2. pc-audio
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Computer audio, I am not convinced yet ......

I am extremely interested in using the computer (Mac or PC) as a source for a digital playback. It seems to be the right direction for modern digital playback, a good alternative to the age old CDP, has endless potential and most convenient. So, I got an EMM DAC2 (retail $10000) with USB input and connected it to an Windows laptop via USB. My preamp, amp, speakers and cables are also of very good quality. Played some track on my system from the PC (used Audacity software, a very good and high quality software for sound processing). In 2 minutes I had to turn it off. It is just mediocre sound compared to playing the same track through a $1000 CDP(Sony SCD XA5400ES). It is almost like listening to an internet-radio through my PC speakers. I was wondering what happened to my first rate sound system ? Later I replaced the Windows PC with a Linux based MacMini, hoping that I will get the result I wanted. But it did not improve much. I did not like the outcome. My listening experience with the computer set up was 4 minutes(2 with PC and 2 with Mac) total. Since then I have gone back to using the same old CDP. I think I blame on the USB interface for this failure. The USB interface has not come up to the state of the art of a modern CD player. I did not try other interfaces purposely. No High-Res, only 16bit/44.1 audio files. I dont listen to SACD. Fire Wire to USB, USB to SPDI/F, Fire wire to HDMI, Firewire to SPDI/F, and almost an infinite combinations of patch up ideas are out there. But I dont like a patch up solution nor do I like to compromise the sound in favor of convenience.

I have heard many audiophile friends changed to computer based playback system many years ago for good and they are happy too. But I am not convinced yet. I am eagerly waiting for computer audio to catch up. I am sure it is in the making but it still has to go quiet a long distance.

Your thoughts are most welcome.
topmostaudio
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Levy - this may be your experience with a limited number of USB interfaces, but they vary across the map. I have customers with your PWDII/Bridge/PWT combo and they are still using my USB interface, the Off-Ramp 5 because it is better.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
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drubin
3,275 posts
 
Today, I am seeing more and more people abandoning (finally) USB.
Examples? Because I'm seeing just the opposite.
cerrot's avatar
cerrot
1,700 posts
 
Drubin - guys getting into PC audio are using USB as they don't know any better. Lots of misinformation and companys trying to make a sale. I think anyone who truly understands computers, busses, etc can easilly understand why USB is not proper for audio. The guys that have been running usb servers for a while now are going back to CD players. To me, that is abandoning USB.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Cerrot,
You make a good observation. Ultimately people will migrate back to what
sounds best to them. At some point in time reality will overtake hype.
Charles,
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drubin
3,275 posts
 
What are they supposed to use instead of USB? Cerrot, you've been banging the USB sucks drum for a long time here, but you're pretty much the only one. Saying USB wasn't designed for audio strikes me as like saying it wasn't designed to transfer documents with a lot of graphics in them. It's ample bandwidth for audio. What's the problem?

The guys that have been running usb servers for a while now are going back to CD players.
I know of nobody who has done that. It can be tempting to proclaim a trend based on a few anecdotal observations. I've certainly been guilty of that, as I think you may be in this case.
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