[JLM]

Wondering...

How many here listen to high-resolution formats? 

And how many who listen to hi-res use dedicated, designed from the ground up music servers?

And how many of you 'server guys' are under 40 years old and work in IT?


Just trying to get a handle on who the hi-res community is, because outside of the internet I don't know anyone who even owns a hi-res file.


Thanks for voting and commenting.

[HAL]

Listening to HiRez downloads and files like HRx have made a huge improvement in sound for both analog and digital recordings. 

I only play vinyl if it is not available in HiRez. 

[k6davis]

It looks like you have some duplicates in your poll options. I want to answer with 50% or less in an over $5,000 system, but I don't see the option to do so.

[JLM]

It looks like you have some duplicates in your poll options. I want to answer with 50% or less in an over $5,000 system, but I don't see the option to do so.

Good catch, already fixed, thanks.  Feel free to fix your voting.

[Roninaudio]

100%  digital tracks (when not streaming Spotify or Pandora i.e. background) from a Win 10 based PC running jRiver. 80G of source material from older MP3 to 24/192. I do frequent HD Tracks, however I find their selection is limited. Like HAL above, there seems to be a bunch of stuff I like that is not in Hi-Res. I'm over 40 and not in I.T. I'm in R.F..  However, I spent many years working in the data storage industry so I have a working knowledge of a PC. I was contemplating building a Mac based system but many servers now are pretty affordable so I'm not sure that is logical.  It  seemed like a good idea when everything was $5K. Also I wonder what Type of listener has a high percentage of Hi-res ?  I'm fairly analytical in my music/listening/system requirements. I want to hear and discern as much as I can while others may enjoy their music for different reasons? Anyway, not to hi-jack your thread- hope this answers your question(s). 

[WC]

Currently in the never category, but I have been acquiring dvd-audios and Blu-ray’s for the surround mixes and they have stereo mixes also that are hi-res. I just have’t gotten around to ripping them yet to my pc music server. Currently listening to a hodgepodge sub $1000 system. I am currently building a few new components, but I will still be under $5000 for stereo rig when I am done. I am over 40 and have an engineering background, not IT.

[andolink]

Standard 16 bit/44.1 Hz CD's are all I listen to on my $13,000 system.  I thought seriously of going the music server route but the prospect of converting around 7,000 CD's to flac files was just too intimidating and I'm really just too emotionally attached to physical media anyway.

[macrojack]

Shouldn't the 3rd option from the top also read "over $5000"?

[JLM]

Shouldn't the 3rd option from the top also read "over $5000"?

Thanks for the heads up, fixed now.  Boy this polling business is hard (early in the AM).

[mcgsxr]

100% digital.  Likely only 10-15% of my collection is hi-rez.  By that I mean 24 bit and 88.2-192.  No DSD in my collection.   Most is 16/44.1 flac. 

Been 100% pc based front end since the Logitech SB3 came out.  I still have a Touch, and use LMS as the server software on my dedicated netbook.   In the main system is use a Linux based plug PC fooled into thinking it is a Logitech device.  I used a Pogoplug but have since seen Pi bass versions.  Installing Linux on that plug PC was tough for me.  So you know I am far from a wizard at this stuff. 

I enjoy hi rez and will,seek it out sometimes, but often sort music by genre and build playlists that way.

Not an IT pro, though I do have a degree that included networking training.  Late 40's.

iOS devices are the user interface, running an app called iPeng to control it all. 

I don't have a ton invested in audio these days.  Unless you count the value of all the CDs in storage. 

[toddbagwell]

Self assembled PC to the rest of the system

Not in IT

Just joined the 40 year old club

Todd

[WGH]

I usually stick with 24/96, I don't hear any difference in higher resolutions which is not surprising since I'm 69 years old. The new Van Morrison - Roll with the Punches 24/96 download is definitely better than the 16/44.1.

My server is built from scratch and uses three separate linear regulated power supplies running Win 10 and JRiver.
I'm not in IT but started with Fortran 4 in 1970, moved up to a Kaypro 2 computer running CP/M, then DOS on a 80286, and later taught myself HTML over a dial up connection.

Wayne 
 

[Wayne1]

100% digital. Over 12 Tb storage with formats from 16/44 to DSD.

Windows 10 server running ROON in basement. Odroid C2 with DIY PS into DIY AKM4490 DAC with multiple Salas regulators in listening room.

All music upsampled in ROON to DSD256

63 yrs old. Not in IT. Happily brewing beer for a living.

[HAL]

Windows10 based PC music server with 1TB SATA SSD driving a multichannel DSP crossover to amps to speaker drivers.  Using Foobar2000 for player and room.correction.  Best sound for music ever in my room. 

[slash71]

All high-res because source matter!
15% of cd’s
85% of streaming

Over 45 ,  self employee on IT storage of course

[Broady]

Only listening to digital sources. I am using an Auralic Altair primarily in combination with Qobuz hires and Tidal. Although there are more and more highres files in Qobuz I am not able to hear any differences when compared to standard CD resolution. I am 52 years of age and engineer but not in the IT sector.

