Visit to Marc C.'s (SpiritOfMusic's) House in England

[Mike Lavigne]

Peter, one last thing.
I hate Computer Audio as a medium.
With a passion.

....you simply have not heard something sufficiently motivating from a server. or wrapped your brain around the basics of server use. right now it's a bridge too far for you. it won't be forever.

+1

I am never connecting a computer to the stereo.

two points.

the web never forgets. trust a guy with lots of web history.

and never is a long, long, time.

 

[microstrip]

+1

I am never connecting a computer to the stereo.

Ron,

Whom should I report this hyperbolic statement?

 

[bonzo75]

Ron,

Whom should I report this hyperbolic statement?

Lol

 

[spiritofmusic]

Mike, w my epiphany on current digital, I'm basically good to go w streaming.
I've had close on 18 months in depth exposure to the SGM at Blue58, and this has been my first digital experience that straddles analog goodness, w that crazy spooky SGM near zero noise floor (never "heard" this from any component before, certainly no analog I've experienced is this "silent").
Now w my room and grid bringing my current digital to rub shoulders w analog, it's time to make the jump to a streamer or server/dac.
I believe I've found the dac that will serve me well, I'll dip my toe in the water w this and the Auralic Aries or Inuous Zen, and if the water is warm, and the scantily clad girls ask me in, and don't push my head under the water at the deep end, SGM could be my destination.
At the expense of a Kuzma Stabi M eg, but now I feel that concentrating on server/dac is the way to go.
I can't easily do both uber tt upgrade and SGM even if I wanted.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Hmmmm. So I can add the mechanical noise and the surface noise of LP playback to the sonic nasties of digital to avoid having to stand up and change the record? Thank you, but that is not the direction for me.


Hahahah! Very true on all points, Mike!

 

[Zero000]

I told Mark in person that, in this new room, his system sounds fantastic. I told him he can stop worrying and fretting, and relax and listen to music and enjoy the fruits of his labor. I do not think Marc needs to reconfigure the entire system to support rebuilt Apogee Duettas.

Whatever gave him that idea?

Forget the hi-fi, Marc, the main living space looks awesome. The sofas really suit the vibe of the place.

Great write up Ron & nice pics. Good to hear it sounds alright, too.

 

[NorthStar]

I'd just like to say how proud I am to be associated with a forum in which one of our members has not only assembled a fine system in a beautiful historical building, but uses it to prominently display and play the original soundtrack to Michael Bay's second-ever feature film The Rock, pairing Nicholas Cage as the FBI's top chemical weapons specialist with Sean Connery as a former SAS captain and the only person to escape Alcatraz to stop Ed Harris' rogue US Marines VXing San Francisco in the name of military compensation, because plausibility is just way overrated.

Well done, Spirit. May mid-range palpability and mid-bass slam be yours in abundance.

Best,

853guy

Interesting you mentioned it, because I had the same thought, VX chemical gas, when I saw the album cover...'The Rock' motion picture soundtrack*

* Correction: The laser disc of the film itself.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Justin, well Ron was a big proponent of the idea of me running Duettas.
They could still work here I have no doubt, but I have no desire to consider this route now.
I've evolved my path for two decades, and cementing it further now.
Check out that link to the sofas, you won't find anything better sold in the UK.

 

[Believe High Fidelity]

Thanks Joshua
At the "gilding the lily" stage now, save for a move to streamer/dac.
So transformed is my digital here that
1- my analog will have to be TRULY stellar to outperform it when it gets reinstalled w all its various mods.
2- for the first time in my life, I'm considering spending a massive sum on my digital not my analog.
2- I'm diving headlong into the shark infested computer audio world
I've pencilled in a dac which by all accounts is a really very special performer, for no money in high end terms (I'm only going to identify it if I buy it), pair it with a good entry level streamer like Auralic or Inuous.
This should give me sound from streaming I'll really find v acceptable.
If I really get the bug, or Heaven forbid start to choose to want to listen to digital over analog, then I make a once and final streamer upgrade to one of: Aurender W10, Computer Audio Design CAT, Antipodes DX, or my likely destination, SGM.
For me to consider £20k on SGM plus mystery dac, over a Kuzma Stabi M, or GPA Parabolica etc etc, is a real testament to how good my room is, but also how revealing while maintaining tonal density the upgrades thru Stacore, Sablon Elites, SR Bs has been.

Oh you are not even close to that stage Marc.....

Couple of pointers for the digital even though you're not buying an AC DAC

1) Choose a Linux based OS server to avoid the shark tank. 90% of the off reported problems with computer audio stem from Windows having to recognize the driver. If you change setups or do a lot of demos as I do, it ends up being an ongoing pain you will eventually have to deal with. I would imagine one or two of those scenarios would ruin you for life.

