AudioCircle
Industry Circles => Salk Signature Sound => Topic started by: ThomasKott on 15 May 2012, 03:34 am
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I've had my speakers for probably 6 months and am quite pleased with the quality. I have tried to load photos, I'm hoping they come through in the gallery. If they don't, I'll try again!
If you're looking for a basic stand that is big enough to hold the center channel, I use the Sonax stand and it fits the center channel perfectly.
Now, I have a question for the audiophiles on this list.
Background - My setup:
* Pioneer Elite SC-07 Receiver
* Oppo 83 Blu-Ray/SACD/DVD-Audio Player
* Salk HT2-TL's
I am a big fan of SACD's, but I'm looking into potentially spending $3,500 on a vinyl setup (VPI Classic 1, Basic Orton MM Cartridge, and Music Surroundings Phenomena II Phono Preamp). My question to the list is.... What would anyone suggest as another way to spend the $3,500 to best improve my setup? Specifically, I don't understand digital music. What would be a good digital setup if I chose to move in that direction vs vinyl?
Any input is very much appreciated!
Mark
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I should clarify. When I say digital, I'm referring to Hi Resolution downloads. I don't really understand DAC's, etc.
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If you're just getting started with vinyl, I'd start simple and upgrade if the bug bites you.
The Phonomena II is what I use, and I think it's excellent. I also think a cartridge like the Ortofon 2M Blue is an excellent starter. I think a table in the $800-1200 range would be a good match and would free up some funds for the record collection and an RCM like the VPI 16.5 or Nitty Gritty 1.5. You'd be surprised how much accessories for the vinyl hobby can run.
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Wait. That setup sounds familiar for some reason...oh yeah, I had the same setup (SC-05 instead of SC-07) when I started, including the HT2-TLs. I thought that multi-channel would be the way to go so I bought the HT2-Center and HT-1s for surrounds (If I did it over I would get the SongSurround 1s). Great HT/Multi-channel system that I seldom use for multi-channel music anymore. A good 2-channel system is just too enaging now.
I would wade through the Owner's Impressions thread and see what everyone else has done.
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=68360.0
The SC-05/SC-07 is great for movies, etc. but a reasonable DAC/Preamp/Amp setup will be much better. Audigon can be your friend by letting you pick-up used equipment at a discount.
Even a better amp for 2-channel playback will help, since the SC05/SC07 has a preamp out.
I have a Rega P3-24 turntable with a Rega Exact cartridge for playing my girlfriend's classical albums but I still prefer my digital setup for ease of use and overall sound quality. YMMV
Hint: You can see what other folks have for systems by clicking "Systems" under their name.
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At the risk of getting smacked down, I'm going to say this: Vinyl is dead, digital is the new king. By digital I mean a music streaming device fed into a DAC. I highly recommend something like a Squeezebox Touch run into a really nice DAC (something from AVA, PS Audio, Eastern Electric, Bryston etc) fed into a 2-channel preamp. For $3500 you could have a very nice "disc-less" system, all available at your fingertips and without having to get up out of your listening seat to put on a new record or CD. All you need is a PC to run the stream software in the background. Even better, Jim's SalkStream Player doesn't need a PC to actually be running for the device to work, and it'll probably sound better than the Squeezebox or Sonos devies too, albeit at a higher cost.
My apologies to those who love their Vinyl, but it's old tech and it sounds like it too. I'll also say that I think "hi-res" is hype and doesn't sound much different.:flame: :rotflmao::no_see:
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Dang Nuance. Don't stand so close to me when you say those things. :o
:green:
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This is the first time in 65 years that I have said this aloud. Digital is better, but I still prefer to listen to vinyl if given a choice. Somehow the music from my vinyl rig just moves me more. :duh:
Classical music is the only type of music that I would reach for the CD copy before the vinyl record.
Bob
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Hi Mark,
I have HT2-TLs and an Oppo BDP-83. I also have a vinyl setup with a Origin Live table and a PS Audio GCPH, and while I really love my vinyl, I have to say records get maybe about 10% of the total play time in my system now. About a year and a half ago I got a Sonos player, a DAC, and set up a pretty inexpensive NAS box (D-link DNS-323) and haven't looked back. As far as convenience and sound quality goes, in my opinion, lossless digital music can't be beat. And in my opinion, "high res" audio is unnecessary. As hard as I've tried, I can't hear any difference. So... essentially, I second what Nuance said.
