I wondering.....
How many people who using DAC think different transports gave you a different sound? and how much different?
How many people who using DAC think different transports gave you a different sound? and how much different?
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Transports - listening to....
- Thread starter Thaiman
- Start date
None.
How hard is it to extract <700MB from a mature format?
Even the cheapest of laptops can happily create a perfect rip - i.e. verified by AccurateRip database.
How hard is it to extract <700MB from a mature format?
Even the cheapest of laptops can happily create a perfect rip - i.e. verified by AccurateRip database.
Eddie Pound:
None.
How hard is it to extract <700MB from a mature format?
Even the cheapest of laptops can happily create a perfect rip - i.e. verified by AccurateRip database.
Does this mean that we should all buy the cheapest CD player or transport or portable we can lay our hands on and as long as it can output to a DAC then the sound quality will be determined by the quality of the DAC alone?
None.
How hard is it to extract <700MB from a mature format?
Even the cheapest of laptops can happily create a perfect rip - i.e. verified by AccurateRip database.
Does this mean that we should all buy the cheapest CD player or transport or portable we can lay our hands on and as long as it can output to a DAC then the sound quality will be determined by the quality of the DAC alone?
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
- Sep 6, 2007
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Thaiman:
I wondering.....
How many people who using DAC think different transports gave you a different sound? and how much different?
It has to make a difference. I can hear a fairly significant improvement from using my BD player as transport over lossless files streamed to my DAC.
Edit, the lossless files way sounds best.
I wondering.....
How many people who using DAC think different transports gave you a different sound? and how much different?
It has to make a difference. I can hear a fairly significant improvement from using my BD player as transport over lossless files streamed to my DAC.
Edit, the lossless files way sounds best.
Does this mean that we should all buy the cheapest CD player or transport or portable we can lay our hands on and as long as it can output to a DAC then the sound quality will be determined by the quality of the DAC alone?
Just use a computer. It's cheaper, rips are perfect, and you can access more music.
A CD transport it quite limiting. For example:
Just use a computer. It's cheaper, rips are perfect, and you can access more music.
A CD transport it quite limiting. For example:
- It'll only play 16/44
- it won't play internet radio
- it cannot use music services such a Last.FM or Spotify
- cannot download new music
- cannot digitise vinyl records
Eddie Pound:
Does this mean that we should all buy the cheapest CD player or transport or portable we can lay our hands on and as long as it can output to a DAC then the sound quality will be determined by the quality of the DAC alone?
Just use a computer. It's cheaper, rips are perfect, and you can access more music.
A CD transport it quite limiting. For example:
So a cheap laptop (say £400)containing lossless music files connected to a £230 DAC is comparable to what price standalone CD player? In terms of sound quality.
Does this mean that we should all buy the cheapest CD player or transport or portable we can lay our hands on and as long as it can output to a DAC then the sound quality will be determined by the quality of the DAC alone?
Just use a computer. It's cheaper, rips are perfect, and you can access more music.
A CD transport it quite limiting. For example:
- It'll only play 16/44
- it won't play internet radio
- it cannot use music services such a Last.FM or Spotify
- cannot download new music
- cannot digitise vinyl records
So a cheap laptop (say £400)containing lossless music files connected to a £230 DAC is comparable to what price standalone CD player? In terms of sound quality.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
- Sep 6, 2007
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heystak:Eddie Pound:
Does this mean that we should all buy the cheapest CD player or transport or portable we can lay our hands on and as long as it can output to a DAC then the sound quality will be determined by the quality of the DAC alone?
Just use a computer. It's cheaper, rips are perfect, and you can access more music.
A CD transport it quite limiting. For example:
So a cheap laptop (say £400)containing lossless music files connected to a £230 DAC is comparable to what price standalone CD player?
I would say anything up to £1k.
The cost of the laptop/computer is irrelevant. As long as you have enough space for the lossless files, the quality of the computer does not make a difference. You are sending a digital feed to the DAC.
Does this mean that we should all buy the cheapest CD player or transport or portable we can lay our hands on and as long as it can output to a DAC then the sound quality will be determined by the quality of the DAC alone?
Just use a computer. It's cheaper, rips are perfect, and you can access more music.
A CD transport it quite limiting. For example:
- It'll only play 16/44
- it won't play internet radio
- it cannot use music services such a Last.FM or Spotify
- cannot download new music
- cannot digitise vinyl records
So a cheap laptop (say £400)containing lossless music files connected to a £230 DAC is comparable to what price standalone CD player?
I would say anything up to £1k.
The cost of the laptop/computer is irrelevant. As long as you have enough space for the lossless files, the quality of the computer does not make a difference. You are sending a digital feed to the DAC.
fatboyslimfast
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- Jan 10, 2008
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Assuming USB connectivity between PC and DAC though Gerrard - if it's using it's inbuilt card, there can (I believe) be differences in the processing...
Frank Harvey
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- Jun 27, 2008
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Having once compared my own Pioneer DV737 as a CD transport against a dedicated Teac CD transport, I can vouch for the fact that there IS a difference. Bass performance was the biggest surprise, but overall the difference between the two was quite marked. There will be those that believe that digital is digital, but as we all know in reality, anything can be corrupted.
