this as you know yourself. Nobody else can answer this for
you.....only you my audio friend.

I will say computer based audio is not easy and anyone who says
otherwise is not telling the truth. For mere computer mortals with average
to poor computer knowledge it is a challenge that demands intentional and
continuous mastery.

The sound quality is very good indeed with computer audio. No doubt.
However, my new CD spinner sounds every bit as good as my $10,000
computer audio front end.

I do miss MOG which is now gone anyway. I do have Spotify on a second
system and if all one does is listen to a music service like these, then that is
easy and quite nice really. Beyond that, what a pain for me!

I also think CDs ripped to lossless files on FLAC can sound better than the original CD, my theory being the error correction while ripping produces a more stable file (but don't have a shred of engineering background to prove this).

Austinbob, Most of CD players can read CD sector only once (since they work in real time). It can error correct for short scratches (up to about 4mm along the track) but for longer scratch (4-8mm) it interpolates. Computer rip reads CD like data and can go to the same sector multiple times (even thousands of times) until it gets proper checksum. Computer file can be better than original CD but I doubt that you can hear any difference unless original CD is badly scratched. On the other hand it can be very useful to create good CD-R copy of CDs that won't play or play with a lot of pops.