PC based system - looking for music..

Zero · « **on:** 14 Jan 2006, 06:36 am »

..to really show off what a PC rig is capable of, particularly in .FLAC format. Obviously the easy answer is to buy a reference disc and burn it with EAC into FLAC, but I am hoping someone can point towards specific titles or even free downloads (of live performances) that can really showcase the virtues of the PC as a source.

This is less for my listening pleasure and more to prove to a few stubborn, yet incredibly experienced (and sometimes stubborn) audiophile friends that the PC is indeed where its at! I have a few good files but am looking for suggestions just to check my six.

Cheers, and thanks in advance!

Just for reference, these guys are BIG time vinyl nuts. I am running a bone stock E-MU 1212M using the 1/4th jack out's.

zybar · « **Reply #1 on:** 14 Jan 2006, 01:33 pm »

Quote from: A6M-ZERO

..to really show off what a PC rig is capable of, particularly in .FLAC format. Obviously the easy answer is to buy a reference disc and burn it with EAC into FLAC, but I am hoping someone can point towards specific titles or even free downloads (of live performances) that can really showcase the virtues of the PC as a source.

This is less for my listening pleasure and more to prove to a few stubborn, yet incredibly experienced (and sometimes stubborn) audiophile friends that the PC is indeed where its a ...

Not sure that your setup really showcases what a pc can do in terms of audio, but I would simply try and get the cd version of some of their favorite vinyl and play that.

Of course if you don't have a vinyl rig in your system, then this really isn't so much pc audio vs. vinyl as it is your system vs. their system.

Frankly, why go to any big effort to prove what YOU like?

Just go enjoy your system and your music.

George

Zero · « **Reply #2 on:** 14 Jan 2006, 04:18 pm »

All,

I should have mentioned, 'live' is not a requirement. I mentioned live because those recordings are typically readily available from sources like archive.org

Zybar,

This system is the second rig and as such, has seen very little attention. Eventually the card will be removed/replaced with a usb-to-coax converter to a dac (or perhaps just an sb-3 - havent figured it out yet).

That all will come in time. This is not an effort to prove the PC is 'superior' to other digital or vinyl. This is an effort to find a good recording to really showcase what an ordinary PC is capable of, and why it is often a great solution instead of disc spinners.