Gerrardasnails
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fatboyslimfast:Assuming USB connectivity between PC and DAC though Gerrard - if it's using it's inbuilt card, there can (I believe) be differences in the processing...
I see your point. My files are wirelessly fed to my extender which is connected to the DAC by coaxial. I'm pretty sure this discards any processing.
I see your point. My files are wirelessly fed to my extender which is connected to the DAC by coaxial. I'm pretty sure this discards any processing.
Thaiman:
I wondering.....
How many people who using DAC think different transports gave you a different sound? and how much different?
I heard a difference in texture/details between a Musical fidelity A1 and a nagra cd player, both fed into a Benchmark Dac. IME instruments and voices had pretty much the same tonal 'color'- ie they sounded the same on both setups. Only a subtle difference in details. Even if I had the money to purchase the nagra I probably would settle for cheaper (better value).
Listening was through Benchmark dac, Sennheiser hd650 and Grado 1000
Edit: if you wanted me to put a value on it, IME the difference in sound quality was about 10%
I wondering.....
How many people who using DAC think different transports gave you a different sound? and how much different?
I heard a difference in texture/details between a Musical fidelity A1 and a nagra cd player, both fed into a Benchmark Dac. IME instruments and voices had pretty much the same tonal 'color'- ie they sounded the same on both setups. Only a subtle difference in details. Even if I had the money to purchase the nagra I probably would settle for cheaper (better value).
Listening was through Benchmark dac, Sennheiser hd650 and Grado 1000
Edit: if you wanted me to put a value on it, IME the difference in sound quality was about 10%
When a CD is ripped with a computer it can be "perfect", by that I mean it is verified against an online database to ensure there are no errors.
I do not know how close CD players can get to this because I haven't measured their digital outputs, but hope What HiFi will investigate.
I do not know how close CD players can get to this because I haven't measured their digital outputs, but hope What HiFi will investigate.
I compared my £70 sony dvd player to my cdxtse and my arcam delta transport into my dac x with 3 burned copies of a cd and could flip between them as they all played at the same time.They all sound different.Digital cables sound different.The dvd player sounded much worse than the dedicated transports.The sound presentation between the cyrus and the arcam is big and they both have the in house sound of the different brands.The cdxtse sounds better than the cdxt.
i use a cambrige audio cd transport it only sends the digital code to my musical fidelity x-dac v3
and it is a lot better than any other digital output i have tried, either cdp or dvd or blu ray players,
i have also tried the computer this was the worst digital out i have heard
so for me the best sound is from the cd transport by a good margin..
and it is a lot better than any other digital output i have tried, either cdp or dvd or blu ray players,
i have also tried the computer this was the worst digital out i have heard
so for me the best sound is from the cd transport by a good margin..
chebby
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- Jun 2, 2008
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My DAC allows me to listen to DVD/TV/HDD/Freeview Radio (via optical connection) in far better quality than the standard analogue RCA outputs from my DVD/HDD recorder.
Via USB from my computer I am getting great sound quality from iTunes lossless rips of all my fave CDs and (as Eddie pointed out) downloads, Youtube, internet radio (suprisingly good quality even at 128 or 192 kbps) BBC iPlayer etc etc. It has really opened up my tastes in music and viewing in the last few months.
I am especially loving the choice of 10,000 or more internet radio stations without egotistical, overpaid DJs or intrusive ads. (My favourite stations just get on and play music and may have a brief occasional station announcement every 30 minutes or so.)
I could never go back to being restricted to just CD or FM stereo. As good quality as they are, there is more to life.
I still have the CDP (it is an integral part of my Solo-Mini) but have no upgrade plans involving seperate CD players and when the Solo-Mini goes that will be my last CDP. (I have the DVD/HDD recorder and an iMac 20" as 'backups' if the laptop ever failed. And - of course - I regularly take external backups of the whole system to ensure my music has yet another level of protection.
I still buy lots of CDs - actually far more than before I had the DAC - and I still play vinyl with pleasure for it's qualities. So I am not predicting (or wishing for) the end of the CD medium. Just now I have a far better way (for me) of enjoying whats on them.
Via USB from my computer I am getting great sound quality from iTunes lossless rips of all my fave CDs and (as Eddie pointed out) downloads, Youtube, internet radio (suprisingly good quality even at 128 or 192 kbps) BBC iPlayer etc etc. It has really opened up my tastes in music and viewing in the last few months.
I am especially loving the choice of 10,000 or more internet radio stations without egotistical, overpaid DJs or intrusive ads. (My favourite stations just get on and play music and may have a brief occasional station announcement every 30 minutes or so.)
I could never go back to being restricted to just CD or FM stereo. As good quality as they are, there is more to life.
I still have the CDP (it is an integral part of my Solo-Mini) but have no upgrade plans involving seperate CD players and when the Solo-Mini goes that will be my last CDP. (I have the DVD/HDD recorder and an iMac 20" as 'backups' if the laptop ever failed. And - of course - I regularly take external backups of the whole system to ensure my music has yet another level of protection.
