[MacacoDoSom]

aaaaaaaahhhhhh good reply..................

 

[James-uk]

Not everything is available as FLAC or some other download, not everywhere is internet coverage as good as you experience, CD mat comes still handy - even only for ripping.

Personally, I would prefer to see CD got never invented in the first place, but here it is and it is still the #1 sound carrier which most people have access to and can play back. Therefore it is important to get the most out of it. 

Now ask yourselves if FLAC providers on the internet took the trouble to rip the CDs required correctly or not - few streamers I tried and which rip the CD in few minutes certainly do not sound as good as rip done slowly, with or without mat - and as time is money.... - you seriously believe internet FLAC providers are going to the trouble to get really good digital "copies" ? 

I have written this once before: the same friend who use to have that sinfully expensive CD player also did not want to believe that making CD copy sounding better than the original is possible - and that slow ripping and slow burning of CD/CD-Rs makes no sense. He is a bit of Quick Draw McGraw in these matters . I let him do the rip and burn his way (total about 10 minutes or so ) - and then we compared the results in his player using CD mat ( which he fully approves the use of ).

After about 1 minute of playback of his "fast food" and my "slow food" copy, that "fast food" flew to - the dustbin.

Anyone requiring an ABX in such a case would be the proud recipient of the certificate issued by whoever attended the same demo, attesting he/she is an - Idiot.

CDs and CD-Rs are NOT created equal. Get used to deal with it.

There is no guarantee how the FLACs streamed via internet have been arrived at - either.

but where does the obsessing end?! How did you survive the vinyl days?! All those distortions imperfections that comes with vinyl. It must of driven you to madness! I mean we live in an age where audibly transparent 256 lossy streaming is possible , I'm talking perfect sound quality! Yet you are talking nonsense about ripping CDs and using cd mats and all sorts of other weird bizarreness! . It's like you need to find fault with everything ! . It's complete and utter madness!! I'm lost for words.

 

[dazzerfong]

Seriously who uses CD players anymore?! I can stream flac in bit perfect quality thousands of miles to my iPad and you guys are discussing cd mats and static build or some rubbish! It's insane!!!!!!!!

I don't know, it's pretty nostalgic at times to go through your folk's CD collection.
 
 

  Not everything is available as FLAC or some other download, not everywhere is internet coverage as good as you experience, CD mat comes still handy - even only for ripping.
 
Personally, I would prefer to see CD got never invented in the first place, but here it is and it is still the #1 sound carrier which most people have access to and can play back. Therefore it is important to get the most out of it. 
 
Now ask yourselves if FLAC providers on the internet took the trouble to rip the CDs required correctly or not - few streamers I tried and which rip the CD in few minutes certainly do not sound as good as rip done slowly, with or without mat - and as time is money.... - you seriously believe internet FLAC providers are going to the trouble to get really good digital "copies" ? 
 
I have written this once before: the same friend who use to have that sinfully expensive CD player also did not want to believe that making CD copy sounding better than the original is possible - and that slow ripping and slow burning of CD/CD-Rs makes no sense. He is a bit of Quick Draw McGraw in these matters . I let him do the rip and burn his way (total about 10 minutes or so ) - and then we compared the results in his player using CD mat ( which he fully approves the use of ).
 
After about 1 minute of playback of his "fast food" and my "slow food" copy, that "fast food" flew to - the dustbin.
 
Anyone requiring an ABX in such a case would be the proud recipient of the certificate issued by whoever attended the same demo, attesting he/she is an - Idiot.
 
CDs and CD-Rs are NOT created equal. Get used to deal with it.
 
There is no guarantee how the FLACs streamed via internet have been arrived at - either.

Let's not get too ahead of ourselves now with your multitudes of anecdotes, and wait for the results of your 'bet' with your store owner. I'll be blunt, I won't be surprised either way when I see the results.
 
Look, you still don't get the point of ABX. If it's that painfully obvious, it should be painfully easy to pass. Calling someone an idiot just to test a difference somewhat objectively is what's idiotic. So rather than dodge the test, just man up and take it.
 
Also, just to make sure we're on the same page here, we're saying using a CD mat for writing makes a difference, not when it's reading right? Coz if it's the former, I reckon most of us here could care less since most of us transfer to a discrete file in the end.
 
Again, let's wait for your store owner friend.

 

[analogsurviver]

 
I don't know, it's pretty nostalgic at times to go through your folk's CD collection.
 
 

Let's not get too ahead of ourselves now with your multitudes of anecdotes, and wait for the results of your 'bet' with your store owner. I'll be blunt, I won't be surprised either way when I see the results.
 
Look, you still don't get the point of ABX. If it's that painfully obvious, it should be painfully easy to pass. Calling someone an idiot just to test a difference somewhat objectively is what's idiotic. So rather than dodge the test, just man up and take it.
 
Also, just to make sure we're on the same page here, we're saying using a CD mat for writing makes a difference, not when it's reading right? Coz if it's the former, I reckon most of us here could care less since most of us transfer to a discrete file in the end.
 
Again, let's wait for your store owner friend.

Sure. But I find ABXing fine for more subtle differences, like 16/24 bit - where on some tracks I could get plausible difference, but on others was totally guessing - so obvious like a fast made rip/burn without mat vs slowly made rip/burn with mat are nothing but complete waste of time.
 
The results from the store employee are likely to come in mid/end next week.

 

[analogsurviver]

but where does the obsessing end?! How did you survive the vinyl days?! All those distortions imperfections that comes with vinyl. It must of driven you to madness! I mean we live in an age where audibly transparent 256 lossy streaming is possible , I'm talking perfect sound quality! Yet you are talking nonsense about ripping CDs and using cd mats and all sorts of other weird bizarreness! . It's like you need to find fault with everything ! . It's complete and utter madness!! I'm lost for words.

