Rediscovering your music collection

[RBFC]

I put my new Krell S-1200 preamp/processor into my system last Friday. I had been using the preamp section of a Denon AVR4806 into my Krell EVO 403 amplifier. The upgrade has been staggering in sound quality.

I've gone back and played many of my favorite discs, and "rediscovered" a wealth of musical pleasure in doing so. The increase in clarity and musical information just drops my jaw with each disc I throw on.

This type of "moment' is one of the great pleasures provided by this "hobby"!

Lee

 

[JackD201]

Congratulations on your new Pre/Pro Lee! I hope it doesn't cut into your on-line time too much though hehehe.

 

[amirm]

Yes indeed. It has happened to me a few times and I am sure to others.

 

[Steve Williams]

Great news Lee.Enjoy

 

[RBFC]

I was hoping others would share their stories of new insights. The last couple days have been incredible.

Lee

 

[amirm]

Oh .

I will post more on this later. But I just fired up a new USB to S/PDIF converter, feeding a Berkley DAC direct connected to a power amp which fed the Revel Salon 2. The server had a copy of my music catalog (this is at our showroom). As you, I could not wait to sample track after track. I even listened to the same track half a dozen times . I had not heard my music server sound this good.

Time before was when I got the first HD DVD player in US at my home. I put a disc in at 9:00pm. The last disc was at 3-4:00am I think . I just could not believe how good the native 1080p picture looked on that projector.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

very different situation. I recently downloaded JR Music Server and took a fair amount of time to regroup.re-catalog part of my music collection which now mainly is on several HDD. I have ripped all my CDs and they are on several HDDs... Some o them in storage (one can never be too cautious with HDD)

Anyhow .. Jriver is much more flexible than my beloved Foobar.. It allows to tag your music in a very granular fashion please visit these threads RIPPING and A FAREWELL TO CD .... I don't know if I willkeep it since I may find a way to have foobar do what interests me in JRMC ...

Suddenly I can choose by conductors or Orchestra or Composers or even Soloists ... I as preparing myself for a night of Classical pleasures but stumble across Progresive Rock and am stuck in a Gentle Giant mood. I seem to have all their albums. Right now it is In a Glass House ..Woah .. Great Music .. GReat Music ...
I am definitely re-discovering my music collection to the extent I may have to take a break from buying CDs and just listen to those I have .. There are some buried treasures in there ... Nah.. I know I will not stop buying new software but I can always pretend I tried ...

Will post the following in a relevant thread ( A farewell to CD) but suffice to say that getting in to the utter convenience of a music server is dirt cheap. A NAS or more for less than 150 each... A music server like the one proposed by Gary L. Koh (there are others but his is on the WBF and it works well and remains inexpensive at <$500 plus detailed built instructions plus great performance ... Control software is from Free (Foobar 2000) ro inexpensive (JR Music Server around $50) .. You can use your own DAC and play Hi-Rezi if you will or use your iPhone- iPod/Pad to control the server wirelessly .... Your music collection will never has been so accessible ...

 

[Ron Party]

Amir, which converter?

 

[amirm]

Amir, which converter?

It is the Audiophilleo.

 

[hifidelity1]

I put my new Krell S-1200 preamp/processor into my system last Friday. I had been using the preamp section of a Denon AVR4806 into my Krell EVO 403 amplifier. The upgrade has been staggering in sound quality.

I've gone back and played many of my favorite discs, and "rediscovered" a wealth of musical pleasure in doing so. The increase in clarity and musical information just drops my jaw with each disc I throw on.

This type of "moment' is one of the great pleasures provided by this "hobby"!

Lee

This happened to me as well, I took the long road into seperates using a Denon avr3200 from back in the day with a Parasound HCA2003a, then got an Anthem AVM20 and a Halo A21 and rediscovered my collection as well. Congrats and enjoy!

 

[Gregadd]

Lee that is probably the most important reason to purchase new equipment. I for one am amazed at how much information was captured by those microphones. Finding equipment that is able to scan the frequency extremes and remove layers of distortion is what it is all about. Enjoy.

 

[mep]

I cringe now everytime I see someone use the word "distortion" in their post for what I hope are obvious reasons. Anyway, congrats Lee for buying a new piece of gear that is bringing you new found joy with music that you own and love. That is what this wacky hobby is all about.

 

[Gregadd]

don't cringe. your face might freeze like that.

 

[microstrip]

Oh .

I will post more on this later. But I just fired up a new USB to S/PDIF converter, feeding a Berkley DAC direct connected to a power amp which fed the Revel Salon 2.

Amir,
Can you tell us what is the USB to S/PDIF and digital cable you are using?
BTW, do you know how Berkeley Audio implement the volume control in the Alpha DAC?

 

[microstrip]

Anyway, congrats Lee for buying a new piece of gear that is bringing you new found joy with music that you own and love. That is what this wacky hobby is all about.

Using a Krell S-1200 the hobby will be much more than music!

I still remember the first movies I saw when I connected a Krell Showcase to my system many years ago. Every movie seemed completely new - the more detailed and natural sound added a new dimension to the scenes. Ronin, with Robert de Niro, has a superb sound track - I will never forget the bar scene in the beginning - do you remember - the Man In The Wheelchair ? It was the first DVD I got after setting up the system.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I've had a few of those moments, particularly when changing speakers/headphones. When I took delivery on my first big Sennheisers, the HD 580s, that was a big moment. When I got my near field set up with my AVi ADM9.1s working right was another. But honestly, the biggest moment of "rediscovering" my music collection happened when I ripped the entire collection to a hard drive. Not only did it force me to systematically go through every disc (cathartic in and of itself), but when it was finished, every album, artist, genre and track was available to me in a database that gave me instant, unprecedented access. I found myself listening to music I hadn't heard in years. I discovered the thrill of creating playlists, not for an iPod, but for serious listening, that encompassed artists, eras, genres, sub-genres...and some that cut across all of the above through relationships that only exist in my own head. It is, quite literally, the best thing I've ever done for my listening experience. Is there an audio compromise? I don't think so, it seems to me that it all sounds better than it ever has, but if there is a compromise, it is well worth the sacrifice.

Tim

 

[RBFC]

In the end, this hobby is only satisfying if you truly love the music. Hardware is like the lighting for a fine painting.... better lighting enhances what is already there.

Lee

 

[mep]

Tim-How could there possibly be an audio compromise by storing all of your digital music on a hard drive assuming it was all copied losslessly and I'm sure you did that? It's truly like having your cake and eating it too.