**Not to go off topic or start any arguments, but I stumbled across this article the other day regarding hi-res audio. (http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html) ...if you're interested.
So I highly recommend a streaming digital audio setup if it's feasible for your system. But, with that said, I think the single greatest upgrade I've made recently was changing my amp. I just changed from an Emotiva UPA-2 to a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500. I haven't heard an SC-07, but the Wyred amp made a huge difference for me. It made my already great speakers sound even better across all of my sources, both analog AND digital!
Drew
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Dang Nuance. Don't stand so close to me when you say those things. :o
:green:
+1 :evil:
But I would have to agree with Nuance that I would invest in a good digital streaming system before vinyl nowadays. Being able to sit on the couch with access to my entire music library, Pandora, thousands of radio stations, etc. all controlled with an iDevice or Android phone is just too convenient.
I am currently using Sonos players which I really like for their appliance like reliability, super easy multi-room wireless setup and control with iPad. The only downside is lack of support for hi-rez files, and it probably lacks a bit in quality relative to something like the Salk Streamer with a good DAC. I store my files on a Synology NAS (Network Attached Storage) so I don't need to have a PC running when listening to music. It also makes a great backup device for my PCs at the same time.
I also agree with Nuance that Hi-Rez doesn't seem to make much difference, at least with Songtowers. I bought a couple Hi-Rez downloads to compare with CD and to be honest would never be able to pick one from the other, much less decide which one is "better". The quality of the recording is much more important.
All that said, I still love listening to Vinyl when I get the opportunity. I am just getting back into it again with a VPI Scout table I happened upon for a good price used.
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Honestly,
I wouldn't consider vinyl.
What I would HIGHLY recommend is getting a very cheap HTPC setup (virtually any computer will do) and run an HDMI cable from that into your Pioneer receiver.
Download yourself a bunch of flac files and play them through winamp or whatever else on your HTPC and let your Pioneer's DAC decode them.
I have had the 2,000 dollar Logitech Transporter and now with that simple setup which you can have for under 400 bucks I can't tell a bit of difference.
Spend the rest of your cash on room treatments and better amps :)
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digital if you are too lazy to pull yourself from the sofa to change records and maintain the media.
vinyl if you want the best possible sound.
if done right, a vinyl rig is going to cost more than a digital rig.
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Mark,
nice speakers! I would say it depends on how much you like vinyl. I like having a large album cover with cool artwork. There is something nostalgic about vinyl. You can get a Rega Rp1 for about 400 and change. You can buy new sealed 180 gr LPs that don't have any scratches of fingerprints on them. Or, you can take your chances and look for used LPs on eBay or Amazon at a bargain. I don't know what "era" you would be looking for, but there are a lot more choices now in 2012 than there was in the late 1980s thru the early 1990s.
If digital is more appealing to you then check out the great advice on this forum. I am not putting anyone down who likes "disc-less" music, and if that is your thing then more power to you. I grew up in the 70s and 80s and like to collect albums, comics and magazines, so I like to have a "physical" media. Let us know what you end up with.
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digital if you are too lazy to pull yourself from the sofa to change records and maintain the media.
Digital if you want the best possible sound.
I fixed it for you. :)
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digital if you are too lazy to pull yourself from the sofa to change records and maintain the media.
vinyl if you want the best possible sound.
if done right, a vinyl rig is going to cost more than a digital rig.
+1 to all that vortrex said, IME. Again, IME.
I have no regrets from pulling money out of my digital set-up and putting it into a vinyl rig.
In addition to the table you mentioned, I would look into the Well Tempered tables and Townshend tables. You will find a thread here where I compare the two excellent tables:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=105495.0
IIRC, Vortrex should shortly be able to comment on the differences he hears between the Amadeus and the VPI Classic (looking forward to those).
Vinyl is a good deal tweaky than digital, and is far from plug-and-play generally. But when dialed in, wow! And then there are the joys of crate digging. Finding a new band you love but had never heard of from the $1 bin. Coming across a pristine first pressing copy of Back In Black or Who's Next. All of this has happened in the past week and helped make an otherwise awful week more bearable.
