Are you still playing CDs after, comp based syst?

@ mountainsong, look up Henge Beat's album Total Control on allmusic.com...other sources might include discogs.com or even amazon.com, i buy cds from amazon almost monthly.

Whoooaa, Nonoise! I thought that we were all supposed to be
NOT be interested in Sound Quality since we are purchasing
Computer Audio now! I am not pessimistic. I just know that
the ONLY way to hit the nail on the head of High Quality
Music is COMPETITION between Formats. No joy if we are in
the business of terminating Formats. Unless you have
something to hit Microsoft (And Bretheren) on the head to get their Software in the High Quality Music business- there is your bottleneck of pessimism. They are not exactly doing any research/development on Computer Audio,
so we have to patchwork around their Audio defficient
Operating Systems. This is the source of Computer Audio
research/development being hog tied. This is the ball, and
chain wrapped around Computer Audio's neck. Lots of joy in
research/development in other Audio Formats- NO JOY in same
from Major Software Manufacturers. Without research/
development Computer Audio (Music) goes nowhere. Lots of
research in games, apps, and Video though. Music, ehhh...
not so much from Microsoft. As far as they are concerned,
you don't have a Computer Audio Format since they don't
support it (That is their pessimism, not mine). They are
sort of like the rest of us Joe Shmoes that are not interested in Sound Quality (Excuse me, I mean that they
don't see a profit in it!). Yet, those who promote Computer Audio DO SEE a future in using it. How is that
possible with Major Operating System Software Manufacturers
DO NOT see a future in doing ANY research/development in
Computer Audio Music. Me thinks there is a serious flaw here in your logic, and reason. That doesn't necessarily
mean that I am pessimistic. I can be just as optimistic as
anyone else about that large crack in a huge Dam, spewing
water. No reason to panic, right? It will hold, right?

Pettyofficer, you can't keep playing both sides against the middle. The bits and pieces that comprise really good audio playback are already out there. Standardization will follow once one of the major players takes a first step. Others will follow.

The 6moons review of the ASUS product and Srajans take on what could be done tell me that it's just a matter of time. There are no monolithic masters out there dictating to others what will be done. They are competing for our dollars and once one of them figures "us" out, the rest will be history.

These major players tend to eat each other, not us. Yes, they want our dollars but they covet each others markets more and that is what they have their sights on.

As I said earlier, all of this will not stop the research and tinkering that propels audio. Markets aside, it will be done because it can be done by those of us who desire better music/sound.

When companies like ASUS make a serious audio product, they don't need nor seek Microsofts or Apples permission. They simply do it. If what they make makes a serious enough dent in the market, others will heed the trend.

I'm content to wait.

All the best,
Nonoise

I happen to agree with Pettyofficer. In fact, I just posted a note to my system description that pretty much makes the same point.

Look, I'm almost 60 years old. I am tied to IT and computers as much as anyone out there. But I do not know or keep up with all of these "exotic" PC formats, e.g., flak, MAC, iPod, and ya da ya da.

All I want to do is stick a CD into the player, or drop (not literally) a tonearm on an LP, sit back and listen.

Yes . . . if and when the music industry settles on some standard PC digital format that us PC dummies can pronounce and understand, I'll look into it. But right now, I am standing pat.

Bifwynne, I concur wholeheartedly. My CDP is my only method of listening.

It's all a matter of if and when something better this way comes.

I think we're all just seeing this from different perspectives.

All the best,
Nonoise