[Lux Nocte]

I got a few headphones to start my hifi journey; wondering if it would be better to rip my music from CDs or purchase it from resources like hdtracks. Thanks!

 

[NA Blur]

CD should be fine as long as the recordings you have sound decent. I grab most of my stuff online and have no need for high res files as I cannot hear the difference between them and CD quality. For me it is more about the recording than the file size and resolution.
 
What types of music do you like? Perhaps a few of us can suggest some good tracks to get your collection rolling.

 

[Mython]

I got a few headphones to start my hifi journey; wondering if it would be better to rip my music from CDs or purchase it from resources like hdtracks. Thanks!

 
 
The biggest factor in sound quality from digital files is how well-recorded and how well-mastered the albums are. A lot of Hi-Res albums are mastered no better than their CD counterparts, so please don't be fooled into believing that HD files invariably sound better than CD rips.
 
 
Sometimes they do.
 
Surprisingly often, they don't.
 
You have to check for each individual album, on a case-by-case basis, which is a PITA, but that's just the way the music industry currently is <SHRUGS>
 
Also, please be careful that some albums being sold as Hi-Res downloads, are actually just upsampled from Redbook (CD-quality 16bit 44.1khz) digital files, which is an outrageous and disgusting rip-off, and, in my opinion, should be illegal, yet the law currently seems to be turning a blind eye to this disingenuous behaviour.

 

[NA Blur]

Here are some files you can find on iTunes that are very well recorded and will floor you in regards to their sound quality. It is amazing how good music can sound in mp3,mp4, and other compressed formats. I routinely get feedback in regards to how awesome my gear sounds, but in the end it is a compressed file behind it all.
 
Artist:  Nuclear Ramjet
Album:  Fahrenheit Project Part Two
Track:  Folding Time
 
Artist:  Giovanni Lodigiani
Album:  Best of Summer Lounge
Track:  Bolero Boulevard
 
Artist:  Patricia Barber
Album:  Verse
Track:  Lost in This Love
 
Artist:  Yiorgos Psihoyios
Album:  Yiorgos Psihoyios In Paris
Track:  Manouche Mamma (Encore)

 

[Lux Nocte]

@Mython So how exactly can I go about comparing the quality of a CD with no audio quality info in its description with a set of files I can only sample?

For example: One album I am looking into getting is Currency of Man by Melody Gardot. Hdtracks has samples noticably better quality than amazon's (Which I can't tell if they come from CD ripped files or straight from amazon music)

So yeah, I see how this can be a pain.

@NA Blur Thanks I'll look into that

 

[NA Blur]

If you do end up ripping your CD collections be sure to take your time because when I ripped my collection using iTunes it introduced artifacts if I ripped more than 4 tracks at a time. Yeah it took forever, but I got artifact-free rips. I am sure there are more efficient rippers out there that you can find for a few bucks or even free.

 

[Mython]

@Mython So how exactly can I go about comparing the quality of a CD with no audio quality info in its description with a set of files I can only sample?

 
 
You can ask around on SteveHoffman's forum, although, understandably, it's primarily intended for discussing albums that have actually been mastered by Hoffman himself.
 
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/forums/music-corner.2/
 
 
Also see:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/784602/chord-mojo-the-official-thread-please-read-the-3rd-post/10350#post_12300388
 
 
and this site can sometimes be helpful:
 
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/forum/
 
 

 
 
 
I'm sure other Head-fiers will offer you more suggestions, too

 

[Mython]

  If you do end up ripping your CD collections be sure to take your time because when I ripped my collection using iTunes it introduced artifacts if I ripped more than 4 tracks at a time. Yeah it took forever, but I got artifact-free rips. I am sure there are more efficient rippers out there that you can find for a few bucks or even free.

 
 
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