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roscoeiii is correct. I have a Classic 1 and tonight I am receiving a Well Tempered Amadeus. I probably won't be able to get it setup until the weekend though. I currently am using SongTowers but have an upgrade arriving in the near future that would be more on par with the HT2-TL's.
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Where is your music right now? CD's? LP's? cassette? 8-track?
As much money as I have spent on audio equipment (plenty), I have spent more on the the music itself. What I am getting at is that if you already have an extensive vinyl collection, then a rig to suit that would make the most sense (to me). If you have a bunch of CDs, then your money would be best spent getting into computer audio. Someone suggested plugging a HTPC into your Pioneer, that is a good suggestion. I will go even one better... your SC-07 is already network capable, and you already have a computer (you posted on the internet, so I figure that is a fairly safe bet), most people have a router as well, so I would suggest that you run an ethernet cable to your receiver, download some type of free music server for your existing computer (your on your own for what would work best with your SC-07), get some help with the set-up if you need it (it's really not that hard when you apply yourself to it), and try it out. If you like the convenience, then learn more and go the DAC/pre-amp/power-amp route, and start ripping the CDs that you already own.
If your music is mostly on cassete, go directly to computer audio, do not pass Go, and do not collect $200! :duh:
If you are still using 8-track tapes, save your money for leisure suit dry-cleaning bills! :o
While Vinyl is not quite "dead," there is something tactile and rewarding about putting a record on the turntable, and then getting up to flip the record to listen to side two. Personally, I like to be able to browse through 2000 or so discs (via iPad as controler) while sitting on my couch. They both sound great on a good system.
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Vinyl's limitations - less dynamic range, more distortion, etc - is part of the appeal, I think. Music often sounds warmer. I listen mostly to digital, but vinyl is fun to listen to, especially with rock. With classical, digital is generally better, though a really good vinyl pressing of string music can be more satisfying than digital.
It is worth noting that for hardcore music collectors, and I consider myself one, vinyl is something of a must. Not everything has made it to digital, and some things never will, just as some titles never made it past 78s.
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Vinyl's limitations - less dynamic range, more distortion, etc - is part of the appeal, I think. Music often sounds warmer. I listen mostly to digital, but vinyl is fun to listen to, especially with rock. With classical, digital is generally better, though a really good vinyl pressing of string music can be more satisfying than digital.
It is worth noting that for hardcore music collectors, and I consider myself one, vinyl is something of a must. Not everything has made it to digital, and some things never will, just as some titles never made it past 78s.
Very true. I think CD's sound better than vinyl, while vinyl diehards think the opposite. A direct comparison easily made up my mind. :) Isn't the entire point of building a "sweet rig" to achieve less distortion? I know which ones sounds more like the live performance to my ears, but to each their own, and there's nothing wrong with liking one over the other. Your happiness is the trump card.
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Isn't the entire point of building a "sweet rig" to achieve less distortion?
Oh, absolutely. That's why I listen mostly to digital. But every once in a while, it's nice to listen to the aural equivalent of a warm, cozy blanket. The Quartetto Italiano playing Schubert on (quiet) vinyl, for instance, can be most rewarding.
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I'm really intrigued by the comment about getting a 2 channel amp (...someone mentioned a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500). If you do this (..using my Pioneer SC-07 as a "pre-amp"), can I run surround movies and music through the Pioneer and 2 channel sources through the 2 channel amp?
It's fascinating to do the math and see how much a nice vinyl setup would cost.... and then step back and say, what else could I do with that amount of money to improve my listening experience.
Also, to respond to an earlier question, my current music collection is roughly 400 CD's and 100 SACD's. I only have 6 albums. Therefore, improving the sound of the digital collection (...via an investment in an amp and DAC) is obviously the smarter decision!
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I'm really intrigued by the comment about getting a 2 channel amp (...someone mentioned a Wyred 4 Sound ST-500). If you do this (..using my Pioneer SC-07 as a "pre-amp"), can I run surround movies and music through the Pioneer and 2 channel sources through the 2 channel amp?
Yes. Use the Pre-outs on the Pioneer for L/R Front - send those to the monoblocks and remove the front speakers from the Pio and hook up the L/R speakers to the Wyreds.
