CD vs. COMPUTER

[msagar]

When you play the same track on a CD player/transport and (cd ripped track) on a Computer thru the same DAC, does it sound different or the same. The sound from CD is better or the Computer. Share your experience(s).

 

[reignofchaos]

On very well mastered CDs (reference recordings, ecm, chesky, some good japanese pressings), the cd transport does sound a wee better to me. It could be a placebo - I'm not sure.

In everything else, I can't distinguish one bit. My source is an Ayon CD-1s fed by an M2Tech Hiface.

 

[musicbee]

My source is an Ayon CD-1s

Can I hit you up when in Bengaluru? Would love to "hear" how a 2.5 lac CDP sounds.

 

[marsilians]

When you play the same track on a CD player/transport and (cd ripped track) on a Computer thru the same DAC, does it sound different or the same. The sound from CD is better or the Computer. Share your experience(s).

Why don't you try and let us know.

 

[msagar]

In my system, sound reproduced by computer sounds better than the CD player.

 

[musicbee]

In my system, sound reproduced by computer sounds better than the CD player.

Would be interesting to know what's the DAC on your system and what's the CDP? Wonder how much they differ in terms of cost.

 

[msagar]

Macbook pro> Wadia 151> MA Gold Spkrs.
Rega Planet> Wadia 151> MA Gold Spkrs.
Ipod 160gb Classic> Wadia 170i> Wadia 151> MA Gold Spkrs.

All MIT Cables.

Marantz CD> DacMagic plus> Arcam Pre> Arcam Power> Paradigm Studio
Macbbok Pro> DacMagic plus> Arcam Pre> Arcam Power> Paradigm Studio

All AQ Cables

 

[msagar]

Fyi: Music server better than disc.

a music server not only allows you to explore your music collection in new and rewarding ways, it also has the potential of delivering better sound than is available from cd. Music read from a hard-disc drive sounds better than it does when read from an optical disc. Thats correct- music ripped from a cd to a music server can offer greater fidelity on playback from the server than from the original disc itself when decoded through the same digital-to-analog converter. How can a copy sound better than the original? Consider what goes on during playback of an optical disc: A laser reads the data off a disc spinning at 200500 rpm and performs error correction on that data on the fly. The optical system has one pass to get it right. Moreover, the crucial clock that controls the digital-to-analog conversion process is tied to the clock that controls the spinning disc.

Now consider what happens when you rip that data to a hard-disc drive on a server. The disc-ripping software can read areas of the disc repeatedly if errors are detected, moving on only when the data are perfectly accurate. Those data are stored on a hard drive and treated like any other file by the computer. Reading those data off a hard drive is a cake-walk compared with the challenge of keeping a laser tracking a spinning, wobbling, eccentric optical disc, with only one chance at getting all the information off that disc correctly. Moreover, theres evidence that the quality of the disc itself (specifically in the pit and land structures that encode the audio data) affects sound quality - a factor obviated by harddisc storage.

Ive compared the sound of state-of-theart cd transports to music servers playing the same music through the same digital-to-analog converter and digital cable. I first ripped the cd to the server, put the cd in the transport, and compared the two. The sound from the server was smoother in the treble with a more delicate rendering of treble detail. The soundstage was also improved when music was sourced from the servermore spacious, better focused in imaging, increased in depthproviding an overall more convincing impression of instruments existing in space within the recorded acoustic. There was also a greater sense of ease and musical involvement. In short, transferring your cds to a server will improve the sound of your cd library - provided that the server is configured and set up correctly."

 

[reignofchaos]

Macbook pro> Wadia 151> MA Gold Spkrs.
Rega Planet> Wadia 151> MA Gold Spkrs.
Ipod 160gb Classic> Wadia 170i> Wadia 151> MA Gold Spkrs.

All MIT Cables.

Marantz CD> DacMagic plus> Arcam Pre> Arcam Power> Paradigm Studio
Macbbok Pro> DacMagic plus> Arcam Pre> Arcam Power> Paradigm Studio

All AQ Cables

Ho is the Wadia connected to the macbook pro? Is it usb?

 

[msagar]

Very Good. I use usb for 24/96 and optical cable for higher formats.

 

[varunjh]

it all depends on the DAC and your ears as far as i can tell. same DAC then the power supply comes into the picture, a computer PSU wont give a very clean output compared to the CDPs supply.

what msagar quoted about the error correction in CDs wont that be an issue with a scratched disc? im not really sure...

 

[msagar]

FYI:

Robert Harley is a reknowned reviewer and currently Editor for The Absolute Sound Magazine.

 

[square_wave]

Please note that the discussion is about using a server as a source for feeding the dac as opposed to a standalone cd player or transport. It is not about using the computer as a source.

