[Canuck99]

@Hodgiy -it does put out some heat - you are right, I will find or improvise some short legs for it to make sure it is not touching and stopping heat escaping - thanks.

 

[MorbidToaster]

 
Very similar to what I want it to end up like. TT will replace the iMac and I'll most likely run a server like the W4S W2. Monos will be on stands outside the rack as well. I've got plans...big plans.
 
TV moved to the bedroom. I like watching TV in bed anyway.

 

[TheWuss]

MT - always exciting to see someone who has a clear vision, and knows where their system is headed...
and, has the patience to see it through.
i've enjoyed watching the evolution of your rig as much as my own. 

 
of course, it doesn't hurt that we have a few choice pieces of quality gear in common.
 

 

[eyalcat]

Quote:

I had a great idea when I was trying to be frugal a while back to buy cheap headphones.  Unfortunately I was more of an audiophile (such a nice sounding word for a costly addiction) than I wanted to admit.  On a recent shopping excursion I slipped on a pair of Bose AE2 (stick with me, I know they aren't that great).  Though the sound made me long for something better than what I had bought previously, the angel on my shoulder whispered that there must be something better for the money out there.  Could've been the devil on the other shoulder that did the whispering, in retrospect.  Quick research when I got home led me to the Grado SR60i, and one of the local dealers was super close to me. 
 
Oh, if I could take back that car ride.
 
I got to the store just hoping to check these Grado headphones out.  Crap-balls.  Mini vacuum tube amps?  DACs?  I embarrassed myself by asking extremely ignorant questions, but I was so excited by this.  I had been putting off being a true audiophile until I had a house instead of an apartment.  But vacuum tube amps for headphones?!  Well, I was snickered at when I asked about where to look for info on the web, forums or the like.  I now know why, they knew the pain/joy I was about to encounter.  I left the store without an amp.  While listening to my SR80i headphones, I realized I did need a DAC and/or amp.  I raced back and this is where I am at now as a total initiate.  I figured it would give me a solid foundation while learning about this new hobby. 
 
Shnikees.
 

Loved the toaster/coffee machine/amp.
 

 

[MorbidToaster]

My problem at this point is that I'm coming to a crossroads. I need to decide if I want to keep CDs as a physical medium (so buying a transport) or if I want to keep them as a hard copy and use a server (buying a server). 
 
The server has some cool features and easier operation, but it's the more expensive option of the 2. 
 
My other problem lately is deciding what to get next. It's pretty terrible, I know.
 
Quote:

MT - always exciting to see someone who has a clear vision, and knows where their system is headed...
and, has the patience to see it through.
i've enjoyed watching the evolution of your rig as much as my own. 

 
of course, it doesn't hurt that we have a few choice pieces of quality gear in common.

 
 
 

 

[hodgjy]

Even though there are many advantages of lossless rips on a server, I still choose to spin CDs.  There's just something gratifying to me when spinning a CD in my player.  For some reason, I feel more attached to the music because I can see the physical media.
 
Quote:

My problem at this point is that I'm coming to a crossroads. I need to decide if I want to keep CDs as a physical medium (so buying a transport) or if I want to keep them as a hard copy and use a server (buying a server). 
 
The server has some cool features and easier operation, but it's the more expensive option of the 2. 
 
My other problem lately is deciding what to get next. It's pretty terrible, I know.

 

 

[MorbidToaster]

Here's the other problem though. 
 
I plan on running vinyl as well and I'm worried about the physical media losing its charm and just becoming tedious if I have to load both CDs and clean vinyl. 
 
Vinyl is a lot of work, and I'm not sure if I want to do the extra work it takes to spin CDs, too.
 
Quote:

Even though there are many advantages of lossless rips on a server, I still choose to spin CDs.  There's just something gratifying to me when spinning a CD in my player.  For some reason, I feel more attached to the music because I can see the physical media.
 


 

 
 

 

[hodgjy]

I agree that vinyl is a lot of work, which is why I got out of it after dabbling briefly a few years ago.  But, excuse my ignorance, what is the extra work involved in spinning CDs? 
 