The rest of the speakers (center, surround) stay hooked up to the Pio. Re-run MCACC (if you have it).
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The two channel amp would go between the preamp section of the SC-07 and the speakers. It would be used for all of the sources that you have hooked up to the SC-07.
If you decided later to get a dedicated 2-channel preamp, you can find them with "pass thoughs" to allow HT use.
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Years ago, I had a chance to listen to Aerosmith ” I don't wanna miss a thing” on a world class system - Linn table, AR electronic, Wilson Alexandria and Transparent LX cables. I though the sound was fabulous - so real. But when I think about all the money I would spend on LP and not be able to enjoy anywhere else but home that is really turn me off. Digital is much practical, IMO. Especially, with all new technology, digital have come a long way. Most new cds, dsd or discless material that recently make, are very good and when partner with high quality DAC, the sound was much better than what they used to be years ago. So IMO, with low price, acceptable good quality and convienient there is no reason to go back to vinyl unless I have a large LP collection at home.
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keep in mind the "new" and "latest technology" is not always the best. how fun is it to drive an electric car? I work on computers all day long. the last thing I want to do is come home and deal with one in order to listen to music. oh wait, I need to download this critical windows update first. oh crap, my computer just blue screened. let me reboot it and see what happens. darn my hard drive just died and now I need to rip these 1000 CD's again... there's something amazing about 100+ year old technology and that tiny needle producing such incredible sounds. there's nothing amazing about a CD or computer doing it.
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I think the single best thing you can do to improve the sound you have is to get away from the receiver for all 2-channel listening. I have yet to hear a receiver, even used as just a preamp, that can remotely come close to the sound of dedicated 2-channel preamp/amp setup.
I need to get one of my monoblocks fixed, so I did a little testing with my receiver (an Onkyo 876). The sound was so terrible in every way, I decided I'd rather go without listening while the amps are gone. I'm not exaggerating here. I had forgotten just how great a dedicated 2-channel pre/amp can sound. I continued the experiment by testing with and without my DAC, and using the monoblocks for the power. All of it was still awful. There was no configuration that even came close to what I'm used to hearing.
So my vote would go to getting a nice 2-channel preamp with home theater bypass like the Parasound 2100 (or similar), and a 2-channel amp of your choice. Then use your receiver to power your center channel and surrounds for HT. This is what I do, and it's the best of both worlds.
As far as sources go, vinyl is like cave carvings. It's way too much work! If your listening habits are to play albums all the way through, I suppose it's not so bad. I've been streaming music since Turtle Beach launched the Audiotron (a long time). I can't even spin CD's as it's too much work as well. I love having access to any track in my library in seconds, and nothing beats playlists.
I admit I haven't heard a great vinyl setup, so if and when I do I may eat these words, but streaming digital is the only way to go. I use a Logitech Touch (with some mods), an old PC running as a server in my basement, and a nice DAC. I am VERY happy with the sound I have, and I've heard nothing better. My digital front end was $180 for the Touch, $250 for a DIY linear power supply, $100 for a nice digital interconnect, and about $250 for the old computer with a 2TB harddrive. That's an impressive source for about $800. YMMV. You could still get a great DAC, the preamp with HT-bypass, and a great amp for the $3,500 you have to spend.
For the record, you are only going to take that setup you have so far with the speaker placement you have. But if you want to get the most from it, I'd go for what I stated above without hesitation. You have absolutely fantastic speakers, and they'll step up to anything you feed them on the front end.
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keep in mind the "new" and "latest technology" is not always the best. how fun is it to drive an electric car? I work on computers all day long. the last thing I want to do is come home and deal with one in order to listen to music. oh wait, I need to download this critical windows update first. oh crap, my computer just blue screened. let me reboot it and see what happens. darn my hard drive just died and now I need to rip these 1000 CD's again... there's something amazing about 100+ year old technology and that tiny needle producing such incredible sounds. there's nothing amazing about a CD or computer doing it.
My computer has yet to blue screen, I back up all my loss less audio, and what is amazing is how awesome of sound you can get for 400 dollars :)
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My computer has yet to blue screen, I back up all my loss less audio, and what is amazing is how awesome of sound you can get for 400 dollars :)
for sure. vinyl is definitely not for penny pinchers, in my opinion. if you have $5k to spend on table/preamp/cart then I think it is the superior way to go for those fit enough to go from sitting to standing position multiple times per day.
