Computer Audio: confusing, complicated, & INCONVENIENT. About MUSIC or inner nerd?

[MylesBAstor]

The storage format and medium is merely a mean to an end. My end is music enjoyment.

I'm sorry but that's a total cop out. Then just own an iPod. The two are inseparable. There is no black or white but shades of grey.

 

[LenWhite]

So is Computer Audio just for bored computer nerds who like to play around with settings and rip files? Personally I want to just kick back and listen to music!

Personally I actively use both a SACD player AND a music server. I do buy and listen to more SACD's than anything else, but still listen to my favorite RBCD's and digital downloads through my music server. I admit accessing my music via "Gizmo" (needs work) on my smartphone is very convenient, but I prefer the cover art of physical media.

And maybe it's because I don't fully understand dbpoweramp or JRiver, but I often don't like the way music files are organized, particularly classical.

I'm far from ready to go all out with digital downloads yet I don't think the technology is mature, and it's often difficult to know what source resolution your buying.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

You have a box that sits between your preamp and power amp and converts all of the analog signals coming from your preamp into digital and then converts the digital back to analog

Do you have an active pre amp between your DAC and your amplifier?

Tim

 

[dallasjustice]

I admit accessing my music via "Gizmo" (needs work) on my smartphone is very convenient, but I prefer the cover art of physical media.

Jremote is way better than Gizmo. Gizmo is a legacy method of controlling Jriver. There haven't been many improvements made to it recently. However, Jremote was recently updated and it's lights-out awesome. It's an app you can download on any apple device.

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=79104.msg605719#msg605719

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I have explained over and over again why I don't want DSP in my system. You still haven't explained why you don't own it although you and some other carpers are taking me to task because I don't want to own DSP in my system without hearing it first. Everybody who believes DSP is the holy grail and a real game changer, please, run out and buy it immediately. What are you waiting for? You are missing out on having a mind blowing experience.

There's nothing to explain. I don't have DSP in my system because I'm fine with the way it sounds now. Same reason why I haven't changed a component in years -- I know there is better out there, even without going all passive, elephant-walking "big rig." I'm happy.

And I'm not taking you to task for not buying DSP, I'm questioning your dismissing it out if hand, without ever hearing it.

Last but not least, I must confess that I'm enjoying the blatant duplicity of your position, given our history. One more try -- what you're doing here, Mark, is equivalent to me dismissing vinyl, having never heard it, because the RIAA curve adds a generation. Given the crap you have tried to argue with me, the hypocrisy is stunning.

Tim

 

[dallasjustice]

I'm sorry but that's a total cop out. Then just own an iPod. The two are inseparable. There is no black or white but shades of grey.

Myles, this isn't 2001. Nobody buys iPods anymore.

 

[Steve Williams]

Posts deleted.

Guys really

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Jremote is way better than Gizmo. Gizmo is a legacy method of controlling Jriver. There haven't been many improvements made to it recently. However, Jremote was recently updated and it's lights-out awesome. It's an app you can download on any apple device.

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=79104.msg605719#msg605719

+1. Jremote works awesome for me, although I admit I was not the one who set it up so I can't claim it's easy for anyone to setup........although it might be.

 

[Steve Williams]

Let's try to get back somewhat in topic

For me this is where the debate holds water. A question was asked of Mark which has yet to be answered. Marty asked Mark the following.......

There is no question in my mind that the main liability in any home reproduction system is frequency response. For those who are so adamant against using DSP, please show me your in room response.

Mark

You and I shared our in room frequency response last year so we've both seen each other's. I think for the sake of argument would you be prepared to post your in room frequency response.

 

[BlueFox]

I'm sorry but that's a total cop out. Then just own an iPod. The two are inseparable. There is no black or white but shades of grey.

My first music server was an iPod Classic with a Wadia 171 iTransport dock. This was the first dock capable of bypassing the iPod DAC, and able to extract the digital file off the iPod. By using Apple Lossless (ALAC) to store the file the Wadia turned the iPod into a decent little music server. I used this for a couple of years before I moved over to the Bryston BDP-1 file player.

 

[mep]

There's nothing to explain. I don't have DSP in my system because I'm fine with the way it sounds now. Same reason why I haven't changed a component in years -- I know there is better out there, even without going all passive, elephant-walking "big rig." I'm happy.

And I'm not taking you to task for not buying DSP, I'm questioning your dismissing it out if hand, without ever hearing it.

Last but not least, I must confess that I'm enjoying the blatant duplicity of your position, given our history. One more try -- what you're doing here, Mark, is equivalent to me dismissing vinyl, having never heard it, because the RIAA curve adds a generation. Given the crap you have tried to argue with me, the duplicity is stunning.

Tim

So why is it OK for you not to want to own DSP because you are happy with the way it sounds now but because I voiced why I don't want DSP in my system it has opened me up to scorn and derision? If I would have just said "I'm happy with the way my system sounds and I'm not looking to add DSP in my system" that would have been fine and everyone would have left their knives in the drawer? I doubt it.

