i wish mp3 was never born

[Anonymous]

I wanted to like vista so much as it was installed on my then shiny new laptop. But comparing to XP I just find it slow and cumbersome. Where are you windows 7?!!!!

Just googled windows 7 and found this. Quite interesting.......

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,2310103,00.asp

 

[Anonymous]

Get a Mac! They are much nicer and faster and better made and easier to use and better looking and more versatile and better specced and so on. With Macs you're buying the Hard and Software from the same people and with Windows, most computers are sold on price and Microsoft charge big bucks to use their awful clunky software, so corners get cut in the hardware. Windows is excellent for serious computer experts who seem to enjoy the challenge, but if your just a bloke that needs what it does without the hassle - GET A MAC!

I apologise for beating this one to death but Itunes is the biggest music retailer in the World, Apple is growing exponentially, 141 million iPods have sold now and Apple are the Media server and computer for the home. All our customers are buying them and preferring them because they offer a complete and upgradeable system. In fact the only people you'll find disagreeing with me are hi fi shops.

Ash who sadly isn't getting any commission from Apple.

 

[Anonymous]

i know someone who uses a mac and chooses to use vista on it. he finds the mac os complicated

 

[Anonymous]

I do plan to get a Mac at some stage just to satisfy my curiosity. Just how i'll manage without being able to right-click i'm not
sure :-(

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="matt444_2000"]what, do you mean you get on with vista ok?[/quote]

Yup. And XP, OSX and Linux.. Oh, and NT.

 

[Anonymous]

XP Pro for me.

 

[Anonymous]

Can i just ask while we're on this topic, did anyone download the SP1 for vista. I tried to download it a while back (had to do something to try and improve my experience with it!) but it failed to install. We're supposed to get it via windows update anyway aren't we?? thanks

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="JAXON5"]Can i just ask while we're on this topic, did anyone download the SP1 for vista.[/quote]

Yup, and it's working fine.

 

[russ74]

Vista SP1, XP SP3 and all my Mandriva Linux updates have downloaded and installed fine on our two pc's - must have been lucky.

A friend of mine has a mac and I've only used it briefly but seemed ok, though I was initially confused with the maximise/minimise/close buttons being in the top left corner!

By the way I like the ability to right click and have shutdown etc options in mandriva,

Back on the subject, I listen to both mp3 and cd about equally. I do believe that all bought album downloads should be a minimum of 256 bit rate, preferably lossless and include high quality images of front and rear cover plus the booklet as a pdf. The only problem with this is the size of the file would be quite large so would have to be compressed as a zip/rar file, I'm sure apple, the record industry etc could sort this out. Until this happens cd's will still be preferable in my book.

 

[John Duncan]

Vista's rubbish. It's almost as unintuitive as OSX.

 

[russ74]

At least they both look pretty, vista with its aero graphics and the metallic silver of apple.

Me I prefer compiz - fusion in linux - see through spinning cubes with a fish tank in it, windows that minimise with flames, crazy but fun

 

[professorhat]

You can right click on a Mac with a Mighty Mouse (I know - rubbish name!). Not quite as intuitive as a PC right click I'll admit, but the option is there. Always throws me when I use a Mac without it though!

My opinion? (did you ask? no? well here it is anyway!) I grew up with Windows and use it in my job everyday being an IT techie / consultant. When I first used a Mac, I didn't like it as I didn't understand it. Like anything though, you get used to it as you use it, and then everything makes sense. I personally think it's much better for home use. With the iLife suite you get with it, you get very good tools for music, photos, email and also video editing (iMovie) and making your own music (Garageband). Using iMovie, I've made a couple of home videos by editing down 3 hours of boring camcorder footage to 4-5 minutes of snappy memories that everyone involved likes watching again and again. With a PC, you'd have to probably purchase a bit of software which would be equally as good and this is where you save money with the Mac.

Anyway, just my 2 cents!