I nevertheless prefer the hires files because it feels better to do so  I also compared streamed media with local files just to find out that there is no difference at all.

But at the moment I am waiting for my dream come true. An active and DSP based horn system ( using an external soundcard and Acourate Convolver for a room corrected crossover network ). It will arrive at my home on 4th of December and then I will switch to a PC based music server using JRiver and Acourate Convolver.

I will write a review for these speaker in the matching circle after I received the speakers.

[JLM]

Thanks for all the votes/replies.

I ask as a 60+ year old who is very nearly computer phobic, have never ventured into hi-res (neither has anyone in my little audio club), have a $5,000 USD system (100% ripped ALAC files to iTunes on my MacBook, do DSP via DSPeaker) that I'm quite satisfied with, and have no idea of the difference between a server, streamer, and a renderer, various softwares, how I'd obtain ethernet, or how to begin setting up a dedicated music computer to function from my laptop/smartphone.  Wish someone would write a primer (hint, hint).

I estimate it'd cost $20,000 USD to make a significant improvement to my system (in my near perfect listening room) plus the cost of replacing my library (which I found out is lacking based on home trialing better DAC/preamp earlier this year).

[undertowogt1]

I am 38 years old, work in the audio video live production industry, very computer literate. Run a computer based system, all FLAC file including hi res. Running from a 4 TB NAS. It's the way to go for me. Other than that I have my vinyl setup, that's it.

[zoom25]

100% digital here and is convenient given the size of my library. Everything lossless with occasional MP3s when I cannot find lossless. As far as high-res, I don't go out of my way to listen to high-res. If it's music that I like and it happens to be in high-res, I'll check it out. I will say Sound Liaison makes excellent recordings though and they are available in all formats. I pay far more attention in finding the best masters and pressings of each album. I don't work in IT, but I'm comfortable with computers and basic networking for audio purposes.

[zoom25]

Thanks for all the votes/replies.

I ask as a 60+ year old who is very nearly computer phobic, have never ventured into hi-res (neither has anyone in my little audio club), have a $5,000 USD system that I'm satisfied with, and have no idea of the difference between a server and a renderer, various softwares, how I'd obtain ethernet, or how to begin setting up a dedicated music computer to function from my laptop/smartphone.  Wish someone would write a primer (hint, hint).

I estimate it'd cost $20,000 USD to make a significant improvement to my system (in my near perfect listening room) plus the cost of replacing my library (which I found out is lacking based on home trialing better DAC/preamp earlier this year).

You don't need super expensive gear to hear differences between various media players. I find almost all reasonably high-end DACs benefit from better digital feed. I can plug in my HD 800 directly into my Dangerous Source powered with LPS, and tell difference between various digital feeds. That's like $3k. A lot of it is experience and just developing the ability to differentiate. Comes with hours upon hours. Once you get a hang of it and know what to look/hear for, it's much quicker. Of course, nobody that I know does this. Everyone likes to press play and just enjoy.

If you're thinking of using a digital library for music, I can guarantee you that Roon is the best solution. Even if you don't know it yet, once you start putting things together from either reading or first hand experience with various softwares on Mac and PC, and USB vs. ethernet implementations, or generic PC vs. dedicated player etc. I have experience in all combinations of these. Roon wins overall in user interface, convenience, and sound quality when the system is setup correctly.

You'll need to Buy Roon (software). You will run Roon on a traditional computer (PC/Windows). There needs to be nothing special about this computer except that it needs to be fast enough (RAM, CPU, SSD preferably instead of HDD - although my 2009 iMac still runs Roon perfectly).

When you setup the app, you can select the location of where you keep your music. If you want to keep it simple, don't worry about NAS. I use a 2TB portable hard drive that is plugged directly into the iMac. All my music is on that. Roon looks only in that hard drive. Whenever I add music to the hard drive, Roon automatically notices that and adds that music to it's library.

As for connection, you can either connect the computer directly to a DAC via USB. Although for best sound quality, you usually want to keep the computer far away and avoid a direct connection with the DAC. Ethernet allows for connectivity to internet and between various devices as well offers isolation (good for sound). So this is where network endpoints and ethernet come to play.

The Roon network endpoint (for example MicroRendu or a Bryston BDP-1...both are computers) accepts the incoming ethernet signal and then will process the audio and can output USB or AES to your DAC. The benefit is that the processing is done in a low noise dedicated computer, rather than a typical noisy computer with poor power supplies and heavy CPU and vibrations.

You want to connect the computer and the RoonReady endpoint (e.g. Bryston BDP or Sonore microrendu) to your network by ethernet. All of these devices will be connected to each other and your router. This means you can sit back on your couch and control Roon by a tablet. If you have an iPad, you open the Roon app and just touch the song and it will play music.

It may seem daunting at first, but with some help and time investment, this is by far the best way to enjoy digital music.