[eclein]

Ya think!.....hmmmm

[jtwrace]

They should give you the thumbs up emoticon and just call it "the eclair".

 

[Rclark]

oh how funny! Ah the perils of technology. It autocorrects spelling if you don't go slow. I was typing your name out and it made eclair. Lol?

 

[Mama Virtue]

Oh great, now your super wife will get you one.   

I heard a rumor....LOL Thanks for calling me super, but uh....New equipment over $200 requires much begging, bargaining and occasionally going behind my back  So no, J's Super wife will not be getting him a top loader anytime soon unless it just shows up on our doorstep in which case...there's generally a showdown....I usually win, he always says something about not being able to hear the new gear over the nagging????

Although, I have told him it is a 5 yr goal to get to point where he can buy anything in the $3000 range without begging. We'll see how that works out LOL

[Jonathon Janusz]

I don't know if this is the right thread, or this is out of left field, but...

If we are talking about Piano v.2, I was just thinking - seeing as Apple has decided we don't need optical media anymore (and there are a good number of folks who disagree and have mac minis in their music/entertainment systems), any chance of upgrading the transport to a DVD (bluray?) drive and putting a USB/firewire/thunderbird/whatever-the-flavor-of-the-month-is output on the Piano?  Might come in handy for some folks.  I know I'm not looking forward to having to buy (and find room on the shelf for) an outboard optical drive when I have to upgrade my computer soon. . . but a nice piece of audio gear with a DVD drive I could use for other stuff. . .?

[Jason T]

I don't know if this is the right thread, or this is out of left field, but...

If we are talking about Piano v.2, I was just thinking - seeing as Apple has decided we don't need optical media anymore (and there are a good number of folks who disagree and have mac minis in their music/entertainment systems), any chance of upgrading the transport to a DVD (bluray?) drive and putting a USB/firewire/thunderbird/whatever-the-flavor-of-the-month-is output on the Piano?  Might come in handy for some folks.  I know I'm not looking forward to having to buy (and find room on the shelf for) an outboard optical drive when I have to upgrade my computer soon. . . but a nice piece of audio gear with a DVD drive I could use for other stuff. . .?

Being that it was already hard to fit what we have in our player I seriously doubt fitting more processors inside is an option, but that's something Seth will have the final say on.
Personally I've never found a universal player I liked the analog outputs on.
If your looking for a simple universal player to use with a dac I would recommend Cambridge Audio. Or maybe Denon

I really like my Cambridge Audio DVD audio sacd player and I don't use it with a stand alone dac

[virtue]

Piano M2 will be coming but it will continue to be "old school."  You will be able to use our DAC with more universal players (ie. Blue Ray).  There's just too much technology in them for me to chase, license, and implement.  It's for bigger companies.

[jtwrace]

Seth,

I'm surprised you're going to even make a Cdp.  Why not put the focus into a dac (which you have in the works) with a Linux based player that is priced in the "virtual world"?

[Rclark]

because people still buy cdp's and he sold out of his stock 

For beginner audiophiles like myself, an audiophile quality cd player is the most non threatening entry into this sport.

 And until the whole shady business of hirez gets sorted out (FAKE hirez), and until I can get Mastodon and Wolfmother and Jay-Z, etc in ultra hi rez file form instead of just Mel Tor Me and Lawrence Welk I and everyone else will pass.

 I'm playing Sinatra right now, but might just as easily play some Cannibal Corpse or Pantera or NWA. Hirez has a long way to go before I stop buying cd's, and I'm not alone.

 Otherwise, it doesn't take much of a dac to just take an ipod feed and run with it.
 
 Ultimately, the CD is still king.

[eclein]

Rclark-Get yourself a Squeezebox Touch and try hi-rez like I am, its the same difference in audio speak as comparing a movie on DVD and Blu-Ray. When its good its really good, you may find the availability will increase and start to take off in the next couple years. Look at all the DAC's that under or around $500 that really do an exceptional job and people will start jumping on board as will bands, and the bigger places like HD Tracks might become in the next few years others will want a piece of the pie. I was skeptical until I heard Steely Dan "GAUCHO" an album I know very well and heard probably close to a thousand times and the difference in quality was incredible, everytime I hear it now in 24/96 brings out something new tonally and dynamically, the music now has more impact than before. I love it myself, keep your eyes open for one of your favs to do something hi-rez and try to check it out....

