[Guy 13]

Hi all.
After reading many topics on Audio Circle I've noticed that there is an increasing number of audiophiles that are adopting the laptop as their source, instead of the CD - LP. I was wondering if the compressed files of a computer is now equal to any good CD or LP ? ? ? ?
If the laptop is so popular (You see them, even in the audio shows feeding expensive hi end gear.) is it because audiophile are getting lazy and with a laptop they don't have to get up every 20 minutes to flip the LP or every 30 minutes to change the CD ?
Guy 13.

[Niteshade]

The computer works great as a playback and recording device for music. I have transferred several cassettes and LP's with a Beheringer DAC to the computer. The output is every bit as good as the source in a high end system.

Note: I think it is a good idea to get a DAC that can record as well as play, especially if you have a vinyl or cassette collection.

[pumpkinman]

Lp to cd ?  What about Reel to Reel, 8 Track, Cassette, DAT, Mini Disc I even recorded on VHS tape
We forgot a couple of formats. In the 70's I even had a 8 track recorder.

[Guy 13]

Lp to cd ?  What about Reel to Reel, 8 Track, Cassette, DAT, Mini Disc I even recorded on VHS tape
We forgot a couple of formats. In the 70's I even had a 8 track recorder.

Hi pumpkinman !
Yes, you are right, so many formats have come and go, what the future will bring us ? ? ?
Maybe USB key with 8 hours of premium quality music.
At 62 years old, I might live long enough to see that.
I remember getting installed a new 8 tracks player that was two times more expensive than my old Ford Comet 63.
Guy 13.

[Bemopti123]

This biggest + from computer based audio is the accessibility of gigantic number of tracks at one's finger tips...vs the probability of possibly laser/transport failure of a CD drive after years of service. 

The key in this is making sure there is a back up in case of library HD failure and the DAC that processes the signals for audio consumption. 

In retrospect, a CD transport+DAC might be a good alternative in most systems but once one gets a taste of a huge music library, it is difficult to go back to standard transport based audio. 

LP is a entirely different ball game...being that the format has an entirely different, broader bandwidth.  So, most LP reproduction sound DECISIVELY better than digital format. 

Tapes?  Gosh, I have not played tapes for at least 4 years or more.  It is over. 

[wilbert-vanbakel]

Recently I converted my CD's to my iPod Touch 64GB and use that as single audio source. I'm researching a solution based on a nettop PC, like the MSI Wind Nettop. Consider these solutions like large CD changers. The advantage is that it also connects to the internet and services like pandora.com, napster.com and last.fm. You listen commercial free and you are able to explore new music. Oh, by the way: cancel your cable/satellite and stop watching commercials.Get Netflix streamed over the internet.

[Guy 13]

This biggest + from computer based audio is the accessibility of gigantic number of tracks at one's finger tips...vs the probability of possibly laser/transport failure of a CD drive after years of service. 

The key in this is making sure there is a back up in case of library HD failure and the DAC that processes the signals for audio consumption. 

In retrospect, a CD transport+DAC might be a good alternative in most systems but once one gets a taste of a huge music library, it is difficult to go back to standard transport based audio. 

LP is a entirely different ball game...being that the format has an entirely different, broader bandwidth.  So, most LP reproduction sound DECISIVELY better than digital format. 

Tapes?  Gosh, I have not played tapes for at least 4 years or more.  It is over.

Hi Bemopti123.
Even, if up to know, I never thought of using a computer as my audio music source,
You sure have a point here :
From a finger tips you have access to hundred, even ten of thousands of songs.
However, my main concern is : How’s the sonic quality of a compressed computer files
compare to the well recorded CD ? ? ?
As you mentioned, LP is a different story, but I could store on the hard disc the information for saving the LP
from ware and keeping the LP for special occasions.
Guy 13 

[eclein]

The laptop I own (using wav files) and the Squeezebox Duet via a tube DAC sound so close to CD quality its a thin line and getting thinner. As mentioned, I can sit in my recliner with an ipod touch and control all the music, internet radio etc I want with just a touch of my finger. I can play any song, album, artist and instantly change my mind to change that selection in seconds...no cleaning, no bending over,
its like I've said before "computer based audio elevates lounging to an art form!!" I recently was considering trying out vinyl...but I don't have room to store even a modest library or the inclination to clean meticulously each record before playing. I know that vinyl probably sounds really good but I'm sticking with my method of buying used CD's, importing them as wav files onto my laptop and accessing them via my Squeezebox. If I want to do critical listening I put a CD in my PS3 and run that through my DAC also....I have an external USB hard drive to back up my music library and its just so much easier and more enjoyable....IMHO

[srb]

However, my main concern is : How’s the sonic quality of a compressed computer files compare to the well recorded CD ? ? ?

The files do not have to be compressed with a loss of fidelity.  If ripped from a CD, they can be in WAV or AIFF uncompressed format, or in ALAC or FLAC lossless compression format for saving some hard drive space.
 
If you download from the Apple iTunes store, the files will be compressed with a loss of fidelity.  Other music file vendor sites, like www.hdtracks.com sell lossless compression files at CD and higher resolutions.
 