2) Use Roon from the start. Do not use any other programs than Roon.

3) Repeat step 3 as a reminder

4)When building out your audio library use a NAS (Network Attached Storage) preferably from QNAP. Very easy to use and load ALL of your music there. Once you get started with a local library on the server you can chew through that storage very fast and not be able to add more if you are not computer hardware savvy. Use a static IP in case the power goes out so your server will still know where to fetch the music library.

5) Buy a second QNAP to backup your primary in case the drives fail. Or have a very close friend (or two or 7) copy your library so that if you NAS fails you can get your music back without having to rip the music all over again.

6) Do not use 3rd party programs like HQPlayer. If you find a filtering program makes your system sound better it is because your DAC is underperforming and you can now tell because the filter cancels out the problems. Time to upgrade....

You will find that once you realize this is easier than loading a CD/LP you will likely not want to invest in analog anymore provided you do not deviate from any steps mentioned.

Have FUN!!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Joshua, points taken.
Although you'll find plenty who'll disagree w you re HQP.
I'm afraid more reasons for me to intensely dislike computer audio, avoid like the plague and stick w cds and lps.

 

[Believe High Fidelity]

Joshua, points taken.
Although you'll find plenty who'll disagree w you re HQP.
I'm afraid more reasons for me to intensely dislike computer audio, avoid like the plague and stick w cds and lps.

Oh I am sure, but the objective here is for you to LOVE computer audio not mess around with settings and filters and hoo ha.

I had two friends who wanted to hear their DACs on the Cerat system a few weeks ago. Tried to get windows to recognize their drivers for about 20 min and it would not work (granted this was a Windows Server and not 8.1/10). Immediately after swapping to my Linux based server not a single issue getting the drivers to recognize and music to play. In the time it would take to setup a TT and optimize it you could be jamming to your favorites tunes and listening to Tidal.

Whats not to love.

 

[NorthStar]

• https://www.oldbootsofas.com/leather-chesterfield-sofas-c2/the-graduate-buttoned-base-p63

I like the outside Roman clock too, and the grand chandelier, inside.
From the picture we can't tell that the table can sit 18 people...she is huge!
This place is big enough to have a music discotheque, after a good local meal @ the communion dining table.

 

[Tango]

"I told Mark in person that, in this new room, his system sounds fantastic. I told him he can stop worrying and fretting, and relax and listen to music and enjoy the fruits of his labor." Ron.

Feels like when a due diligence agency or a rating agecy pays a visit .

My beloved King Rama 9 used to say be happy with what you have but dont stop yourself from advancing.

Tang

 

[Rodney Gold]

Im waiting for Ron to come visit me in Cape Town , SA...
cmon ron...explore darkest Africa...

 

[Rodney Gold]

Im waiting for Ron to come visit me in Cape Town , SA...
cmon ron...explore darkest Africa...

 

[spiritofmusic]

Tang, pleasing Ron on digital is way harder than pleasing any digiphile on lp LOL.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Bob, it's amazing what you can spend your cash on when you're not a singleton bachelor audiophile living in a studio apartment LOL.
On a serious note, I actually have to justify audio purchases now to more than my ego, this chapel doesn't run itself, and needs plenty of spending on it to make the most of it.
This is a good problem to have.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Rodney, computer audio can't be argued against on a logical basis.
Practicality, speed etc, it's all there.
Those into it just need some understanding that it's a massive logistical leap to go deep in this direction.
So my decision to postpone or even cancel major spending on analog to divert funds and energy to this endeavour is the most critical move I've ever made in audio.
We computer non intuitives need a bit of slack cut on our behalf, it's a foreign language.

 

[853guy]

Rodney, computer audio can't be argued against on a logical basis.
Practicality, speed etc, it's all there.
Those into it just need some understanding that it's a massive logistical leap to go deep in this direction.
So my decision to postpone or even cancel major spending on analog to divert funds and energy to this endeavour is the most critical move I've ever made in audio.
We computer non intuitives need a bit of slack cut on our behalf, it's a foreign language.

Spirit,

If we were honest, we'd probably have to admit those moving from digital toward vinyl would face the exact same problem.

In hi-fi, as in life, if anything's worth doing, it's generally worth acknowledging the learning curve will be steep, and existing assumptions may need to be held lightly.

Best,

853guy

 

[BMCG]

+1

I am never connecting a computer to the stereo.

Ahh what you be missing ...but i'll leave the evangelising to others

[and despite having played with Unix/Linux for years....have constructed an Audiophile Optimized Win 10 system...that is robust (uptimes in months) as a server base for Roon]

Ok...i am failing to leave the evangelising alone.....

Marc - you have a world of Prog rock at your fingertips through Roon with Tidal.....and a capacity to bounce from that beat to wherever your mood takes you....