 

[Drummerdave]

While I can appreciate the convenience of an Ipod and the fact that if connected to a suitable Mac/active speaker system the sound quality can be comparable to cd, I have no desire to buy one. I never feel the need to listen to music while walking down the street, I have tried once or twice but found it more distracting than enjoyable. I own about 1500 cds and 500 vinyl records. I enjoy playing my cds on my hifi and also play them on the cd player in my car - my modest Project turntable will be upgraded at some stage so that I can listen to the collection I have in greater sound quality, but I don't intend to convert them to mp3 at any stage. Nor have I duplicated vinyl recordings with cds just to get a digital version, I'd rather spend money on expanding my music collection than on duplication.

I download some albums from the internet but that tends to be whole albums which then find their way onto cd for replay on my hifi.

My daughter has an Ipod which she uses on the bus to school and at home connected to my old NAD C320 and Wharfedale Diamond 9.1s, which sounds great.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that a lot of people have existing music collections which they cherish and don't want to get rid of simply because new technology has arrived. (which basically agrees with some earlier posts). Some of us (40 somethings) have vinyl collections pre-dating the advent of cd which also have a nostalgic value (can you remember where you bought that copy of Led Zepplin 3?)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a luddite, I'm just keen on attaining the best equipment I can afford to play my current collection.

 

[cse]

No I don,t have an Apple TV. I rarely watch TV and certainlly dont't want to have speakers in a room with a TV ( I prefer books) I prefer something far less obtrusive and ugly. Actually I like to listen to music in a seperate and quiet room, without any complications. Especially what I don't want to do, is to have to use a screen of any kind. Actually, what I get most enjoyment from, by far, is a radio 3 broadcast of the proms via an fm aerial on Ion Obelisk tuner. Radio is of course completely free, unlike mp3, never needs updating, is constantly changing and is broadcast from around the world. I could quite easily lose all of my CD collection, as long as I could keep the tuner.

 

[Anonymous]

Has anyone seen the naim server in the latest whf mag, it looks pretty impressive and bloaws some big holes in my argument

 

[Charlie Jefferson]

[quote user="cse"]I culd quite easily lose all of my CD collection, as long as I could keep the tuner.[/quote]

Yes, but what happens when you want to hear the new My Morning Jacket album or The Alpine Symphony in full, and at a time of your choosing?

 

[manicm]

I want to talk MP3s/AAC/FLAC for high-fidelity i.e. sitting on your sofa and listening through two nice speakers, not interested in portables - we all agree they sound great.

Now for hi-fi, I have several issues here:

1. Consistency, yes one would think ripping an MP3, using the same software at the same bit rate would achieve the same results from PC to PC. Not to my ears! I cannot get consistent MP3 ripping results. So this is the first hurdle to digital nirvana. And whichever software I use, on the same PC, I cannot find an ideal balance between dishwater-dull sound and ear-splitting sibilance. The latter does not seem to be an issue with WMA or AAC, at any bitrate.

2. Yes, Linn are offering digital products now, but they're not as straightforward as one might think: even their entry-level Sneaky Music DS Player requires, like other similar devices:

a) An additional device, like a Nokia N800, to act as a glorified remote control. Great, yet another device to chew up power and/or batteries, and to switch on/off. Just what we need in this day and age.

b) At least an intermediate knowledge of home networking - although Linn recommends professional installation for even their cheapest products.

c) Coming back to ripping software - they do recommend a certain package, and I can only trust them.

3. Major record labels are not going to offer their music in CD-or-higher quality digital formats anytime soon. So forget about purchasing Madonna in FLAC. It's not in their interests to do so. Smaller labels will, B&W (yes the speaker company) in collaboration with Realworld (Peter Gabriel's label) are offering new music in Apple Lossless - if only others could follow. And of-course Linn themselves offer music in breathtaking sound quality. But that's the difference, companies like Linn love music and music lovers, Sony et al do not, so keep dreaming folks.

4. There is a real effort to get the most out of digital music, albeit expensively for iPods:

a) Arcam have the rDock

b) Wadia have released the 170i Transport, but the first reviewer told me via email it was designed to be used through its native digital output connected to a DAC (which does not come cheap), and not to expect much beyond Apple's own dock through the analogue outputs (don't know how true this is - have emailed Wadia for a response and waiting for other reviews - WhatHifi get on it!!!) So it's a relatively inexpensive device meant to be used through a high-end system.