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for sure. vinyl is definitely not for penny pinchers, in my opinion. if you have $5k to spend on table/preamp/cart then I think it is the superior way to go for those fit enough to go from sitting to standing position multiple times per day.
So basically what we have arrived at is if you can afford a high end vinyl setup and prefer that type of sound go vinyl.
If you don't have that kind of money and prefer the digital type of sound go digital.
Digital is better for ease of use if you like to jump from artist to artist.
Vinyl is better if you prefer to listen to albums at a time or if you are working on your abs/core muscles. :thumb:
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I would also add that in my experience, I agree with the recommendation that for the greatest sound improvement you will get the greatest bang for your buck by upgrading the transducers (the parts of your system that convert physical energy to electricity and vice-versa). This assumes of course that your amp isn't a total mismatch for your speakers. So with that being the case, I'd think hardest on your speakers and your source.
And when weighing responses on digital vs. vinyl it is also important to take into account exactly what digital or vinyl the commenter has heard.
I'll start here. The top end of the digital I have heard are the Yamamoto YDA-01 DAC and the Weiss DAC2 (identical internals to the $5000 Weiss Minerva). On the vinyl side of things the best I have heard is the Well Tempered Amadeus and Townshend Rock 7. Between those vinyl and digital rigs, my preference is for vinyl (cart is a SoundSmith rebuilt XX-2 MkII, phono stage a Dynavector P75). So hopefully that info is helpful. And as always IME, IMO.
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Actually, I think that the original poster needs to try to hear a good vinyl set-up and then decide. If there is not a dealer nearby who can help, maybe go through Music Direct, which has a solid 30-day return policy for everything but cartridges. Chris at Music Direct is also super helpful for turntable and set-up questions.
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Also, to respond to an earlier question, my current music collection is roughly 400 CD's and 100 SACD's. I only have 6 albums. Therefore, improving the sound of the digital collection (...via an investment in an amp and DAC) is obviously the smarter decision!
Oh, then its a no brainer to go with a digital streaming front end. I highly recommend the already mentioned Wyred4Sound amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Plus DAC and a sweet preamp with HT bypass. Your Salk speakers will sound amazing with that combination and beg for more. :). I also recommend a Squeezebox Touch (consult with TJHUB regarding mods if you go that route- he's the king), or for an even purer experience the SalkStream Player.
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Actually, I think that the original poster needs to try to hear a good vinyl set-up and then decide.
Excellent advice there... and there may be some folks in AC land, more specifically @ the Vinyl circle, who live nearby and would be willing (love) to host you for a listen, so you could hear and compare for yourself - maybe if you posted a request over there, like potential Salk buyers often do in this circle for local auditions, you could try before buying anything.
Paul
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TJHUB - would you be willing to post a bit of what the mods are that Nuance referred to? As I mentioned earlier, I have a current model Dune which plays great but interface for music leaves something to be desired. I took an online look at the Squeezebox Touch and am interested in the reasonably priced addition dedicated to music.
Thanks.......
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I am using both setups: discless (mac/appleTV/iphone) and vinyl (technics1200, denon 110 cart/AVA phono stage).
To me it is about an individual recording. I heard a remastered Led Zeppelin II CD, but it couldn't reach the LP that i recently got!
The same goes for Jazz from the 60-s - digital remastering is not always great (usually sucks) and even reissued LPs sound more open and natural.
Yes, the dynamic range is higher for CD (100 dB vs. 65?) , but it is rarely utilized to make it sound better on MP3 players. Besides 60 dB range is enough to scare most of the listeners.
Just check the music circle for Adele 21 on cd and vinyl. Dynamic range of the LP is higher than the regular CD! There is an ocean of compressed music on CD, and I am not buying it. Finding a well recorded CD is not easy, not to mention mp3. Some hirez files sound better than CD, but imho it is more like an exception rather than the rule.
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back to OP
I would split the money to get both :D
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First question. - how much vinyl do you own?
