[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth The easiest way is when you want to listen to a disc, rip at the same time. Over time all your discs will be ripped. That is, if you listen with your comp.

Or, if you're going to be on the computer anyway (maybe checking out Head-fi), get a dozen or so cd and rip while you browse. If you have it set to automatically import and eject, you don't even have to pay attention.

I was already using the computer for my ipod, so I figured I might as well turn it into my headphone system as well. I'm sure I could have spent a lot more on a highend DAC but I'm completely satisfied with the sound I'm getting.

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sovkiller Maybe if your job is being sit full time in front of the PC doing that, but after working 8 hours, driving a few more, taking a shower, sleeping, taking care of the family, tell me how the hell I could be more efficient ripping?????

Sounds like you have lots of suggestions above.

So much for no one getting butt hurt

The stress of life...

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Pak Even after reading Audiogon, seems more and more people are moving to computer as transport. Heck even hifi companies have caught on; one of my favorites Bel Canto Design has added USB to their $2500 DAC. We're headed in the right direction. Once USB to I2S kicks off things will really be rolling.

I didn't notice that trend on Audiogon. Look at the people's systems. There are very few servers and mostly CD/SACD and LP's for front ends.

I hope that the sound quality can improve on music servers and think it's only a matter of time (ala digital cameras). If it even gets close to what CD players can offer, I will be onboard. I don't understand all the complaints about the hastle with it. iamdone's set up made me jelous. Very convenient to say the least. Once everything is loaded, it would be the way I would want to play music. I hate the 1 CD at a time grind.

Of course I will keep my turntable because I think digital will have a hard time matching that at least in the near future since even SACD suffers from "digitalisis".

 

[Zanth]

This is a pretty interesting topic. Perhaps someone would like to start a new one and I can move these posts over to it? This way we can get back on topic.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 iamdone's set up made me jelous. Very convenient to say the least. Once everything is loaded, it would be the way I would want to play music. I hate the 1 CD at a time grind.

Sorry. Yeah, I've got an iMac with the remote and FrontRow and the airport express across the room. Very nice to just relax and have over 15,000 songs at your fingertips. Also, I think the Mapletree amp helped any harshness you were hearing.

I believe Apple's iTV coming out next year will also turn any tv into the FrontRow experience, pretty much a giant ipod and with a digital out and a great DAC, you've got a pretty good computer based system.

 

[robm321]

The title says it all. This was started on the GS-1000 thread in the "headphone forum".

 

[robm321]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanth This is a pretty interesting topic. Perhaps someone would like to start a new one and I can move these posts over to it? This way we can get back on topic.

How about moving it here: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...81#post2421381 - Thanks!

 

[Duggeh]

I use my computer as a source for 3 reasons secondarily.

1)Song & Album & Artist access convenience, everything is just a couple of clicks away.
2)Mechanics, I dont have to get up and goto the CD rack and fiddle with hardware to get the sound out.
3)Transferability and availibility. I can share music with other people more rapidly and more easily.

Primarily though, its because i have a computer and dont own a CD player. Although I forsee buying a DAC before a CDP.

 

[iamdone]

One big advantage is you also borrow your friends and family's cds to expand your collection. If you backup your hard drive, you can also sell your cds if you don't care about the cd inserts. I actually only glance at them one time when I first rip and that's it.

If you want spend some money, check out Empircal Audio. I ran across their site when I was looking at any upgrades to the Airport Express. For $1200 for their wifi solution, I'll pass but I can see some people willing to buy it.

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/

 

[blessingx]

Most stand alone DACs can be hooked up to either. Makes a good chunk of the debate mute if you ask me. Yes, there are still differences on "transports" (loosely defined), but enough to state one is clearly superior to the other? Oh, but I envision a jitter debate coming.

ALAC/MacBook optical to DA10 here. Quiet and FrontRow w/remote.

BTW, this thread is in the computer forum. Do you expect to get component people?

 

[Sovkiller]

rob, this is a dead horse here in headfi, if you want to keep on beating it, it is up to you, just do a search and you will see, that was why this section: "computers as source" was created long time ago, to avoid this kind of discussions, and in order that the PC lovers had a place to discuss in peace, and the others as well....This thread will end in the mud war as the others with topics like the cable believers vs the skeptics, power cord beleivers vs the skeptics, tubes vs solid state, digital media (CD) vs analog setups (LP) and so on.....guys do you never get tired of going over the same topics time after time...We have new heapdhones, new amps, for God sake, but discussing the same, time after time!!!!! yadayadayadayada......

 

[regal]

Computers have more jitter whether using a souncard's digital out or using USB. I have read that the jitter on a USB-I2S DAC is high but centered around 1khz which somefind less offensive than SPDIF jitter. I have no knowledge of these separate boxes that connect via ethernet.

I use a computer as transport but only out of convenience, in terms of audio quality it is at about the same level as a $50 DVD transport.

 

[uofmtiger]

The reason was mentioned above. I can access any of my music in seconds. I also network my music, so I can access it via a media player (Linkplayer) or computer from anywhere in the house. In other words, it is more convenient.

I am happy with the sound quality because I rip to lossless, run it out of the computer in digital form, and use a Behringer SRC2496 (which has some jitter control) to upsample and get it to my receiver. In other words, it sounds great, too.

 

[warpdriver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 ha ha this is getting silly. Well, every PC based system I've heard was inferior to a simple sub $1K CD player, and not by a little bit. So, I won't try to argue anymore and simply say until I hear a PC based system that even comes close to an average dedicated CD player (redbook, not even SACD or DVD-A), I will stick to the stand alone players or transport-DAC combos.

I'd say any good DAC (Grace or Benchmark minus headphone section) connected to a PC with decent digital source soundcard rivals or beats any $2K CD player on the market as far as redbook.

I think my Micro DAC/Emu + my PC rivals or beats any $500-$700 player I've heard recently (NAD, Cambridge Audio 640, Rotel 1055)

Honestly, I don't think this is a topic worth arguing about as it has been beaten to death many times. I appreciate both types of sources for their uses. I think you can build a top class system using either approach.

 

[regal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by warpdriver I'd say any good DAC (Grace or Benchmark minus headphone section) connected to a PC with decent digital source soundcard rivals or beats any $2K CD player on the market as far as redbook. I think my Micro DAC/Emu + my PC rivals or beats any $500-$700 player I've heard recently (NAD, Cambridge Audio 640, Rotel 1055) Honestly, I don't think this is a topic worth arguing about as it has been beaten to death many times. I appreciate both types of sources for their uses. I think you can build a top class system using either approach.

I wish this were true but soundcards my friend has been measuring are in the nanosecond level for jitter where any decent CDP is 1/3 as much. Soundcard clocks are in the stone ages as far as audiophile equipment is concerned.