[Rensek]

A custom finish on the bulk of the chassis shouldn't be too hard or price prohibitive.
But what about the labels for the buttons, selected input etc.? That's where the idea falls apart IMO.

I edited my post to include custom skins as an option, that would take care of the labels.

And Im just referring to the cover, not the chassis/casework. That can stay as is IMO.

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

I know this is addressed elsewhere on the web in general, and I'm sure on head-fi as well, but I'm a little surprised no one else has responded to the above comments regarding Windows 10 audio settings. I thought when playing digital audio from any PC that the goal was to keep the OS out of it, avoid upsampling, and stream "bit perfect" to the DAC. Windows doesn't make that easy to do, so I'd appreciate any advice.

The best advice I can give you is to get yourself a CD transport and listen to the CDs directly. You will be amazed at how much better it sounds compared to streaming.

JC

 

[zstokes]

The best advice I can give you is to get yourself a CD transport and listen to the CDs directly. You will be amazed at how much better it sounds compared to streaming.

JC

That's folly. I know they sound better but it's not practical.

Get a good, separate-from-your-computer streamer with little USB noise and carry on. It'll sound 90% as good as CDs without having to actually buy CDs.

 

[mintshows]

That's folly. I know they sound better but it's not practical.

Get a good, separate-from-your-computer streamer with little USB noise and carry on. It'll sound 90% as good as CDs without having to actually buy CDs.

I don't quite get this here, but maybe I'm missing something. The stream (assuming lossless) will have literally the exact same bits that are encoded onto the CD. Any differences in sound won't be due to the CD or the lossless file, but the equipment they're processed through. Streaming a file to a really great DAC should sound just as good as CD being played with a good DAC right?

 

[Alcophone]

The best advice I can give you is to get yourself a CD transport and listen to the CDs directly. You will be amazed at how much better it sounds compared to streaming.

JC

I wish people who claim this would be more specific, because I'm simultaneously curious and skeptical.

Which transport and which streamer? Or do all transports sound better than all streamers? Which digital output was used (both coax, both TOSLINK or a mix, same cables or a mix)? Into what DAC? Which streaming service was used, with what quality settings (and volume normalization, etc.)? Which CDs and which tracks? Was it definitely the same master or is there actually no difference for some tracks? Is the streamer connected via WiFi or Ethernet? Does it matter whether you're actually streaming from the internet vs. a local device over the network vs. some storage directly attached to the streamer, e.g. a USB stick?
Is anyone who is claiming this by chance using the streamer's DAC and the CD player's DAC (obviously not you since you said transport)?

I have a Bluesound Node 2i and the Schiit Yggdrasil and various other DACs. Should my Samsung Blu Ray player (BD-H5900) with coax out sound better already? Or what's a transport that someone found definitely superior to the Node 2i?
Obviously using my USB Blu Ray drive with a laptop is not advised, right? Heh, maybe that would even work with the Node 2i.

In my case, the Node 2i is connected to a TOSLINK switch, which is connected to a MUTEC MC-3+ USB reclocker, which feeds the Yggdrasil via BNC. Starting with the MUTEC, everything is powered by an Audioquest Niagara 1200, while the switch and streamer are powered by a Furman PST-8D. Given this amount of treatment and electrical isolation, would you still expect any CD transport to sound much better?

I'll probably try Schiit's transport when it comes out, since I am curious, but I'm certainly hoping the difference is negligible because streamers are substantially more convenient and don't make mechanical noises like a spinning disk drive.

 

[bcowen]

All bases covered now.

LOL! @Ripper2860 left that here. I'd send it to him, but the shipping costs more than buying a new one.

 

[zstokes]

I don't quite get this here, but maybe I'm missing something. The stream (assuming lossless) will have literally the exact same bits that are encoded onto the CD. Any differences in sound won't be due to the CD or the lossless file, but the equipment they're processed through. Streaming a file to a really great DAC should sound just as good as CD being played with a good DAC right?

I said they sound better because there is an extremely reliable bitstream from a great CD and/or CD player than there is from a streamer - how much trust do you having in the streaming companies?

I don't care for anything above 24/192 so I'm good.

 

[Alcophone]

I said they sound better because there is an extremely reliable bitstream from a great CD and/or CD player than there is from a streamer - how much trust do you having in the streaming companies?

Are you talking about connectivity issues? I've had issues with Tidal in the past, not with anything else, usually. Good thing there's buffering.

Would you trust the bit stream from a USB stick full of ripped CDs attached to a streamer?

I don't care for anything above 24/192 so I'm good.

Same.

 

[zstokes]

Are you talking about connectivity issues? I've had issues with Tidal in the past, not with anything else, usually. Good thing there's buffering.

Would you trust the bit stream from a USB stick full of ripped CDs attached to a streamer?


Same.