This whole topic of DSP is not why this thread was started. This thread was about computer audio and music servers. I own a music server and I own a DAC. I listen to them all the time. I don't wander into threads and talk about why I think analog sounds superior to digital without having a recent reference in my own system to draw from.

 

[mep]

+1. Jremote works awesome for me, although I admit I was not the one who set it up so I can't claim it's easy for anyone to setup........although it might be.

It works well for me too. I set it up with no problems.

 

[mep]

Let's try to get back somewhat in topic

For me this is where the debate holds water. A question was asked of Mark which has yet to be answered. Marty asked Mark the following.......



Mark

You and I shared our in room frequency response last year so we've both seen each other's. I think for the sake of argument would you be prepared to post your in room frequency response.

Steve-As you said, I previously posted my room response using the cheap iPhone app I no longer have since my iPhone crashed and they sent me a replacement. Feel free to dig it up and let everyone have a field day with it because I know that is exactly what will happen. I'm not going to take any more measurements and post them because I don't have anything to prove to anyone. I never said that I have the best sounding room on the forum, or my room measures the best on the forum and that's why I don't want DSP. That has never been my position. My position has been and is simple, I'm not willing to digitize my analog in order to improve my room acoustics. With damn few exceptions, the only people that seem to have a hard time grasping that concept are people who don't have analog.

Maybe we need to do a DSP intervention on me. A bunch of you digit heads can come to my house, strap me down to my listening chair while you install a DSP system and calibrate my room and force me to listen to the results so I can see the error of my ways and give up analog as I know it in order to make my room better.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Myles, this isn't 2001. Nobody buys iPods anymore.

I still use a nano in the gym.

 

[edorr]

+1. Jremote works awesome for me, although I admit I was not the one who set it up so I can't claim it's easy for anyone to setup........although it might be.

Trust me, it is infinitely easier than setting up a turntable.

 

[Alrainbow]

Myles made it sound easy lmao. But it's like anything else there is a learning curve. But in digital audio it never ends
Al

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

So why is it OK for you not to want to own DSP because you are happy with the way it sounds now but because I voiced why I don't want DSP in my system it has opened me up to scorn and derision? If I would have just said "I'm happy with the way my system sounds and I'm not looking to add DSP in my system" that would have been fine and everyone would have left their knives in the drawer? I doubt it.

This whole topic of DSP is not why this thread was started. This thread was about computer audio and music servers. I own a music server and I own a DAC. I listen to them all the time. I don't wander into threads and talk about why I think analog sounds superior to digital without having a recent reference in my own system to draw from.

You really don't get the difference? You didn't say you were happy with the way your system sounded, you concluded that DSP "homogenized" files to all sound the same, based on one remark, and said you wouldn't touch your analog signal with digital...all without ever having heard a system with DSP...and no, your HT doesn't count. And yes, you would have just been fine if you'd said you were happy with your system the way it is. Given your recent history some of us may have wondered how long that would last, but if you had not judged DSP without trying DSP, no one would be accusing you of pre-judging DSP.

Tim

 

[microstrip]

Mark

You and I shared our in room frequency response last year so we've both seen each other's. I think for the sake of argument would you be prepared to post your in room frequency response.

Steve,

Do you have a link to your measurements? I could not find the thread.

 

[mep]

You really don't get the difference? You didn't say you were happy with the way your system sounded, you concluded that DSP "homogenized" files to all sound the same, based on one remark, and said you wouldn't touch your analog signal with digital...all without ever having heard a system with DSP...and no, your HT doesn't count. And yes, you would have just been fine if you'd said you were happy with your system the way it is. Given your recent history some of us may have wondered how long that would last, but if you had not judged DSP without trying DSP, no one would be accusing you of pre-judging DSP.

Tim

I owned my Def Tech speakers for over 8 years and they just recently were sold. The Krell gear was in my system since 2011 and was still in my system in 2014. Steve is the one that said on Marty's system you couldn't tell the difference between a DSD file and a PCM file. So either you believe that all digital files sound the same if the room has been tamed and all sources now sound identical or you have to ask yourself if the sound is being homogenized. I have proffered my opinion on what I think and why I think it. No one has to agree with me though some have and some others that I know feel the same way I do have kept on the sidelines.

As for you, you are just another BB in a box rattling around making a lot of noise when you don't have DSP in your system either and you are taking this opportunity on open season on me to jump in with both of your non-DSP feet. Another atheist preaching to me about getting DSP religion.

 

[treitz3]

Gentlemen, let's not make this personal. This thread has been enjoyed by many, cringed upon by others. There is no right or wrong, there is only what one prefers.

With that said, let's keep the conversation educational for others following the thread as well as cordial for all.

Tom