Steve

[kingdeezie]

If you convert the files properly onto your hard drive from a CD, be it well recorded or poorly recorded, the results should be identical as using that same CD in a CD player if the same DAC is used.

Some people would say that depending on what CD player you are using, it makes more sense to go the hard drive route based on price/performance ratio.

Top quality CD transports can be very expensive compared to setting up a music server that is computer based.

In fact, if you have already have a computer in the house somewhere, which most of us on here do considering we are internet forum posting, then you can step into the music server game for very cheap with one of the Squeezebox options.

The ability to control all of your digital music from the comfort of your chair is very nice.

However, I do love my analog, so IMO getting up to flip sides is totally worth it, but there are days, especially after coming home from 12+ hour work days that I like to loaf and listen.

[Gopher]

I actually prefer the sound of my Squeezebox Touch and EEMM Sabre 32 DAC to the high dollar cd players I've owned.  It is a lot easier to get exceptional digital sound these days with some very good sub $1000 DACs.  For me it is not a laziness thing, although the convenience is amazing. 

[PSB Guy]

There are plenty of people, myself included, that will tell you that computer-based playback can be better than CD-based playback, and you don't have to break the bank. If you rip the files to an uncompressed format like WAV or AIFF, use error correction, and have a good DAC, the results are spectacular. 

[Guy 13]

There are plenty of people, myself included, that will tell you that computer-based playback can be better than CD-based playback, and you don't have to break the bank. If you rip the files to an uncompressed format like WAV or AIFF, use error correction, and have a good DAC, the results are spectacular. 

Hi.
Now you guys have dome it again !
You are again writing your thread in Chinese.
Can some one explain the meaning of these abreviations ?
EEMM, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC...
Some of us and not all of us are programmer or computers guru !
It would also be nice, if someone could give us some guidance on which road to take to download, transfer, etc.. uncomprerssed high quality music to a computer. I might give it a try with the computer I am working on now.
Simple words please.
Guy 13.

[wilbert-vanbakel]

Simple words please.

Basically, we mention uncompressed audio files (WAV, AIFF), which are one-one copies of the songs as stored on audio CD's. Resulting in large file sizes: a regular CD holds up to about 650 MB. Then we also mention lossless compressed audio files, like FLAC, no audio information is lost, it's possible to reproduce an exact copy of the CD. File size is half of the original. When you consider a computer system as audio source, then storage and file size need to be reviewed. (Just like for storing 30.000 CD's in your living room)

[Don_S]

.wav for me.  Memory is cheap and I don't need portability.

[eclein]

+1 wav

[PSB Guy]

Personally, my system is resolving enough to tell the difference between uncompressed formats like WAV and AIFF and lossless formats like FLAC. I'm not sure why, it might have something to do with the system having to uncompress on the fly. Even if the difference is psychological, storage these days is very cheap - my not too sizable collection of just over 700 CDs fit comfortably onto 350 GB of hard drive space in AIFF format. Portability-wise, that means that almost half my stuff will fit onto my Ipod for listening in the car. I wouldn't touch lossy compression with a ten foot pole - sounds like cr*p to me.

[JRace]

Hi.
Now you guys have dome it again !
You are again writing your thread in Chinese.
Can some one explain the meaning of these abreviations ?
EEMM, WAV, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC...
Some of us and not all of us are programmer or computers guru !
It would also be nice, if someone could give us some guidance on which road to take to download, transfer, etc.. uncomprerssed high quality music to a computer. I might give it a try with the computer I am working on now.
Simple words please.
Guy 13.

You need to rip the music from the CD to the hard-drive.
You have many options. DB Power amp is a flexible program and does secure rips (less chance of skips or errors coming through).

You can do uncompressed (.wav) or compressed, (.flac, .mp3 etc).

The biggest benift to using either .flac or .mp3 is tagging. And tagging is what makjes computer-based playback superior to traditional methods. I can browse my entire collection by Artist, Album, Year, Genre, etc.

Using .flac (Free Lossless Audio Codec) your music will be identical in sound quality and have tags.

Next you must have a good playback chain, do not expect the analogue outputs will be sufficient, either use a USB DAC, external USB soundcard or if you have a digital out on the computer send that to your DAC.

[timind]

You need to rip the music from the CD to the hard-drive.
You have many options. DB Power amp is a flexible program and does secure rips (less chance of skips or errors coming through).

You can do uncompressed (.wav) or compressed, (.flac, .mp3 etc).

The biggest benift to using either .flac or .mp3 is tagging. And tagging is what makjes computer-based playback superior to traditional methods. I can browse my entire collection by Artist, Album, Year, Genre, etc.

Using .flac (Free Lossless Audio Codec) your music will be identical in sound quality and have tags.

Next you must have a good playback chain, do not expect the analogue outputs will be sufficient, either use a USB DAC, external USB soundcard or if you have a digital out on the computer send that to your DAC.

I know you are trying to be helpful...but to the uninitiated that is more "Chinese."
Anyone know of a good tutorial?

[Niteshade]

I keep my CD music on CD because it is convenient enough for me that way. 

The software I have been using to digitize LP's and other audio sources is Audacity. I have Lame installed on an IBM Dual Opteron 1U server to make MP3's and for archiving.