I'm an engineer but not the audio kind.
I would trust FLAC ripped to USB, but I also like to patronize Schiit and I think Unison USB is the ......well....

less noise is always always better than more noise.

EDIT: Maybe I'm conflating some stuff, but if you watch the Golden Sound YouTube videos on MQA, you'll catch my drift I think re: trusting the streamers.

 

[zstokes]

The stream (assuming lossless)

This is the point I was trying to make, maybe poorly. I wouldn't assume "lossless" from a streamer. Apple at least, publishes their spec 100%

I am not an Apple subscriber.

 

[valiant66]

I've enjoyed the past week's discussion of finishes on audio gear. While sound quality should, IMO, be the most important factor, I don't see anything wrong with having personal taste regarding the appearance of one's gear. I worked with a guy a year ago who bought this system because he liked how it sounds but mostly because he loves how it looks. Good for him. And yeah, it looks cool to me, too.

Dang! That makes me want to get my reel-to-reel up and running again!
.

 

[valiant66]

That's folly. I know they sound better but it's not practical.

Get a good, separate-from-your-computer streamer with little USB noise and carry on. It'll sound 90% as good as CDs without having to actually buy CDs.

Yep. I want to spend $2200 on a DAC so I can get 90% of the sound. Who cares about that last 10% anyway?

Edit: I'm sure my reel-to-reel possibly gets 87% of the sound. That might be good enough too, eh?
.

 

[zstokes]

Yep. I want to spend $2200 on a DAC so I can get 90% of the sound. Who cares about that last 10% anyway?

Edit: I'm sure my reel-to-feel might get 87% of the sound.
.

90% was a number I pulled directly out of my Schitt hole.
YMMV, as it will with all things.
98? 99? decimal points?

You clearly shouldn't listen to me, I speak in generalizations.

 

[Alcophone]

I'm an engineer but not the audio kind.
I would trust FLAC ripped to USB

Okay, same. Safe for some CDs not ripping the same each time, though typically the differences are a few bits in isolated places, which shouldn't make a general difference in how it sounds.

but I also like to patronize Schiit and I think Unison USB is the ......well....

A digital audio switch (with lots of digital audio inputs of various kinds and an IR remote) with a Unison USB out could be interesting (though the whole asynchronous thing becomes an issue with non-USB sources). I know Mike talked about a digital preamp a while back. Maybe someday.

less noise is always always better than more noise.

Certainly. No noise with TOSLINK, but jitter may remain (and can be the cause and effect of noise).

EDIT: Maybe I'm conflating some stuff, but if you watch the Golden Sound YouTube videos on MQA, you'll catch my drift I think re: trusting the streamers.

Ah, fair. I'm not a fan of MQA, and according to GoldenSound's video it also seems to be used (by Tidal) where it's unnecessary (e.g. 44.1 kHz material).
In a similar way, some songs on Spotify have sounded gnarly because of watermarks, especially bad for pianos. No doubt the same track without watermarks would sound better.

This is the point I was trying to make, maybe poorly. I wouldn't assume "lossless" from a streamer. Apple at least, publishes their spec 100%

I am not an Apple subscriber.

True, not automatically. If that's the argument, I won't contest it. But I think people are suggesting that the same bits sound better from a CD transport than a streamer. Maybe that's a misunderstanding on my part.

 

[zstokes]

Okay, same. Safe for some CDs not ripping the same each time, though typically the differences are a few bits in isolated places, which shouldn't make a general difference in how it sounds.


A digital audio switch (with lots of digital audio inputs of various kinds and an IR remote) with a Unison USB out could be interesting (though the whole asynchronous thing becomes an issue with non-USB sources). I know Mike talked about a digital preamp a while back. Maybe someday.


Certainly. No noise with TOSLINK, but jitter may remain (and can be the cause and effect of noise).


Ah, fair. I'm not a fan of MQA, and according to GoldenSound's video it also seems to be used (by Tidal) where it's unnecessary (e.g. 44.1 kHz material).
In a similar way, some songs on Spotify have sounded gnarly because of watermarks, especially bad for pianos. No doubt the same track without watermarks would sound better.


True, not automatically. If that's the argument, I won't contest it. But I think people are suggesting that the same bits sound better from a CD transport than a streamer. Maybe that's a misunderstanding on my part.

This is a very thoughtful and detailed response on every point. I don't have much to add other than I appreciate ya.

Actually I do have one point: Mike says he now prefers Unison USB to toslink, and he knows *way* more than I do, and I defer to that.

Edit for context: I have a very simple (will be) setup. Macbook Pro --> Bifrost 2 --> maybe Lokious --> Lyr 3 --> Focal Elegia but will be Meze Empyreans or whatever the Elite version is, maybe
No CDs. No rips. All digital streaming sources other than what I create in Ableton. Looking at you for HiFi, Spotify.