1.  Open jewel box and take CD out. 
2.  Hit open tray.
3.  Put CD in tray.
4.  Close tray.
5.  Press play.
 
Quote:

 
Vinyl is a lot of work, and I'm not sure if I want to do the extra work it takes to spin CDs, too.

 

 

[MorbidToaster]

Yeah but a server is...
 
1. Find song on Touch device (iPad)
2. Push play.
 
You also would have to add a step 6 if you want a specific track on the CD. That's a lot of work!
 
EDIT: CDs also come with pulling them off the shelf (much less finding it among a thousand others even if they are alphaed). 
 
Quote:

I agree that vinyl is a lot of work, which is why I got out of it after dabbling briefly a few years ago.  But, excuse my ignorance, what is the extra work involved in spinning CDs? 
 
1.  Open jewel box and take CD out. 
2.  Hit open tray.
3.  Put CD in tray.
4.  Close tray.
5.  Press play.
 
 

 
 

 

[Ser182]

Impressive setups. I can only dream.

 

[hodgjy]

I see your point.  But, I tend to listen to an album from start to finish.  The albums I like the most are usually live shows (and their sets flow nicely) or concept prog rock albums (that tell a whole story).  So, I'm not fumbling around.  When the CD is over, I get up, go to the bathroom, refill my drink, and get a new CD.
 
Servers are extremely convenient.  I don't mind CDs, though, and I dread the day of re-ripping all of my CDs to FLAC.  It took me long enough to rip most of them to 128 kbs when the iPod first came out, and even longer to re-rip them to 256 kbs when larger iPod drives came out.  I think I'm done ripping for a while!!!!!
 
I guess if you already have the server, the motivation to use it trumps spinning CDs.  I don't have a server, and my lack of motivation to set one up trumps all!!!
 
Quote:

Yeah but a server is...
 
1. Find song on Touch device (iPad)
2. Push play.
 
You also would have to add a step 6 if you want a specific track on the CD. That's a lot of work!
 
EDIT: CDs also come with pulling them off the shelf (much less finding it among a thousand others even if they are alphaed). 
 


 
 

 

 

[TheWuss]

Quote:

Yeah but a server is...
 
1. Find song on Touch device (iPad)
2. Push play.
 
You also would have to add a step 6 if you want a specific track on the CD. That's a lot of work!
 
EDIT: CDs also come with pulling them off the shelf (much less finding it among a thousand others even if they are alphaed). 
 


 
 

i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
 
with a cd, you make a committment to listen to the album.  or, at least that's how i used to do it.
and i miss it.
that's why i'm going to buy a really nice player soon...
 
 

 

[jtaylor991]

My headphone rig has always consisted of playing music over USB to a DAC, and I agree. I keep buying music to grow my collection, but just scrolling through a list, I never feel like listening to anything. It's weird. I plan on getting a dedicated CD player soon too, hoping that playing the physical media makes me appreciate the music that much more.
 
Quote:

i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
 
with a cd, you make a committment to listen to the album.  or, at least that's how i used to do it.
and i miss it.
that's why i'm going to buy a really nice player soon...
 
 

 

 

[MorbidToaster]

I've had a very...sporadic style of listening for a very long time. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should just slow down and not skip around so much...
 
Food for thought indeed.
 
Quote:

i am finding that my listening habits have changed because of using a computer as the server for my head-fi rig.
and, i'm not so sure it's for the better.
the ease of pulling up any artist/album/song is such that i find myself scrolling, numbly, through my catalog, not sure what to play.
and when i do play something, just as easily growing restless and skipping around...
 
with a cd, you make a committment to listen to the album.  or, at least that's how i used to do it.
and i miss it.
that's why i'm going to buy a really nice player soon...
 
 

 
 

 

[hodgjy]

I've found that when I'm traveling and my iPad is my main music source, I jump around between songs a lot, and sometimes I don't even finish the whole song before jumping.  It's all about the convenience, I suppose.  After reading TheWuss's, it got me thinking that the skipping around is one of the reasons why I don't enjoy listening to music from my iPad.  It's not the inherent hit in sound quality; it's the hit in the listening experience.  I don't listen to albums from start to finish.  I'll be sure to do that more when I travel.  The flights may go quicker, too!