[Nike T]

Hey guys, I'm thinking of getting an amp, but my dad is telling me that it won't be any use if I use my computer. I'll also be getting a DAC so that won't be a problem. Anyway, he tells me that to get the best I need to get a cd player, and not use my computer, using a computer with a DAC and amp is equal to putting garbage into the system. I'm using FLAC on my comp btw. I don't want to get a cd player because, it's one more piece I have to buy and also I don't think that it'll be very convenient for college use, which will come up soon.

So what's the consensus, would using the computer with FLAC files and a DAC deteriorate the quality of my music? I mean I don't mind if it's just a little bit less than a dedicated cd player or anything, but I want to know and tell him that using a computer is not equivalent to putting garbage through my system

 

[Ham Sandwich]

See the currently active thread *Sigh* maybe computer audio just can't cut it. Computer audio can cut it and equal a CD player if you have a proper DAC and proper software.

Computer as source is much more convenient for college. Keeping a bunch of CDs around for convenient play takes space that you won't always have. If you have to have CDs, keeping them stored in a box at the bottom of the closet won't steal valuable desk space or risk getting them "borrowed" by someone down the hall.

 

[KingStyles]

Computers done right can equal or surpass most cd players. Another forum to check out would be Computer Audiophile | High-End Audiophile Music Servers

 

[linuxworks]

another choice is to split it out; have the computer *serve files* (over the network) and have a realtime device (slimserver style box?) play the files.

you can't argue about windows or drivers or bit-perfect anymore, that way

older squeezeboxes are probably cheap enough. popcorn hour boxes (for a+v) also do the job. lots of media streamers are good enough for this.

then get a good dac and amp.

problem entirely solved.

throw OUT the damned cd players, guys!

I'm serious.

 

[tosehee]

I agree on the SB, but not on the popcorn hour. I have HDX1000 which is a variation of PCH, and the optical out perform is by far the worst that I heard so far. Also, it only plays only a certain file format.

Definitely, not a good dedicated streamer/player, IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif another choice is to split it out; have the computer *serve files* (over the network) and have a realtime device (slimserver style box?) play the files. you can't argue about windows or drivers or bit-perfect anymore, that way older squeezeboxes are probably cheap enough. popcorn hour boxes (for a+v) also do the job. lots of media streamers are good enough for this. then get a good dac and amp. problem entirely solved. throw OUT the damned cd players, guys! I'm serious.

 

[iriverdude]

Go for Squeezebox, brilliant device.

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tosehee /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree on the SB, but not on the popcorn hour. I have HDX1000 which is a variation of PCH, and the optical out perform is by far the worst that I heard so far. Also, it only plays only a certain file format. Definitely, not a good dedicated streamer/player, IMO.

I have the pch a100. it works ok in stereo spdif mode. I have some doubts on the quality of their spdif (more for bit amplitude scaling; not sample rate scaling) since they have known issues with dvd movies and proper volume control output. but on redbook cd audio (flac or mp3) it works pretty well.

not sure what file formats you run into that it can't handle. all audio formats I've tried work ok (mp3, flac, wav). it might not handle shorten style files but I stopped caring about those a long time ago and convert .shn to .flac when I find them.

it won't CONVERT dts audio, though; it only sends it out raw, so your dac would have to decode that (a 5.1 style dac usually can, though).

their coax-out is also non compliant (it does not use pulse trafos or ground isolation). the a100 has no opto out but the a110 and newer do.

 

[krmathis]

My believe is that a computer can make an excellent source. Rivaling the top end stand-alone CD players.
For that to happen you need a high quality external DAC, a bit-perfect audio player, and lossless files.

 

[KingStyles]

Quote:

My believe is that a computer can make an excellent source. Rivaling the top end stand-alone CD players. For that to happen you need a high quality external DAC, a bit-perfect audio player, and lossless files.

x2

 

[tosehee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif My believe is that a computer can make an excellent source. Rivaling the top end stand-alone CD players. For that to happen you need a high quality external DAC, a bit-perfect audio player, and lossless files.

I have all of what you wrote above, and I still think my transport (CD) is better than Mac Pro -> DAC.

In fact, I think Foobar on PC with WASAPI > Mac Pro using itunes.

and AE Optical Out == Foobar on PC w/ Wasapi.

I didn't compare CD s. AE Optical out vs. Foobar on PC w/ Wasapi.

All playing lossless files with 16/44.1 or 24/96+

Thus, I believe that there are still rooms to develop for PC as a transport to rival the dedicated CD Transport.

 

[Nike T]

lol, looked up the squeezebox transport, and I really don't think that I can afford that. Thanks for all the replies though, it helps, but what I really want to know, so I can tell him, is if I put a cd on the harddrive of my computer I'm not losing any of the information right? It will sound exactly like the cd is supposed to? I'll follow the thread you posted too, it seems like an interesting read

 

[iriverdude]

transporter is expensive, but it should as it's souped up analogue stage. Squeezebox V3 (classic) is pretty cheap, even cheaper if you buy the wired only version.

Yes if you rip CD to lossless it's exactly like the CD although you may want to create a cue file so it's exact (pre-gap and all)

 

[Nike T]

yea it looks pretty cool actuall, but right now I don't have the money for that. I'm limited to like $200-$300 at the moment, just enough to get a good dac and amp.

And I have cue sheets for my flacs, well I have them on the images that I have on my harddrive, but not the individual tracks on my computer. Is that much of a difference? I used EAC to create an image with a cue sheet and using react2 made individual flacs.

So thanks guys, now I can tell my dad that music files on my comp are exactly like music files on a cd. He wouldn't believe me...

 

[iriverdude]

Quote:

I'm limited to like $200-$300 at the moment, just enough to get a good dac and amp.

That'll just buy one sorry. Not sure how much Squeezebox classic is but I bought them each for about £160/170.

 

[Ham Sandwich]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nike T /img/forum/go_quote.gif And I have cue sheets for my flacs, well I have them on the images that I have on my harddrive, but not the individual tracks on my computer. Is that much of a difference? I used EAC to create an image with a cue sheet and using react2 made individual flacs. So thanks guys, now I can tell my dad that music files on my comp are exactly like music files on a cd. He wouldn't believe me...

That is the way to do it if you have HD space for both the CUE images and the FLAC files. The CUE images will be exact to the CD if using EAC, including gaps and pre-gaps. The split FLAC files will also be exact except for some special cases depending on how they are split.

Some (very few) CDs have audio in the gap area or pregap area of track 1 or have other tricks to have audio come before the actual beginning of the track. For live recordings this may include crowd noise or an introduction of the band. Wikipedia has an explanation of pregap. The hydrogen audio wiki has info as well. Also look up HTOA for Hidden Track One Audio.

The normal ripping mode is to append gaps to the previous track. So the gap that is on the CD between track 2 and 3 will be added to the end of track 2. When you play all the tracks for a CD in order you'll get the music as it was on the original CD with the gaps intact. Except for track 1. That's a tricky one. There is no previous track for track 1 to append the gap to (it would have to be appended to the end of track 0), so if there is audio in the gap area of track 1 that can be lost by many rippers.

So except for those special cases, ripping a CD gets you the same info as what is on the CD. Ripping to a CUE image in EAC will get you all of the info that is on the CD including the gaps (and HTOA if your drive supports it). The tricky part is splitting the CUE to individual FLAC files and keeping the gap info for track 1.