Taking the FLAC

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Gerrardasnails

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spring3r:
I have found the difference in quality between lossy and lossless format to be significant even in the absence of external DACs.

I have a pretty good system. The sound I'm getting at the moment is superb. I use FLAC and a smattering of wav files that I haven't reconverted yet (I ripped to wav and then realised the metadata issue was a problem to me). I use a DAC to my amp and the difference compared to going straight from source to amp IS huge. Your findings surprise me. Anyway, using FLAC files to a decent dac and good amp and speakers can give you a great sound.
 

Gerrardasnails

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spring3r:
Interesting.

I have found that FLAC files sound very good indeed when using a reasonable quality integrated amp (Arcam A85 or Rotel RA-02, so not massively expensive) with reasonable speakers (B&W CDM-1NT, or bizarely enough, QLN QuBiC 111 - acquired for nothing).

... and that's just using a sound card.

I would love to see articles about making the most of the digital source (USB DAC's, etc.) in WHFSV.

I bought most of my hardware back in 2002 when I had no wife, no son, and more money. I even bought Nordost Red Dawn 2 speaker cable back then.

Using any file format that makes a compromise in audio quality is like taking a step backwards, surely?

Search this forum and you can read all day about "digital" music (remember CDs are digital!) and the best ways of doing things. PJ Pro has some interesting ones.
 
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Anonymous

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Many thanks - I found your insight very interesting.

Is your DAC fed by USB, mini jack or phono out of the source?

Is it necessary to install software on the operating system of the source device? (Hope not)
 

Clare Newsome

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And with features on Audio compression, headphones, iPod docks/streamers, network AV receivers, a lead (3-page) First Test on a streaming system and other tests of DACs, headphone amps and more in our new issue, we're hardly ignoring the topic in-mag, either....
 
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Anonymous

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...and you're doing a fine job, Clare, so keep up the good work. I have used WHFSV to short list products for audition and purchase many times and find the advice spot on.

I'd like to see an article introducing DAC's, explaining their value when used with computer audio sources (especially FLAC), and preferably comparing a few models.

It would also be good to see free / open source software mentioned / covered occasionally - One example is TVeristy, a free server application (running on Windows so potential wide reader market) capable of streaming - and more importantly transcoding - audio to various network devices. The transcoding can be used, successfully, to play FLAC files on a PS3 that lacks native support to do so (Sony Records influence perhaps?)
 

Gerrardasnails

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spring3r:
Many thanks - I found your insight very interesting.

Is your DAC fed by USB, mini jack or phono out of the source?

Is it necessary to install software on the operating system of the source device? (Hope not)

I use digital coaxial. Digital optical and USB are fine too. Mini Jack or phono would be pointless as they are analogue (Digital to Analogue Converter). I use a Popcorn Hour A-200 and there is no need for any software.
 
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Anonymous

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...and VLC, of course, is a great example of open source software.

Better still, it runs on several operating systems and so it not tied to any one commercial entity...
 

Andrew Everard

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spring3r:Better still, it runs on several operating systems and so it not tied to any one commercial entity...

Yay, let's stick it to The Man, etc...

citizensmith.jpg
 
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Anonymous

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That's the real problem with proprietary (Ed: typo fixed) formats - You and I are both having to waste hardware resources on transcoding media streams because Apple is not willing to allow Naim to use Apple Lossless (allegedly) and Sony (again allegedly) will not support FLAC on the PS3 because this makes life easier for the pirates. This is why I will always use open source formats and buy hardware from vendors that make my life easier.

A pity!

The Naim product looks great.
 
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Anonymous

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Damn it - Never could type.... and believe it or not, I work for a US software company.

I have enjoyed venting some steam, by the way, so thanks - I plan to look into DAC's shortly.

Out of interest, and if you have time, I would appreciate your thoughts on my post in the Hi-Fi section.

Have amplifiers and speakers got better in the last 10 years? i.e. latest generation vs. B&W CDM1NT / Arcam A85 etc.......and how does modern budget hardware compare?
 

Alec

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JohnDuncan:spring3r:Are you suggesting that there is little audible difference between well recorded FLAC files (or other lossless formats) than MP3 files?

I suspect that you are about to suggest that well recorded MP3 files can sound almost as good... If you replace 'mp3' with 'lossy', yes (since there are better ways of compressing music lossily than mp3).

You played a blinder up to here.

I'm perfectly happy to say that decent MP3 files do sound very close to lossless to me, for my non critical listening purposes, and couldnt give a monkey's whatsit who thinks i have ears made from the cheapest cloth.

But then you did say you had been "anal" about it for quite while.
 

manicm

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I sort of agree with you only to the extent that Apple Lossless sounds consistently dull - I downloaded the same FLAC and ALAC song from B&W's Society Of Sound - and that hardly no-one supports WMA Lossless. Not even Linn or Naim for example.

