[audio_juggernaut]

Two Questions!
(Disclaimer: the aforementioned “setup” is completely theoretical and would be bought piece by piece as my budget allows.)

I plan to build my audio setup in the next few months. I eventually plan to have a pair of HD-600's(I already do, just need to buy replacement elements), Chaintech AV-710 either the PPX3 (maybe 6sn7) or the Bithead. Out of 10 what would this setup be in your opinion?

With that mentioned setup, what would be the appropriate audio codec to start encoding all of my files so I have a comprehensive media library by the time I can afford to buy every piece of this pricy hobby? Musepack? How would it do with the mentioned setup? Or is the quality of the setup mentioned so good that lossless is the only appropriate codec to use? I really need direction on this topic..

Thanks in advance,
aj

 

[tiberian]

i guess the ppx3 is going to be an overkill, of course you can get an emu later on...
there are many lossless codecs out there i guess anyone will do...well i am no expert because i use wav files.

i don't know how to rate the system tho...sorry. everyone has his or her own standard.

 

[Mr.Radar]

The PPX3 is very overkill for that source and the BitHead should only be bought if you need a moderate-quality DAC (you don't since the Chaintech has a decnet one) + an entry level/portable amp (the Airhead uses the exact same amp design and IMHO both are overpriced for their quality, you can get much more for that price if you get a DIY amp or a Headsave).

As for the codec, it's really up to you. If you wan to go lossy then you should do some ABX tests (check out www.hydrogenaudio.org for more info on that) to see which bitrate/codec works best for you. If you do want to go lossless (which, besides the quality, has many other benefits such as a perfect backup of the disc, and not having to worry about encoding settings as much) then I reccomend FLAC or Monkey's Audio (.APE). FLAC is slower to encode but is very fast to decode, is an open standard, has hardware support, and is supported by a lot of software players, however it doesn't compress as small as Monkey's Audio.

 

[NightWoundsTime]

I haven't heard the Chaintech but from its reputation it should be alright. My basic feeling is that amp & headphones will make the biggest shift in your sound, with the source filling in all the details. The Chaintech won't have the tonal balance and detail retreival of a better source but it will have a passable sound that the rest of your setup will benefit from. The hd-600's and PPX3 are a wonderful match, one of the best around IMO. Also for solid state check out any of the Emmeline amps (Including SR-71). If you don't want the added hassle of tubes that's definitely a good option. Stay away from all but the best DIY stuff (loaded PPA) as I feel like none of them have the needed power to make the 600's happy.

Definitely consider an EMU if you can pull it. The Chaintech may have a good reputation but that's mostly due to the price. The Chaintech is a good way to match a budget stand-alone for a fraction of the cost. The EMU is a good way to match a high end stand-alone for the same fraction.

EDIT: Also please post what type of music you listen to. This makes the biggest difference in system matching.

 

[shimage]

I'm not going to rate your "system", since 1) I don't feel qualified to do it, and 2) it's subjective anyway. If you're absolutely sure that you're never going to get a portable, I would go with musepack (nominally 160 kb/s, but mine tended to be larger). It's pretty much unbeatable on computers (or was, at any rate). I tried to ABX standard files and just couldn't despite being able to ABX the same samples encoded into ogg vorbis q6 (~192 kb/s) and lame aps (~224 kb/s).

If there's a portable in your future, it's probably better to use either lossless or the codec you intend to use on the portable, though I've been told that transcoding from mpc isn't as bad as one might think (the algorithms are such that it throws away different things than what mp3 thows away, so the errors tend to not be compounded).

As I've stated before, in a lot of cases hearing artifacts is largely an issue of knowing what to look for. For instance, I'm particularly sensitive to pre-echo, which mpc has none of (which perhaps explains my choice of codec...). The people that tune the codecs don't use particularly expensive hardware. In fact, iirc last I checked (admittedly a few years ago), garf was using HD590s unamped. That said, I know of a lot of people that thought that 128 kb/s was fine until they got decent headphones...

 

[audio_juggernaut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NightWoundsTime EDIT: Also please post what type of music you listen to. This makes the biggest difference in system matching.

I listen to some classical music but mostly rock and roll. Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and some newer rock.

Perhaps I should consider upgrading from a Chaintech to an E-MU. What are the main differences between the 0404 and the 1212m (Besides the obvious difference, the price

)?

Edit: This might me look really obtuse but what does DAC stand for?

 

[Jasper994]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audio_juggernaut Perhaps I should consider upgrading from a Chaintech to an E-MU. What are the main differences between the 0404 and the 1212m (Besides the obvious difference, the price )? Edit: This might me look really obtuse but what does DAC stand for?

I haven't heard it but the impressions I've read suggest that the 0404 might be a bit better with rock. I think the 1212m rocks very well so I'm not really sure what to say on that. Try and get a few different opinions I guess. The thing is I don't think many people have tried both...

DAC stands for Digital to Analog Converter

going the other direction you have

ADC which stands for Analog to Digital Converter

-EDIT-

With the cost of hard drives these days, and the fact that foobar will do conversions for you, there's no good reason to not use a lossless codec on your home PC. Just use EAC to rip and compress to .APE or .FLAC and then use foobar if you want to convert down to MP3 for portable uses. Foobar can even burn CD's now so why go lossy, if you want compelation CD's it's always best to have the tracks at original quality.

-2nd Edit-

BTW, for what it's worth: Don't sell yourself short by getting the chaintech. It's obvious by the other gear you're looking at that you really care about the sound quality of your music. The Chaintech is a great budget source, but you'll end up upgrading it anyway. The E-MU's are better all the way around and worth way more than they cost. You do see some people using the Chaintech with associated very nice gear, but that's with the DAC1 (Iron_Dreamer for example) which has VERY good jitter reduction.

 

[NightWoundsTime]

Indeed I forgot to tell you to just go lossless for now. Don't limit yourself in the future. With the level of phones and amp you're looking at you WILL hear the difference even if you don't now.

For Rock the 600's may not be your best bet. Or you may need seperate phones. I'm strongly considering Grado 225's to fill in where the 600's just won't go. I've found that large headphones that claim to be good for rock just compromise in too many other areas. For the majority of beatles, dylan, and pink floyd you'll be fine with the HD-600. If by "newer" rock you mean anything with crunch, it won't quite be up to par. Part of that though is the bad recording of modern rock.

Looks like the research you're doing is leading you down a very nice path. I've taken a few steps to get to where I'm at, but that's part of the fun I guess. Stay away from meets though, they're evil

 

[clarke68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audio_juggernaut I eventually plan to have a pair of HD-600's(I already do, just need to buy replacement elements), Chaintech AV-710 either the PPX3 (maybe 6sn7) or the Bithead.

I've never heard the PPX3, but by all accounts it's fabulous. Having just bought an amp for around half the price of a PPX3 that I'm completely happy with, I'll hop on the "PPX is overkill" bandwagon also.

Quote:

Originally Posted by audio_juggernaut This might me look really obtuse but what does DAC stand for?

"Digital/Analog Converter". Simply put, its the part of a cd player (or sound card, or whatever) that turns 1s and 0s into music. Just another option to spin your head: for the price of a PPX3 you could get a dedicated DAC and a cheaper amp (like a Headsave Classic or maybe a Gilmore Lite). The Chaintech, from what I've read, has a good digital out.