 

[jls001]

In my case, the CDP spinning a CD beats the PC transport hands down when it comes to fidelity of tones. The PC just can't reproduce the beautiful tonality that the CDP does. But having said that, the PC is no pushover either. It is a very competent source and better than my entry level Marantz CD6003 (which I still have). I think for a PC source it all boils down to the sound card you use and how well you optimise the media player application. If you can spend on a good sound card, but a good studio-grade card.

 

[gryph0n]

The PC is simply a much more flexible 'player'. You can change change Albums on a whim, create playlists with your favourite tracks, and even store your personal ratings on individual tracks.

Your average CDP might beat the onboard audio on quality, but add a decent soundcard (Essence ST/STX), or even better, an external DAC, and the PC would be able to match or beat a dedicated CDP.

For those who are interested in enjoying music, the PC beats a CDP just on convenience factor alone.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

In my case, the CDP spinning a CD beats the PC transport hands down when it comes to fidelity of tones. The PC just can't reproduce the beautiful tonality that the CDP does. But having said that, the PC is no pushover either. It is a very competent source and better than my entry level Marantz CD6003 (which I still have). I think for a PC source it all boils down to the sound card you use and how well you optimise the media player application. If you can spend on a good sound card, but a good studio-grade card.

I suppose that if you take a finely engineered transport mechanism, and mate it with a great DAC, in the same cabinet, with the close-linkage of DAC and transport that that allows, in theory for the better result. Compare that with a run-of-the-mill PC setup, and your "fidelity of tones" comment may be justified.

Level the playing field a bit, with high quality components, and it probably isn't. Added to which, many of the theoretical objections to PC sound are mostly can-bes, might-bes and possibilities, ie theory.

I am still surprised at the ease with which a then-new soundcard floored my Cyrus CD player, nearly ten years ago. I continue to be surprised by the confirmation from members here, who may have experienced far more exotic players, and who say that their PC is on a par with them.

But sound is not the only consideration in the question, CD v Computer!

What has changed for me are matters of lifestyle. Probably, I am not the only one to experience this over the last deacade or so... the intrusion of computers into my life.

Year 2000: employed as systems adminstrator and assistant IT manager. Computers were work. I did not even want one in the house.

Year 2005: Unemployed and decided to call it retirement. My computer had become a vital part of my social life; the internet had become my chief medium of news, information and entertainment. But, even though I have embarked on, and was already several steps into PC digital sound, somehow, listening to music still meant walking away from the PC, sitting in a different chair, putting on the CD, tape or even LP,

Year 2010: If I'm at home, I'm in my chair in front of the PC. If I want to listen to music, I turn on the speakers, or reach for the headphones. The hifi is at the other end of the room, and, frankly, is turned on more often by my wife than by me. My PC has become my default audio device.

 

[vivek.saikia]

In my system, sound reproduced by computer sounds better than the CD player.

I haven't been so lucky with my laptop.
Whenever I connect a USB DAC to the laptop, there is some noise in the output. The noise is really not audible when listening through some speaker but if I use some sensitive IEM then I can hear the noise. This ruins the whole experience.

 

[corElement]

it sounds like a power quality issue

 

[doors666]

On very well mastered CDs (reference recordings, ecm, chesky, some good japanese pressings), the cd transport does sound a wee better to me. It could be a placebo - I'm not sure.

In everything else, I can't distinguish one bit. My source is an Ayon CD-1s fed by an M2Tech Hiface.

Not much of point in buying a 2.5 lac cd player when a 8k sound card can come almost close to it.

 

[bhagwan]

In my case, the CDP spinning a CD beats the PC transport hands down when it comes to fidelity of tones. The PC just can't reproduce the beautiful tonality that the CDP does. But having said that, the PC is no pushover either. It is a very competent source and better than my entry level Marantz CD6003 (which I still have). I think for a PC source it all boils down to the sound card you use and how well you optimise the media player application. If you can spend on a good sound card, but a good studio-grade card.

I may beg to differ here;
Computer Audio is great ! For me at least.
I have been through a few CD Players in my time & now I do not possess a CD Player at all.
The Computer is just brilliant.

BTW - I got my sound card - last night.
RME - AES 32e - Now I await the custom break out cable - should be here 7 to 10 days - USA [shipping].
RME: Hammerfall DSP AES-32

I used to go USB from Computer to Upsampler.
Now, I will try Card.
Will know - what sounds better.....

USB was 24/96 limit
Card is 24/192 limit - with word clock support.

The Cable Company
USB Cable that was [is currently] is use...



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If the RME is better than the USB - then the G7 will go on sale...
Should know the result in 2 weeks, I hope..