FLAC is widely supported, not just in iPods. But this is fine cos iPod are not the last word in sound quality anymore. And anyway I use AIFF.
 

Highway

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JohnDuncan:

Can you point me at all this (legally) downloadable/purchasable FLAC music

I can point you to a couple of legal ones that I use. And there are more out there.

www.bleep.com/

http://www.linnrecords.com/

http://www.linnrecords.com/www.boomkat.com

Although, it would be very hard to place a percentage on how many people would be interested - oh go on I'll give it a go. 23.4% of the music buying public..
 

John Duncan

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Highway:Although, it would be very hard to place a percentage on how many people would be interested - oh go on I'll give it a go. 23.4% of the music buying public...

From boomkat's album of the week:

"Keith Fullerton Whitman has consistently blown our tiny minds this year with a stream of utterly crucial releases. Whether morphing the Arabic Oud into majestically ornate formations or commanding his self-generating hybrid analogue/digital modular setup into unimaginable arrangements, we're witnessing the culmination of years of dedicated research and experimentation blossoming into tangible, cherishable productions in 2010"

You were saying?
 

Highway

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John Duncan Quote: From boomkat's album of the week:
"Keith Fullerton Whitman has consistently blown our tiny minds this year with a stream of utterly crucial releases. Whether morphing the Arabic Oud into majestically ornate formations or commanding his self-generating hybrid analogue/digital modular setup into unimaginable arrangements, we're witnessing the culmination of years of dedicated research and experimentation blossoming into tangible, cherishable productions in 2010"

You were saying? -- As it happens I actually own this release and very good it is too.Also, two on my friends own the release. I only have ten friends. But I see what you have done there, pick out a review which makes the music on offer sound so left field that only the artists and their mother own copies of their work hence few to none of the general public. But Boomkat do supply music by record labels such as Ninja Tune who are popular and also music from 4AD who have produced some fine bands and music. Linn in comparison supply music from genres such as Blues, Jazz, Folk and Classical. I have even noticed that they now supply the latest album by William Orbit. Bleep - what can you say about Warp Records. Massive artists. Aphex twin, Boards of Canada, Autechre, LFO, Forgemasters, Squarepusher, Plaid, Nightmares on Wax, Two Lone Swordsmen, Richard H. Kirk and the list goes on and on. I think the problem is that these outlets are somewhat swamped by the big players in the market.
 

Gerrardasnails

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Highway: John Duncan Quote: From boomkat's album of the week:
"Keith Fullerton Whitman has consistently blown our tiny minds this year with a stream of utterly crucial releases. Whether morphing the Arabic Oud into majestically ornate formations or commanding his self-generating hybrid analogue/digital modular setup into unimaginable arrangements, we're witnessing the culmination of years of dedicated research and experimentation blossoming into tangible, cherishable productions in 2010"

You were saying? -- As it happens I actually own this release and very good it is too.Also, two on my friends own the release. I only have ten friends. But I see what you have done there, pick out a review which makes the music on offer sound so left field that only the artists and their mother own copies of their work hence few to none of the general public. But Boomkat do supply music by record labels such as Ninja Tune who are popular and also music from 4AD who have produced some fine bands and music. Linn in comparison supply music from genres such as Blues, Jazz, Folk and Classical. I have even noticed that they now supply the latest album by William Orbit. Bleep - what can you say about Warp Records. Massive artists. Aphex twin, Boards of Canada, Autechre, LFO, Forgemasters, Squarepusher, Plaid, Nightmares on Wax, Two Lone Swordsmen, Richard H. Kirk and the list goes on and on. I think the problem is that these outlets are somewhat swamped by the big players in the market.

Highway. Are you suggesting that 23% of the music buying public would be interested in FLAC files? I have a fair few friends and I'm the only one who even knows what FLAC is! I would say 2% tops.
 
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Anonymous

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'Lousy' tracks (no misprint) are not even close to flac in terms of quality.

And yes I'd agree any media device that doesnt support the most common formats (be it video/sound/web) should automatically be penalised 1 star.

If all the hardware sites & mags did this companies like Apple might be forced to change their business practices, once only get 4 out of 5 (or even 3/5) starts hitting their bottom line.
 

John Duncan

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Highway:But I see what you have done there, pick out a review which makes the music on offer sound so left field that only the artists and their mother own copies of their work hence few to none of the general public

No, they did that themselves, what wit being the first on ther list and their record of the week.

Highway:Bleep - what can you say about Warp Records. Massive artists. Aphex twin, Boards of Canada, Autechre, LFO, Forgemasters, Squarepusher, Plaid, Nightmares on Wax, Two Lone Swordsmen, Richard H. Kirk and the list goes on and on.

QED.
 

Andrew Everard

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edsib1:companies like Apple might be forced to change their business practices, once only get 4 out of 5 (or even 3/5) starts hitting their bottom line.

...Of course, that kinda assumes Apple gives a damn about what reviewers think of its products, which evidence to date suggests it doesn't
 

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