What genres of music do you listen to? Many classical albums can be had in mint condition used for pennys on the dollar. 60's -80's rock used at reasonable prices locally - weed through the beat up records
Vinyl versus digital. - in my system. No contest vinyl
I do enjoy listening to both
"Close as a blade" is a similar analogy
I think vinyl's real edge is continuous analog waveform compared to sampled 0s and 1s
Oversampled sacds and bluray are getting closer
In my experience vinyls attributes - it's musically more engaging, more tonally balanced, passionate and revealing
You will need to invest a bit more than a basic table/cartridge/phono stage unfortunately, and have it set up precisely.
In our local audio society here in New Orleans, everyone is a vinyl enthusiast.
It's about sound not nostalgia
Also as others have mentioned the shrill compression of many cds these days is horrid.
Enjoy sacd and blu ray concerts on your oppo
If you don't have much vinyl - look into 2 channel pre and amp. You can always enhance your digital rig as technology moves forward and (used) prices come down.
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Thanks for all the great feedback! Based on your responses, I'm planning on the following:
1) Start looking at 2 channel amplification options. It should improve the sound of my digital (SACD/CD) music for now. And, IF, I went for vinyl in the future it should improve the sound of that as well. NOW, I need to look around and research 2 channel amps! The ICE amp mentioned (Wyred) sounds very interesting. However, with my ICE Pioneer SC-07 and the HT2's, the treble seems a little recessed. So maybe an ICE amp and a RAAL tweeter isn't the best combination. What other amp's might people recommend. Are the Macintosh's as good as the hype that seems prevelent on the internet? Is my concern about ICE and the RAAL's a valid one?
2) My other step is to go to the other forums and see if there is anyone remotely close by where I could go and listen to a vinyl setup. I am in SouthEast Iowa, so I may have quite a drive. However, I often travel to Saint Louis and Kansas City. I may have better luck finding someone near one of those two cities.
Thanks!
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Mark,
Re: #1, not sure if you've seen this recent thread (http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=105545.0) where many have chimed in regarding the amps they're using with their Salks.
Paul
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Thanks for all the great feedback! Based on your responses, I'm planning on the following:
1) Start looking at 2 channel amplification options. It should improve the sound of my digital (SACD/CD) music for now. And, IF, I went for vinyl in the future it should improve the sound of that as well. NOW, I need to look around and research 2 channel amps! The ICE amp mentioned (Wyred) sounds very interesting. However, with my ICE Pioneer SC-07 and the HT2's, the treble seems a little recessed. So maybe an ICE amp and a RAAL tweeter isn't the best combination. What other amp's might people recommend. Are the Macintosh's as good as the hype that seems prevelent on the internet? Is my concern about ICE and the RAAL's a valid one?
2) My other step is to go to the other forums and see if there is anyone remotely close by where I could go and listen to a vinyl setup. I am in SouthEast Iowa, so I may have quite a drive. However, I often travel to Saint Louis and Kansas City. I may have better luck finding someone near one of those two cities.
Thanks!
The earlier ICE based amps seemed to have an issue with rolled off highs, but the Wyred4Sound amps do not. Other amps to check out would be the Parasound A21, McCormack DNA series, Odyssey Audio, ATI, BAT, etc.
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One small additional note...
I have held one SongTower audition at my house. We listened to music from both CD and LP sources.
Not only did my guest buy SongTowers, but he also bought turntable and now has a respectable LP collection. There's some stuff on LP that simply blows all other available formats away. I think the biggest difference is in the mastering rather than the formats themselves. There was much more pride taken in cutting those lacquers back in the day and owning a turntable gives you access to those recordings. But, vinyl can be fussy and you'll have some tweaking and upkeep issues to contend with. Also, many people aren't happy with the sound until they've tried several table/cartridge/preamp combinations. It's a journey.
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Also, many people aren't happy with the sound until they've tried several table/cartridge/preamp combinations. It's a journey.
definitely this! my 6th turntable in the past 11 months shows up tonight.
