[sam6550a]

As my household migrates to a rural outpost, my broadband access will decrease. To recover HD space, I might recode parts of my FLAC music library to lossy formats. Do more with less.

Hard drives have never been cheaper. Keep your FLAC library.

 

[rfernand]

Been playing with Urd. Not much to add, but I will say this:

• Feels solid, well built, I appreciate the new Schiit look (power switch from Folkvangr, better executed curves, etc.) Surprisingly simple display works.
• It’s mechanically noisy and that’s a-ok. Once reading CD, it is whisper-quiet.
• I hadn’t noticed the tray was a bit off until this forum started talking about it. Oh well, shipping happens.
• As a CD transport, using SPDIF out into Yggy, I can’t say it’s better or worse than CXC. So it just works.
• The Unison-to-unison thing is… the thing. Things sound more controlled and a bit fuller. Definitely different. People who know what to measure will have fun with this one.
• Switching USB inputs is fun, you get to compare things

Fun toy.

 

[Randolf711]

I’m in! Let know how much!

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Is the video and youtuber a good one or bad one? Viewers to decide.

But the Vidar 2 is good. I got it on Feb 14 this year, running it almost everyday with smile on every family member's face.

 

[DougD]

As my household migrates to a rural outpost, my broadband access will decrease. To recover HD space, I might recode parts of my FLAC music library to lossy formats. Do more with less.

Unless your time is worth less than about USD$0.07 per hour, converting FLACs to lossy would be an incredibly bad use of your leisure time. (Assuming your FLAC collection is non-trivial.) Buying a bigger hard drive is a MUCH BETTER solution.

And rural access to broadband is getting a lot of attention. On TV I am seening what look to be public service announcements from the commercial cable industry, touting how they provide broadband to rural areas. I figure that means they're feeling the pressure. Or seeing an opportunity.

I live in a rural community of 500 people, it's 15 miles to the next closest city of more than 3000 people. In other words, it is sparsely populated. My local rural electric co-op will have 2 gigabit per second fiber optic TO THE HOUSE at my location within the year. Two years ago when I was living in the SoFla megalopolis, I don't think I could get fiber to the house as a residential service at any price.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Been playing with Urd. Not much to add, but I will say this:

• Feels solid, well built, I appreciate the new Schiit look (power switch from Folkvangr, better executed curves, etc.) Surprisingly simple display works.
• It’s mechanically noisy and that’s a-ok. Once reading CD, it is whisper-quiet.
• I hadn’t noticed the tray was a bit off until this forum started talking about it. Oh well, shipping happens.
• As a CD transport, using SPDIF out into Yggy, I can’t say it’s better or worse than CXC. So it just works.
• The Unison-to-unison thing is… the thing. Things sound more controlled and a bit fuller. Definitely different. People who know what to measure will have fun with this one.
• Switching USB inputs is fun, you get to compare things

Fun toy.

I think the noisy part is the head moving along its rail for a while?

 

[Balthazar B]

Pez are good? Or is it Pez is good?

@Ripper2860, izz dat your kid???

 

[Ripper2860]

No. But I have reached out to see if he is open to adoption.

 

[StimpyWan]

No. But I have reached out to see if he is open to adoption.

Well, at least he's not some weirdo that collects garbage, like cardboard...!!!

 

[rfernand]

I think the noisy part is the head moving along its rail for a while?

Yeah for sure, it’s just mechanical stuff. Hefty. Not a problem.

 

[Ripper2860]

Yeah for sure, it’s just mechanical stuff. Hefty. Not a problem.

I guess incorporating mag-lev technology was price prohibitive.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

Isn't Amsterdam also discouraging many "types" of tourist? For example, young British males. And also attempting to move the red light district out of the old town?

Yes, they try to ban Hooligans and drug tourists too. The movement of the red district into a very arty, high-tech theater and café restaurant rich environment had its idea for that reason. For the record. I do not live in Amsterdam and do not really like the place but some museums are a must if you're in the neighbourhood.

 

[adias]

The Urd arrived this morning. I have little to say… but my hat is off to Michael Moffat, Ivanna, David and @Jason Stoddard. A ‘tour de force’ performance!

Compared several tracks against my previous transport and the separation of tones is stunning. Massed strings in a large orchestra sound separated and ultra smooth as in a live performance.

Edit - System pipeline: Urd>MMB2>Freya S>Loki Mini>Vidar 2>Magneplanar 2.7

 

[filthy mechanical]

Unless your time is worth less than about USD$0.07 per hour, converting FLACs to lossy would be an incredibly bad use of your leisure time. (Assuming your FLAC collection is non-trivial.) Buying a bigger hard drive is a MUCH BETTER solution.

And rural access to broadband is getting a lot of attention. On TV I am seening what look to be public service announcements from the commercial cable industry, touting how they provide broadband to rural areas. I figure that means they're feeling the pressure. Or seeing an opportunity.

I live in a rural community of 500 people, it's 15 miles to the next closest city of more than 3000 people. In other words, it is sparsely populated. My local rural electric co-op will have 2 gigabit per second fiber optic TO THE HOUSE at my location within the year. Two years ago when I was living in the SoFla megalopolis, I don't think I could get fiber to the house as a residential service at any price.

So long as it doesn't turn into the bust like it was back when I was a kid and Verizon was promising fiber to the home in Somerville, MA in the mid 90s.

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

JC