I still buy lots of CDs - actually far more than before I had the DAC - and I still play vinyl with pleasure for it's qualities. So I am not predicting (or wishing for) the end of the CD medium. Just now I have a far better way (for me) of enjoying whats on them.
chebby:
I am especially loving the choice of 10,000 or more internet radio stations
chebby
Is there a site listing all these or do you mean the list in itunes?
I am especially loving the choice of 10,000 or more internet radio stations
chebby
Is there a site listing all these or do you mean the list in itunes?
chebby
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heystak:chebby
Is there a site listing all these or do you mean the list in itunes?
There is the iTunes list and the searchable list I use on the 'Pure Lounge' (I am registered there through having a Pure Evoke Flow internet/DAB/FM kitchen radio) and via Google searches.
'Pure Lounge' currently lists 8988 stations but I am sure there are more. Of course I am never going to listen to all of them and there are probably some defunct ones. Many are beyond my quality threshold (I tend to stick mostly to 128 kbps and higher) and/or play material of no interest to me.
But I have found some real gems one way or another.
Is there a site listing all these or do you mean the list in itunes?
There is the iTunes list and the searchable list I use on the 'Pure Lounge' (I am registered there through having a Pure Evoke Flow internet/DAB/FM kitchen radio) and via Google searches.
'Pure Lounge' currently lists 8988 stations but I am sure there are more. Of course I am never going to listen to all of them and there are probably some defunct ones. Many are beyond my quality threshold (I tend to stick mostly to 128 kbps and higher) and/or play material of no interest to me.
But I have found some real gems one way or another.
chebby:
heystak:chebby
Is there a site listing all these or do you mean the list in itunes?
There is the iTunes list and the searchable list I use on the 'Pure Lounge' (I am registered there through having a Pure Evoke Flow internet/DAB/FM kitchen radio) and via Google searches.
'Pure Lounge' currently lists 8988 stations but I am sure there are more. Of course I am never going to listen to all of them and there are probably some defunct ones. Many are beyond my quality threshold (I tend to stick mostly to 128 kbps and higher) and/or play material of no interest to me.
But I have found some real gems one way or another.
Thanks I'll take a look.
What type of USB cable connects PC to DAC?
heystak:chebby
Is there a site listing all these or do you mean the list in itunes?
There is the iTunes list and the searchable list I use on the 'Pure Lounge' (I am registered there through having a Pure Evoke Flow internet/DAB/FM kitchen radio) and via Google searches.
'Pure Lounge' currently lists 8988 stations but I am sure there are more. Of course I am never going to listen to all of them and there are probably some defunct ones. Many are beyond my quality threshold (I tend to stick mostly to 128 kbps and higher) and/or play material of no interest to me.
But I have found some real gems one way or another.
Thanks I'll take a look.
What type of USB cable connects PC to DAC?
some very interesting replies here.
Although I know about perfect rip etc...I still thought I could hear some different but not better!, just different particularly in bottom end's texture.
Keep comments coming though, also wondering if anyone ever use a highend transport only machine like Wadia or Conrad johnson and compare them to HD base transport?
Although I know about perfect rip etc...I still thought I could hear some different but not better!, just different particularly in bottom end's texture.
Keep comments coming though, also wondering if anyone ever use a highend transport only machine like Wadia or Conrad johnson and compare them to HD base transport?
manicm:
< the gentleman deleted his post>
The majority of rips will be perfect or close to perfect. AccurateRip basically just lets you know if you've got a bad egg. Other than that, red herring too in my opinion.
< the gentleman deleted his post>
The majority of rips will be perfect or close to perfect. AccurateRip basically just lets you know if you've got a bad egg. Other than that, red herring too in my opinion.
chebby
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manicm:Whose 'perfect' rip? Using what CD/DVD drive? What software? But I'm not the only one who thinks the drive has more bearing on rip quality than one thinks...
Not sure why it would, so long as it can read all the bits and any error correction is done properly.
If - instead of a drive - I had to sit here for a few decades and type out all the ones & zeros on a keyboard then (with the proviso that I was accurate in my task) it would eventually sound the same when played back as a file.
More practically (and less arduous) there is no CD drive at all when downloading 16 bit / 44.1khz CD quality files from places like 'Linn Records' - or wherever - via cable or internet (all traversing decidely non-audiophile infrastructure from BT or Virgin.)
All these files will be the same however they get loaded onto the computer.
Not sure why it would, so long as it can read all the bits and any error correction is done properly.
If - instead of a drive - I had to sit here for a few decades and type out all the ones & zeros on a keyboard then (with the proviso that I was accurate in my task) it would eventually sound the same when played back as a file.
More practically (and less arduous) there is no CD drive at all when downloading 16 bit / 44.1khz CD quality files from places like 'Linn Records' - or wherever - via cable or internet (all traversing decidely non-audiophile infrastructure from BT or Virgin.)
All these files will be the same however they get loaded onto the computer.
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