5. In general I find MP3s a bit too harsh, AACs and WMAs a bit lacking in dynamics, so to conclude, the digital music medium is by and large immature - both technically and commercially. And it will succeed or fail by the sword of corporate greed.

6. I would like to see a standard(formal or otherwise) for compressed music e.g. MP3 at 320kbps using a widely-accepted ripper, and also one for lossless rips - perhaps FLAC also using a widely used ripper. But of-course open-source zealots will be up in arms about this. Choice is absolutely necessary but not always a good thing.

 

[Alec]

[quote user="manicm"]And it will succeed or fail by the sword of corporate greed.

6. I would like to see a standard(formal or otherwise) for compressed music e.g. MP3 at 320kbps using a widely-accepted ripper, and also one for lossless rips - perhaps FLAC also using a widely used ripper. But of-course open-source zealots will be up in arms about this. Choice is absolutely necessary but not always a good thing.
[/quote]

I agree.Not really qualified to comment on the rest.

 

[manicm]

Hey! I see you have a Dell too? Got a brand new XPS M1530 too, it's great but the onboard Sigmatel sound sucks! Perhaps I should have chosen the other evil - Creative - as an option.

 

[manicm]

Oh, how do those BR2s sound with the NAD??

 

[Alec]

[quote user="manicm"]
Hey! I see you have a Dell too? Got a brand new XPS M1530 too, it's great but the onboard Sigmatel sound sucks! Perhaps I should have chosen the other evil - Creative - as an option.
[/quote]

I have no real objection to the sigmatel sound actually, but i also have very little to compare it to lol! If i were you id see if i could get an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 sound card in it. I've not heard it, but it comes highly reccommended round these here parts, and im probably getting one soon. EDIT - if 2 channel stereo is your priority, of course. And the XPSs are quite small are'nt they? I know little about these things, but i think that could present problems. EDIT 2 - Ah. That's a laptop. M-Audio do and external one, and i know there are various others that may connect (and...maybe...fit in your machine...but others here have more knowledge and experience than me. My apologies for leading you up the garden path.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="manicm"]
I want to talk MP3s/AAC/FLAC for high-fidelity i.e. sitting on your sofa and listening through two nice speakers, not interested in portables - we all agree they sound great.

Now for hi-fi, I have several issues here:

1. Consistency, yes one would think ripping an MP3, using the same software at the same bit rate would achieve the same results from PC to PC. Not to my ears! I cannot get consistent MP3 ripping results. So this is the first hurdle to digital nirvana. And whichever software I use, on the same PC, I cannot find an ideal balance between dishwater-dull sound and ear-splitting sibilance. The latter does not seem to be an issue with WMA or AAC, at any bitrate.

2. Yes, Linn are offering digital products now, but they're not as straightforward as one might think: even their entry-level Sneaky Music DS Player requires, like other similar devices:

a) An additional device, like a Nokia N800, to act as a glorified remote control. Great, yet another device to chew up power and/or batteries, and to switch on/off. Just what we need in this day and age.

b) At least an intermediate knowledge of home networking - although Linn recommends professional installation for even their cheapest products.

c) Coming back to ripping software - they do recommend a certain package, and I can only trust them.

3. Major record labels are not going to offer their music in CD-or-higher quality digital formats anytime soon. So forget about purchasing Madonna in FLAC. It's not in their interests to do so. Smaller labels will, B&W (yes the speaker company) in collaboration with Realworld (Peter Gabriel's label) are offering new music in Apple Lossless - if only others could follow. And of-course Linn themselves offer music in breathtaking sound quality. But that's the difference, companies like Linn love music and music lovers, Sony et al do not, so keep dreaming folks.

4. There is a real effort to get the most out of digital music, albeit expensively for iPods:

a) Arcam have the rDock

b) Wadia have released the 170i Transport, but the first reviewer told me via email it was designed to be used through its native digital output connected to a DAC (which does not come cheap), and not to expect much beyond Apple's own dock through the analogue outputs (don't know how true this is - have emailed Wadia for a response and waiting for other reviews - WhatHifi get on it!!!) So it's a relatively inexpensive device meant to be used through a high-end system.

