[ricko01]

Peter, Do confirm what you consider to be a "Downgrade" and maybe explain why as well,

I was being sarcastic... because many people would consider going back to CD from hard disk replay as a downgrade.

My original setup was the transporter into my BP-26DA (i.e. I never used the transporter as a DAC... only as well.... a transport). I had the Oracle CD1000 transport before the transporter so I was using both of the SP/DIF inputs on the BP-26DA.

And then finally Bryston go off their fat arse  and produced the BDA-1. I love the fact that it does synchronous upsampling (as opposed to the asynchronous in the internal BP26DA DAC)

Am I right in reading you we using your Transporter as DAC... and so obviously the BDA-1 will kick its arse in that department.

So why not use the Transporter as a transport into the BDA-1?

Have you tried this and if so I assume you prefer the BCD (as a transport) into the BDA-1 over the Transporter as a transport (i.e. using a level playing field of the same music played into the same DAC)?

As I say, I have yet to do this comparision myself but will be doing so shortly.

Peter

[Waker]

This changeover from hard copy to downloading from huge media servers/sources is fascinating and as big as anything that has come along, but it is all beyond my comprehension--I can hardly understand how a CD works, much less a hard drive, so please tell me how it happens.  So, you get this music streamed to your hard drive from some huge ISP or a large room full of computers.  And how did this provider get the music--off of the original CD? So there are people frantically ripping every CD ever made to computers so they can then stream it all over the world, or what? And does that mean that all these provider services are buying huge music libraries from other, larger servers with even bigger files? Or, was the CD ever even produced, as in, the music is obtained by ISP providers, bit-streamed from the music production company, such as Capitol, or Universal?  Anyway, it comes to you over a phone line or a cable via some number of file transfers and is now in your hard drive, but what is the quality of that data? Is it stored and streamed so perfectly that it is as good as a hard copy?  Does your hard drive "play" it as well as a dedicated CD player? Or does your DAC "fix" any degradation, compression, jitter, etc? So please tell me. All I know is that I can rip a CD that I bought to my computer and burn it to a blank disc for my car or for a friend. I subscribe to Rhapsody, but only for listening so I can decide if I want to buy the CD!  Beyond that, I am not into it, convenient and versatile as it all is. Like many here, I am too traditional, having come through all the old rituals and formats-- 8-tracks in the car, playing records, recording cassettes from vinyl or from FM, snap a tape into a Walkman, borrowing records or taping at a friend's, going out and endlessly browsing new and used racks in head shops--and now used DVDs as well. The search was as much a part of it as playing it. I still need to have the music and the movie in my collection.  And I think the $40 Sony mini CD player and a $20 pair of headphones sound great--better than an Ipod, I will say.  Sure, you have to have a CD and it takes batteries, and it is bulky and old-fashioned, but that sound is surprisingly good.                   

[James Tanner]

This changeover from hard copy to downloading from huge media servers/sources is fascinating and as big as anything that has come along, but it is all beyond my comprehension--I can hardly understand how a CD works, much less a hard drive, so please tell me how it happens.  So, you get this music streamed to your hard drive from some huge ISP or a large room full of computers.  And how did this provider get the music--off of the original CD? So there are people frantically ripping every CD ever made to computers so they can then stream it all over the world, or what? And does that mean that all these provider services are buying huge music libraries from other, larger servers with even bigger files? Or, was the CD ever even produced, as in, the music is obtained by ISP providers, bit-streamed from the music production company, such as Capitol, or Universal?  Anyway, it comes to you over a phone line or a cable via some number of file transfers and is now in your hard drive, but what is the quality of that data? Is it stored and streamed so perfectly that it is as good as a hard copy?  Does your hard drive "play" it as well as a dedicated CD player? Or does your DAC "fix" any degradation, compression, jitter, etc? So please tell me. All I know is that I can rip a CD that I bought to my computer and burn it to a blank disc for my car or for a friend. I subscribe to Rhapsody, but only for listening so I can decide if I want to buy the CD!  Beyond that, I am not into it, convenient and versatile as it all is. Like many here, I am too traditional, having come through all the old rituals and formats-- 8-tracks in the car, playing records, recording cassettes from vinyl or from FM, snap a tape into a Walkman, borrowing records or taping at a friend's, going out and endlessly browsing new and used racks in head shops--and now used DVDs as well. The search was as much a part of it as playing it. I still need to have the music and the movie in my collection.  And I think the $40 Sony mini CD player and a $20 pair of headphones sound great--better than an Ipod, I will say.  Sure, you have to have a CD and it takes batteries, and it is bulky and old-fashioned, but that sound is surprisingly good.                 