[OzarkTom]

Rclark-Get yourself a Squeezebox Touch and try hi-rez like I am, its the same difference in audio speak as comparing a movie on DVD and Blu-Ray. When its good its really good, you may find the availability will increase and start to take off in the next couple years. Look at all the DAC's that under or around $500 that really do an exceptional job and people will start jumping on board as will bands, and the bigger places like HD Tracks might become in the next few years others will want a piece of the pie. I was skeptical until I heard Steely Dan "GAUCHO" an album I know very well and heard probably close to a thousand times and the difference in quality was incredible, everytime I hear it now in 24/96 brings out something new tonally and dynamically, the music now has more impact than before. I love it myself, keep your eyes open for one of your favs to do something hi-rez and try to check it out....

 

But how about the Doors, Rider on the Storm?

[neekomax]

because people still buy cdp's and he sold out of his stock 

For beginner audiophiles like myself, an audiophile quality cd player is the most non threatening entry into this sport.

 And until the whole shady business of hirez gets sorted out (FAKE hirez), and until I can get Mastodon and Wolfmother and Jay-Z, etc in ultra hi rez file form instead of just Mel Tor Me and Lawrence Welk I and everyone else will pass.

 I'm playing Sinatra right now, but might just as easily play some Cannibal Corpse or Pantera or NWA. Hirez has a long way to go before I stop buying cd's, and I'm not alone.

 Otherwise, it doesn't take much of a dac to just take an ipod feed and run with it.
 
 Ultimately, the CD is still king.

+1 on CDs still being the best, most ubiquitous format, especially for an beginner audiophile. Put it this way; the amount of money and research it takes to upgrade DAC, transport, and digital player (computer or dedicated player) in order to have a system worthy of high resolution playback is a long ways off for the likes of myself and Rclark (hope I'm not being presumptuous). So if we're talking 'bang for your entry level buck', a good CD player has to be right behind speakers, amp, and preamp in terms of importance and sound quality return on investment (or SQROI  hey, new audiophile term!).

Personally, I'll be going either Oppo BD 93 for the universality (Blu-Ray especially) or something like the Virtue Piano or Emotiva ERC-2 for the dedicated quality per dollar.

I'll only consider upgrading DAC/computer/streaming device etc. after I know I have a good CDP. If I can get Red Book right, then I can move on to bigger and badder things. Or not, who knows?   

[eclein]

The great thing about this hobby is all the options you have, and the neat things you can try that won't break the bank. A digital player like a SB Touch even for full price which is $299.00 is the most cost effective way to easily try these things out thats why I mention it neekomax. A year or so ago I was right where you are and it was all about good CD playback first which the Piano solved right away. The touch has a DAC inside that will do 24/96 files natively and the sound quality is excellent, for that $299 you open yourself up to multiple options, the hi-rez, the streaming of your music, the streaming and discovery of hundreds of internet radio stations that playback hi-rez music if I'm not mistaken.
 I was forced economically to look for and buy inexpensive gear that still performed above its price point and beyond in some cases. The "biggest bang for you buck gear is out there" and every month when I read a new audio magazine, more and more products are coming out that are affordable, that get reviewed, that get people excited about and now that price bracket I'm in is where a great deal of new equipment is slotted and will sell, manufacturers are counting on that to stay in business. I'm not saying to "do this", or "Do that", I'm just saying this is a great time to be starting out in this hobby I think and if somebody as crazy and dense as I am can put together a decent sounding setup like I hope I have then anybody can. Try everything if you can, its a blast!!!!
  Ozark is the tune even out anywhere in hi-rez??????

[neekomax]

The great thing about this hobby is all the options you have, and the neat things you can try that won't break the bank. A digital player like a SB Touch even for full price which is $299.00 is the most cost effective way to easily try these things out thats why I mention it neekomax. A year or so ago I was right where you are and it was all about good CD playback first which the Piano solved right away. The touch has a DAC inside that will do 24/96 files natively and the sound quality is excellent, for that $299 you open yourself up to multiple options, the hi-rez, the streaming of your music, the streaming and discovery of hundreds of internet radio stations that playback hi-rez music if I'm not mistaken.
 I was forced economically to look for and buy inexpensive gear that still performed above its price point and beyond in some cases. The "biggest bang for you buck gear is out there" and every month when I read a new audio magazine, more and more products are coming out that are affordable, that get reviewed, that get people excited about and now that price bracket I'm in is where a great deal of new equipment is slotted and will sell, manufacturers are counting on that to stay in business. I'm not saying to "do this", or "Do that", I'm just saying this is a great time to be starting out in this hobby I think and if somebody as crazy and dense as I am can put together a decent sounding setup like I hope I have then anybody can. Try everything if you can, its a blast!!!!
  Ozark is the tune even out anywhere in hi-rez??????