Vinyl is FAR from finished. And I am still working on ironing out the imperfections to the point of vinyl rips being completely acceptable for the A.C.D. born Person (After Compact Disk ). While retaining all of its superiority over CD - on some more serious digital than CD redbook.
 
If you are satisfied with what you have, fine. If someone tried to show me the possible way how to improve the sound reproduction at reasonable price ( the mat I suggested is on auction, some 5 or so hours before end at EUR 7.50, "average" winning bid being <40 EUR ), regardless how improbable it may sound to me, I would not be so negative about it. Remember, I have no affiliation with the seller - at all.
 
No problem throwing a CD into CD-burner, rip it at 44x or more speed ( can not be done with mat ) in less than two minutes and call it after conversion ( another minute or so ) than FLAC. I am not saying all are made like this - but some certainly are.

 

[dazzerfong]

  Sure. But I find ABXing fine for more subtle differences, like 16/24 bit - where on some tracks I could get plausible difference, but on others was totally guessing - so obvious like a fast made rip/burn without mat vs slowly made rip/burn with mat are nothing but complete waste of time.
 
The results from the store employee are likely to come in mid/end next week.

Wait, wait: you're changing 2 variables by doing that. Keep the rip speed constant, and test only the presence of the mat. THEN we're talking.
 
Also, my bad. Here's hoping everyone still remembers it next week.

 

[StanD]

 
Wait, wait: you're changing 2 variables by doing that. Keep the rip speed constant, and test only the presence of the mat. THEN we're talking.
 
Also, my bad. Here's hoping everyone still remembers it next week.

He'll probably conduct the test somewhere out in the Woop Woop where a fluff goes unnoticed.

 

[dazzerfong]

  He'll probably conduct the test somewhere out in the Woop Woop where a fluff goes unnoticed.

I'll give him benefit of doubt (or more like 2 million benefits). I'm a nice guy: what can I say?
 
Also, it's been a while since I heard that term. G'day mate.

 

[StanD]

 
I'll give him benefit of doubt (or more like 2 million benefits). I'm a nice guy: what can I say?
 
Also, it's been a while since I heard that term. G'day mate.

Fluff as in mistake or the release of gas? 

 In this context, either works for me.
I don't give this a Buckley's chance of coming out right.

 

[MacacoDoSom]

  Vinyl is FAR from finished. And I am still working on ironing out the imperfections to the point of vinyl rips being completely acceptable for the A.C.D. born Person (After Compact Disk ). While retaining all of its superiority over CD - on some more serious digital than CD redbook.
 

superiority over CD
 
this is not a audiophile myth, it's plain wrong!
 
what superiority? more noise? wow and flutter? the random percussionist that pops around with different licks every time you play it? what?
 
now you've done it, stop talking about mats.....

 

[dazzerfong]

  Fluff as in mistake or the release of gas? 

 In this context, either works for me.
I don't give this a Buckley's chance of coming out right.

OK, now we're entering bogan territory.

 

 

[bufferoverflow]

  Vinyl is FAR from finished.
And I am still working on ironing out the imperfections to the point of vinyl rips being completely acceptable for the A.C.D. born Person (After Compact Disk ).
While retaining all of its superiority over CD - on some more serious digital than CD redbook.
 

Hear hear - I to miss the large covers, they where often works of art in their own right .
Now, all we get is lousy pixelated digital thumbnails ...
But I have a feeling that is not what you mean, so could you please inform me/us :
 Exactly what about vinyl is "superior" to CD, apart from the tracking-error, surface-noise,distortion,
limited dynamic range and wear on the media meaning that you had to buy a new record for about every 50 plays  ?
 
I think, subjectively, that you are just missing all the endless tinkering required to get decent sound from LP's .
And maybe the ritual of carefully removing the vinyl from the sleeve, dusting and zapping it, turning it around halfways and whatnot.
I will give you analouge-nostalgics one thing - The whole experience of playing back your music is not the same, CD's are rather boring in that respect .
But then, who has the attention-span to listen to a complete record any more ?
 
The whole analouge-is-better thing reminds me of an old joke :
Q :How many country&western musicians does it take to change a light-tube ?
A : 41 - One to change the tube and 40 to sing a song about how good the old one was .
 
Seriously, as a format, CD mops the floor with vinyl - And when it doesn't it is NOT the medias fault, it is 'human error' .

 

[headwhacker]

  I think, subjectively, that you are just missing all the endless tinkering required to get decent sound from LP's .
And maybe the ritual of carefully removing the vinyl from the sleeve, dusting and zapping it, turning it around halfways and whatnot.

^ Old habits die hard. Or in this case, you can't teach old dogs new tricks.

 

[bufferoverflow]

I don't know about habits and old dogs, but I do remember one thing :
While performing all the rituals required to play a LP with good results, one was almost always thinking
" Oh boy, this should sound good "
- And guess what ? It usually did, even those horrible German pressings of Thin Lizzy-records.
 
If you have already made up your mind that A sounds better than B ... It does ... Always !

 

[MacacoDoSom]

I'm an old dog, I have grown with vinyl, on my late twenties, the CD come along and I've never looked back... free at last...
 
Many people tried to convince me the there was nothing like vinyl... (audiosnobs?)
 
The fact is that they are growing... every time I enter my favorite music store the CD shells are shrinking and the vinyl ones are growing... it seems that the ritual is growing with the deafness... or they just don't like to listen to MUSIC but just like the ritual and show to their snob friends "Hey, Have you seen my Ferrari?"