Computer audio and my closed mind

All general audio posts go here.
Chunk McDaniel
Posts: 446
Joined: Wed Mar 01, 2017 10:25 am
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 20 times

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by Chunk McDaniel »

Don't think CD as a format will be history. Maybe not as big as it once was but in another 20 years people will be paying big money for rare discs and top vintage players I bet. Things normally go in cycles. I for one will always listen to CD along with the black stuff of course. Each to their own. Why take satisfaction in the death of a format that people have loved and grown up with.

User avatar
CN211276
Posts: 6522
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:29 am
Location: Cardiff
Has thanked: 1401 times
Been thanked: 976 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by CN211276 »

I recall that around 20 years ago David Bowie said something on the lines that the time is coming when music will be turned on and off like a tap. He issued Bowie bonds, cashing in as he knew royalties would dry up.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by Fretless »

Cd's were regarded as a novelty item in the mid-80's. People expected them to vanish like V2000, Betamax video and Laser Disc.

I got my very first Cd's from a small sale rack at WH Smith where they had already decided that this newfangled format wasn't going to be a success.

For a long time LP's were cheaper than digital discs - but that situation has been reversed. Times change.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by Fretless »

I wonder if the vinyl fraternity are conscious of the fact that almost all albums recorded since the late 80's have used digital storage and mixing technology.

Contemporary new LP's are pressed from digital master sources and so the precious 'analogue' experience is merely a secondhand copy of the digital original.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

User avatar
Hemmo1969
Posts: 302
Joined: Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:57 am
Location: South Yorkshire
Has thanked: 17 times
Been thanked: 7 times
Ukraine

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by Hemmo1969 »

Fretless wrote: Mon Mar 26, 2018 10:11 am
I got my very first Cd's from a small sale rack at WH Smith where they had already decided that this newfangled format wasn't going to be a success.
But it was .............

User avatar
Fretless
Posts: 9290
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:15 pm
Location: Somewhere in Holland
Has thanked: 1487 times
Been thanked: 2280 times
Netherlands

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by Fretless »

Cd was a joint development from Sony and Philips, so of course there was considerable marketing muscle behind the product.

The first CDP to become available in Europe was the Philips CD100, launched in March 1983. And it took a couple of years for music Cd's to establish themselves.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro, Monolith & AQ

User avatar
savvypaul
Posts: 8635
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
Location: Durham
Has thanked: 1657 times
Been thanked: 2978 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by savvypaul »

slinger wrote: Sat Mar 24, 2018 5:30 pm For a (relatively) cheap solution I can heartily recommend the SMSL Q5 It's a DAC and amp in one box so you can plug your PC etc directly into it (it has USB, optical, and co-ax sockets, and even an aux input), add a pair of speakers to it, and you're off. Should you feel inclined it even has an output for a sub.

The sound quality is excellent for the price, the remote is a solid-feeling aluminium affair as opposed to the usual plastic, and even Colin commented on how good the internals looked when he saw a picture of them in a thread about the amp at TAS.

I don't usually recommend things because I'm not a hi-fi nut and I haven't heard ever amp known to man since 1958, but I've got one of these and I know what "good" sounds like, especially in a "bang-per-buck" scenario. It's a cracking little one-stop-shop piece of kit for under eighty quid. The power supply is a 19v brick b.t.w.
Thanks for the heads up, mate. Just bought a secondhand one off ebay for my daughter's bedroom. Will give it a spin in the office with Cube 3 first, though...
I am in the hi-fi trade
Status: Manufacturer
Company Name: NVA Hi-Fi
https://nvahifi.co.uk/

User avatar
slinger
Posts: 9233
Joined: Wed Aug 22, 2012 4:30 pm
Location: The Garden of England
Has thanked: 4567 times
Been thanked: 3118 times
EUROPEAN_UNION

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by slinger »

savvypaul wrote: Wed Apr 04, 2018 12:18 pm
slinger wrote: Sat Mar 24, 2018 5:30 pm For a (relatively) cheap solution I can heartily recommend the SMSL Q5 It's a DAC and amp in one box so you can plug your PC etc directly into it (it has USB, optical, and co-ax sockets, and even an aux input), add a pair of speakers to it, and you're off. Should you feel inclined it even has an output for a sub.

The sound quality is excellent for the price, the remote is a solid-feeling aluminium affair as opposed to the usual plastic, and even Colin commented on how good the internals looked when he saw a picture of them in a thread about the amp at TAS.

I don't usually recommend things because I'm not a hi-fi nut and I haven't heard ever amp known to man since 1958, but I've got one of these and I know what "good" sounds like, especially in a "bang-per-buck" scenario. It's a cracking little one-stop-shop piece of kit for under eighty quid. The power supply is a 19v brick b.t.w.
Thanks for the heads up, mate. Just bought a secondhand one off ebay for my daughter's bedroom. Will give it a spin in the office with Cube 3 first, though...
Is that the one I saw going for £50 last week? Somebody thought that perhaps that (older) model didn't have a subwoofer out.
I'll be very interested to hear your opinion. Mines plugged into a PC, and I've got it hooked up to an old pair of Celestion DL4 S2s plus a little 8" sub and it's doing a great job on YouTube vids and Spotify free etc. For the size, convenience, and SQ I've never heard or heard of anything beating it for the money.
Amps - NVA P50, AP30, A40, Stanislav Palo Tube Headphone Amp BB 85
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X

User avatar
savvypaul
Posts: 8635
Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:14 pm
Location: Durham
Has thanked: 1657 times
Been thanked: 2978 times
Contact:
Great Britain

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by savvypaul »

Yes, this was £50, so most likely. Not the pro. My daughter will connect up her laptop and TV into some 1980s Mission 70s (though she would like a 'cooler' speaker, lol)...but I will definitely give it a spin with the Cube3 in my office first, and report back...
I am in the hi-fi trade
Status: Manufacturer
Company Name: NVA Hi-Fi
https://nvahifi.co.uk/

Simon Hickie
Posts: 580
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:47 pm
Location: East Staffordshire
Has thanked: 0
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Computer audio and my closed mind

Unread post by Simon Hickie »

I still buy CDs. Then I rip them as WAV files & store on two hard drives. On the dedicated music laptop (about 14 years old) I have my full music collection (as well as on the external hdd). Playback is via an Audioquest Dragonfly Red. It sounds better than CD playback.

Post Reply