Thanks eclein. As it happens, a guy from AC offered to lend me a Squeezebox 3 for me to try in my system  . Should be getting it next week. I am very keen to see what sq difference I hear from 1) Apple TV that I stream with now, and 2) the CDP that I'm using now. I'll also try and download a few Hi Rez tracks, hopefully music I'm familiar with, so that I can hear what these sound like through the SB3.

This guy is way cool to make the offer! 

[Rclark]

Let us know how that goes!

And guys, for me, I need to see the technology mature a bit more and become more reliable in terms of what you're buying as a product. I have no measuring gear and have no way of discovering whether or not the material I'm downloading is nothing more than fake, upsampled cd music. I'll wait until there's way more selection, and also that the product is legit.

 Until then, I'll keep pumping money into my system. I'm almost done. Mods to my MMG's in DEC, followed by probably an OB servo sub (yay!), batteries, perhaps a Warpspeed as a preamp, possibly a Dodd buffer,possibly a bigger amp (Three?), then room treatment, then power conditioning,... oh, who am I fooling, I'm nowhere near finished with my stereo build.

 But once all that is squared away, then I can take a look at moving into hirez.

[jtwrace]

because people still buy cdp's and he sold out of his stock 

For beginner audiophiles like myself, an audiophile quality cd player is the most non threatening entry into this sport.

 And until the whole shady business of hirez gets sorted out (FAKE hirez), and until I can get Mastodon and Wolfmother and Jay-Z, etc in ultra hi rez file form instead of just Mel Tor Me and Lawrence Welk I and everyone else will pass.

 I'm playing Sinatra right now, but might just as easily play some Cannibal Corpse or Pantera or NWA. Hirez has a long way to go before I stop buying cd's, and I'm not alone.

 Otherwise, it doesn't take much of a dac to just take an ipod feed and run with it.
 
 Ultimately, the CD is still king.

Computer based systems aren't all about Hi Rez though.     The quality and convenience of them make them superior IMO.  Also, there is no doubt that most manufacturers are stoping proudction on Cdp's and going the Dac route.  Cd's are becoming a thing of the past...

[virtue]

Well, today most hi-rez material is burned and upsampled from CD anyway.  That will change but not quickly.  There is still room in the market for good transports (ask Cambridge).  But as the units become more multi-function and high-tech, it's hard to add value to the core transport.  So we'll offer a DAC for those folks as well.

[JohnR]

Cd's are becoming a thing of the past...

You know, I actually thought that. But then some friends came over a couple of weeks ago with... some CDs. Loading them onto the computer was a PITA. Who needs 32 new "albums" in iTunes each with 1 or 2 tracks in them?? I put the CD player back into the system and last night had another visitor with... some CDs - easy as pie.

Same thing when I borrow CDs from the library. It's free, a great way to try new music. It's just simpler to stick 'em in the drawer.

Yes it's a Piano 

[brother love]

I have the privilege of owning the Virtue Audio combo Piano M1/ Sensation M451 with Dodd tube buffer & GR Research N3 transmission line speakers that I think are awesome beyond words.    I have a large CD collection already & like JohnR,  I get tons of CD’s from the library to supplement what I don’t buy.

If I was starting anew, or had very limited quarters then I would go the computer/ DAC/ digital music file route.  But in my case, neither applies, so the thought of ripping all my CD’s to a hard drive & backing that up seems like a royal pain in the arse. 

I’ve got some concerts, etc. on mp3 & wav files, but I rarely listen to them on our iPod or iMac (my wife does though).  When I listen to music, it is typically in the confines of my home with my stereo set-up, as it sounds superior & is super-duper good for the money invested.

I have always been late to the dance re: audio technology.  I find that overall it has served me well since I am (& always will be) a budget audiophile.  Cutting edge new technology usually comes with higher costs, limited choices, & many bugs/ quirkiness to work through/ around.

I like to keep it simple & spend time listening to music, not futzing around with the equipment, media, etc..  To each their own though.  And I will confess that I am interested in the DAC that Seth is working on in conjunction with maybe a used Mac Mini.  I’ll get there eventually, just not in a rush to do it.

[neekomax]

1) Spotify and other streaming services are just plain awesome, especially when used in conjunction with an application like Airfoil, which allows you to stream any audio to your main system. Worlds of music. Bam.


2) But in terms of best sound quality, I think CDs are where it's at, as described before. Again, unless you've spent some coin on your computer/streaming/DAC setup. My CDs sound better than my AIFF/AAC/Mp3 files streamed to Apple TV, of which I have many.