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Is computer audio a bust?

In recent months, I have had several audio acquaintances return to CDPs claiming improved SQ versus their highly optimized computer transports (SS drives, external power supplies, etc, etc).

I wanted to poll people on their experiences with computer "transports." What variables have had the most impact on sonics? If you bailed on computers, why?

I personally have always believed that the transport, whether its a plastic disc spinner or computer, is as or more important than the dac itself and thus considerable thought and energy is required.

agear
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,555 posts
 
cerrot, man, I envy you for the reel to reel player you have,you got a damn good deal from the record store,I did not know that new reel to reel tapes are the prices you specified,wow!, I also agree on your take on good analog done right, amen brother, warmth and emotion!, I finally found some one that has something I really like to have, cheers.
ptss
1,964 posts
 
Db, I didn't mean to infer reel to reels were perfect; just that, in a high end system, a well recorded tape-on a properly functioning machine- "blew away" the sound from a perfectly cleaned and treated new record- on a very high end record player/cartridge combination-for the fullness/density of sound. The tapes seemed, to my ears, to simply have more information than the record provided. With the cost and exclusivity/rarity of pre-recorded tapes I remember feeling disappointed I couldn't have all my records sound as good as tapes.
ptss
1,964 posts
 
How can 'computer audio' be a bust? The audio world has barely scratched the surface of what is possible with digital recording, much less storage and reproduction from computers. Upsampling dacs are in their infancy. Is it not true that the ALPHA DAC surpassed everything up to its creation (dramatically according to experienced serious reviewers) and in basically no time has been superceded- at least twice?? Why won't the same happen with computer audio? I think we're not at a 'bust' but instead a "breakout" period... (And I hope so.) Listening to dedicated classical stations, on line without advertisements, has me seriously considering an OPPO 105D that can upsample all. (I do have another post asking if the original ALPHA DAC would improve the sound from an OPPO 105D and am disappointed with the lack of response)
tobb
131 posts
 
Computer Audio is getting better every day the secret is a great DAC and player software.
That and avoid MP3 files like the plague.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Also avoid ALAC, AIFF and FLAC files. Only the Antipodes server plays these as well as .wav. On all other servers and computers I have heard, the SQ is inferior to wav.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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