5. In general I find MP3s a bit too harsh, AACs and WMAs a bit lacking in dynamics, so to conclude, the digital music medium is by and large immature - both technically and commercially. And it will succeed or fail by the sword of corporate greed.

6. I would like to see a standard(formal or otherwise) for compressed music e.g. MP3 at 320kbps using a widely-accepted ripper, and also one for lossless rips - perhaps FLAC also using a widely used ripper. But of-course open-source zealots will be up in arms about this. Choice is absolutely necessary but not always a good thing.
[/quote]Use preferably a cd-reader in stead of dvd-reader; download EAC;configure your drives- then the rip quality should improve by leaps and bounds. EAC: http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

 

[manicm]

Hi, no I have a very decent external speaker system, and even through the headphones the sound is lacking in just a smidgen of clarity, the soundstage also sounds compressed even when listening to CDs.

To the other gentleman recommending EAC to me, I'll give it a try again thanks!

 

[Anton90125]

[quote user="matt444_2000"]
id of rather mp3 was never invented even if it is useful for the car

i love treating myself to a cd and phsically going to buy it from a shop (u apreciate it more)

i love owning the original cd with the cover art and track listing

i love reading the inlay and notes

i love seeing my ever increasing cd collection grow on my shelf

i love going to my shelf and shuffling through my collection until some thing grabs me and then physically inserting it into to my cd player

i love the simplicity of cd and not having to mess around with ticking boxes on computers and downloading software and the latest codecs

i love it that i haven't got a jack to phonos hanging out of my system with a iregular shape device on the end of it or a docking station looking at odds to the rest of my system

i might start a campaign to bring back the soul to music playing, bring back vinyl and cd and kick mp3

what does everyone else think
[/quote]

I am not in favour of MP3 (not in a hifi context anyway).

I was in the middle of transferring all my cds to FLAC to be saved on my NAS drives. I have 2 Roku devices (M1000,M2000) which are connected to these NAS's via Ethernet. You can see that I have nothing against technology given my investment. As I have a Archos player I thought I would mirror the FLAC files with MP3 files. Both sets of files were saved in 2 Dirs. on the same NAS.

When I got my Roku up and running and selected the music I wanted to hear, I got a sound which sounded "dead/bland/flat", it wasn't missing top,mid or bottom but it did sound wrong.I know what my hifi is capable -which was nothing like this!! I got a number of sinking feelings as various scenarios went through my head like " I have wasted all this money on this streaming lark", "my DAC is playing up","my valves in my amp need to be re-biased" etc.. I was not happy at all and was getting very worried!

Then a revelation- had I connected the Roku to the right media server/dir? The answer was no!,I was playing the MP3 files. When I connected up to the FLAC files -wow! my hifi was back again.

It was at that point I realized how poor MP3 was. I ripped the files at the highest quality appropriate for the Archos and on the Archos it sounded fine. The hifi ruthlessly exposed the limitations of MP3, I did some further experimentation with higher rates recording but in every case I knew I was being short changed.

The FLAC however sounded identical to my heavy weight (built like a tank) Sony scd777es player when A/B comparisons were made between the Roku and the Sony played through the same DAC (Cyrus DAC X).

In my opinion ( it is only an opinion so no Spanish inquisition ), the order of quality (%age performance rated against the best):

1. LP (100%) sorry Ashley I totally disagree with your assessment of this media.

2.SACD (95%)

3.CD (90%)

4.CD-FLAC(90%)

5.MP3 (70% downwards)

I have not tried digitising the analogue from LP as I haven't got a class ADC. This would be an interesting experiment.

 

[fr0g]

I wonder if you have heard any well ripped MP3s. I am constantly amazed at the formats bashing. For my money a HQ MP3 is 99% as good as the original recording. A dodgy downloaded one AT ANY BITRATE is often very poor, but use the right tools and they are great. I really struggle to split them sometimes.

As for for CD - FLAC, I would now put FLAC ahead of CD as HDD or SSD is a better transport, and 24/96 files are becoming more available.
As for LP... Less I say the better...,