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I have an old Thorens with microacoustics cart that does the basics. I could probably get much more from vinyl and I have hundreds of albums from the 60's on, but not motivated to get started in that realm. Yet, anyway :lol:
.......Peter
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Ok. I'm real new here, and only 72 hours into listening to my ht2-tls. I dont even have a cd player (or record player) hooked up to my speakers. Mac mini for music. 100%. (and bluray rips.) I have a Mac tower that stores all my media and flac's are transfered with a gigabyte network to mini to dac to receiver to speakers. I can control the mini from any computer in the house and access all my music. I dont have much experience with vinyl. I love analog everything, clocks, thermometers, I like cords on my tools, I rarely uses wireless....I even have an antenna to get hd tv. ALL of those because I think the quality is better. To listen to vinyl would fit right into my program. I recently have been wondering if its too late for me to jump into the vinyl scene. But for some reason I love the digital music technology. I've excepted jitter and digital sound's slight imperfections to be like the warm sounding cracks and pops in vinyl. :)
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Also, many people aren't happy with the sound until they've tried several table/cartridge/preamp combinations. It's a journey.
Guess I've been fortunate... 2 turntables, 2 cartridges and one pre, with under $1,200 invested in infrastructure for this "dead" format... and enjoying the music immensely.
There's always going to be something "better." Doesn't upgraditis span all formats? Seems DACs are being turned over at a very rate in recent times, thanks to the proliferation of new options with reportedly high QPR.
Nasty affliction indeed. :icon_twisted: :rock:
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I have an OPPO Blu-Ray/SACD player (83). I belive these have fairly good DAC's in them. If I purchased a separate DAC, would I run the OPPO into it as well?
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I have an OPPO Blu-Ray/SACD player (83). I belive these have fairly good DAC's in them. If I purchased a separate DAC, would I run the OPPO into it as well?
Unless you hear anything to the contrary, I would say yes.
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This is the first time in 65 years that I have said this aloud. Digital is better, but I still prefer to listen to vinyl if given a choice. Somehow the music from my vinyl rig just moves me more. :duh:
Classical music is the only type of music that I would reach for the CD copy before the vinyl record.
Bob
Wow, Bob. You listen to much classical music? Perhaps you're not a long time collector of the genre? The reverse is true for me.
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Jim
I agree,
I've never heard digital fully reproduce violins and other string instruments
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Jim
I agree,
I've never heard digital fully reproduce violins and other string instruments
I have, on many different systems. Pay a visit to Jim, Pete, TJHUB or my home and you'll here it in all it's glory, accurate timbre and tonality and all. ;)
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Wow, Bob. You listen to much classical music? Perhaps you're not a long time collector of the genre? The reverse is true for me.
You may be right. I don't listen to classical much and my vinyl collection of classical music is very poor. I haven't bought a new classical album in 30 years.
I may have spoken too soon about digital sounding better than vinyl as I got a Haggerman Piccolo head amp for my phono preamp and I am amazed by the quality of my vinyl. I now feel that I have one of the finest vinyl system than I have ever heard. I was blown away at the last RMAF by the Lyra, ARC, Vandersteen $150k+ vinyl system at the last RMAF. As unreliable as audio memory is, I feel that I am approaching a similar sound. Less than one fifth the price too. :thumb:
Bob
Bob
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I've never heard digital fully reproduce violins and other string instruments
I did find an old Los Angeles String Quartet LP and it sure did sound good.
Bob
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And oh man can classical vinyl be picked up for cheap. Got the complete Beethoven (bicentennial DG set) for $45. That is an 85 LP set.
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wow Rosco nice find
and classical used lps tend to be mint or near mint in condition!
paying $1-2 dollars an album and sometimes that much for a box set is something I love about it
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wow Rosco nice find
and classical used lps tend to be mint or near mint in condition!
paying $1-2 dollars an album and sometimes that much for a box set is something I love about it
Yeah I was psyched. And I found the set on day I was feeling pretty down. And then there are the LPs not available in any other format. Dolphy in Berlin, Mingus in Paris. Some great obscure stuff that never made it to digital.
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I snapped up Mingus in Monterrey one day
couldn't believe it
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yeah, a mono Mingus Blues & Roots for under $10 was a score I was ecstatic with.
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I have an OPPO Blu-Ray/SACD player (83). I belive these have fairly good DAC's in them. If I purchased a separate DAC, would I run the OPPO into it as well?
You would use the "Coax" or "Optical" out from the Oppo to the external DAC. This output bypasses the internal DACs of the Oppo.
HDMI to the SC-07 will utilize the DACs in the SC-07.