Hi Waker,

Great questions which I will let others answer but my comment is "sadly quality of audio has nothing to do with the direction we are moving for the vast majority of users".

james

[JimJ]

So, you get this music streamed to your hard drive from some huge ISP or a large room full of computers.

Or from a computer in your home, after downloading a copy from the band's site.

So there are people frantically ripping every CD ever made to computers so they can then stream it all over the world, or what?

The music might never have seen a CD...direct from the board to the 'net and the end user.

Does your hard drive "play" it as well as a dedicated CD player?

Is it stored and streamed so perfectly that it is as good as a hard copy?

Yep.

better than an Ipod, I will say.

Just curious, have you listened to an Ipod playing FLAC?

[brucek]

Anyway, it comes to you over a phone line or a cable via some number of file transfers and is now in your hard drive, but what is the quality of that data? Is it stored and streamed so perfectly that it is as good as a hard copy?

The quality of the source is presumed to be a perfect bit for bit representation of the original.
This is true as long as the source is not compressed.
If it's compressed and lossless, then it will be returned to a bit for bit representation of the original when it's reconstituted in your player software.
If the source is lossy format (mp3, etc), then it is certainly not of original quality.

You know the quality by the type of file extension that you're downloading.

The download process will not affect the bit quality of the data.

Does your hard drive "play" it as well as a dedicated CD player?

Yes, as long as your equipment is good. If you have a challenged computer, with a poor soundcard and a weak operating system for handling streaming media (read Windows XP), then your CD player would likely be the better choice. (Windows 7 and Vista are far superior at media handling).

All I know is that I can rip a CD that I bought to my computer and burn it to a blank disc for my car or for a friend.

+

--better than an Ipod, I will say.

When ripping CD's, again the equipment and software is important. Using FLAC format with a software ripper such as EAC, where it will correct scratches, etc, using error correction to obtain a perfect copy, then playing back with a player such as Foobar2000 using WASAPI (API exclusive mode) for Windows 7 or Vista, allowing bit-exact output, then ensuring you have a high end audio card feeding a decent DAC, will result in a sound that will rival a good CD player.

Too many people have limited their exposure to digital music by listening to some MP3 song on an ipod and have come to the conclusion that digital music is all bad. They're not comparing apples and apples.

brucek

[vegasdave]

Vinyl, baby, vinyl.

[JimJ]

Vinyl, baby, vinyl.

Yeah, there's no substitute, but sometimes I'm just lazy and want to put things on shuffle for a while

[vegasdave]

True. I get that way sometimes and switch to cd. I don't have a music server or an ipod!

[Mad Mr H]

I was being sarcastic....

Hi, I thought so, But the child in me reall wanted you to be serious, Just so I could have some fun.................

Am I right in reading you we using your Transporter as DAC... and so obviously the BDA-1 will kick its arse in that department.

Yes, (Im in UK) so I had Blu Ray, HD DVD, and "BT VISION" thats a UK tv service over roof aerial and the transporter. I used to have a BP25, then sold it to buy the Tranporter, that was already the second BP25, Currently on my third BP25 - Nothing wrong with anyof them, I just keep changing my mind then trying other things but keep going back to the BP25. Actually I am about to sell my BP25........What am I getting, I have a BP26mm/mc with MPS2 on route, This time I think I will keep it - You would think I would have learnt by now 

So why not use the Transporter as a transport into the BDA-1?

Have you tried this and if so I assume you prefer the BCD (as a transport) into the BDA-1 over the Transporter as a transport (i.e. using a level playing field of the same music played into the same DAC)?

Not yet, But I will connect it back up, I have lists of things to do, I am an AV engineer, I always have concepts/designs and little time to ever do anything about them, they include features to add to the BCD1 & BDA1.

As I say, I have yet to do this comparision myself but will be doing so shortly.

Peter

I look forward to reading your post/thread about this.

Andy.