MASTERCLASS FOR STREAMING & COMPUTER AUDIO TODAY (15 Aug) @ 18:00 Indian Time

[reignofchaos]

Over my computer audio journey of 15 years, long before anyone tried to get into computer audio, I found the following:

a) If using a PC, get a low powered CPU, fanless case and run it off a linear power supply. This in itself gets you 90% there.

b) If using USB output directly from the Pc, a USB reclocker/regenerator is a must. Alternatively use a DDC to convert from USB to I2S/SPDIF.

c) SSDs are a must. To avoid what is said in the video, use a secondary SSD for media storage and once data is copied in, make it read only via firmware tools. There will be no allocation/reallocation after that. Also buy an SSD that is 2x of your music library.

d) If using a dedicated streamer, connect everything via optical ethernet. This gets rid of ground loop issues and also any EMI interference.

e) Avoid having switches near equipment generating the audio signals. Optical ethernet is able to take much longer cable runs so this is a non issue.

f) Spend good money on switches and network infra. It need not be an audiophile switch but it should be of good quality. Good brands are Cisco/Ubiquiti.

 

[IndianEars]

Then you must be using some cheap SSDs cause I've got some Samsung SSDs going back to 2015 and they'll still chugging along. I've 3 SSDs + 2 NVMe drives in my main rig... all running in that build since 2019 without issue.

I also run JRiver Media Center from that rig with my files on both SSD and HDD from my NAS. No noise or oddities here. Here's my audio system built around my PC. Components here.

Could you share your opinion on Sound Quality differences (if any) between files played off SSD & HDDs ?

Also are you playing out FLAC or Wav ?

Some indication of your playback chain would also be Great.

Thanks !

 

[MIOM]

Could you share your opinion on Sound Quality differences (if any) between files played off SSD & HDDs ?

Also are you playing out FLAC or Wav ?

Some indication of your playback chain would also be Great.

Thanks !

We've had conversations here - Anyone digitizing their CD music collection?

And in my post, you quoted, had you looked into the links, you would have clearly seen it saying I'm playing uncompressed FLAC files through JRiver Media Center. I have files on both SSD (PC) and HDD (NAS). Honestly, I hear no difference, and I listen to my music with headphones.

I do however feel music played directly from the CD has slightly more weight especially in the bass notes. As I described in one of the links posted in the post you quote....

The first thing that stands out is how deep and clear the bass/drum notes are. The next thing is the timbre - everything is just clear and precise, especially vocals. And the soundstage is just magical - While in a stereo system you want things centered, especially vocals, you don't want them so centered to be pinpoint, you kind of want a fading to the center as that tends to present an open soundstage - everything isn't so cramped.

Yeah, that's how I see it when playing files from my CD vs files from the PC. I also have some wav files, and still think the CDs sound better. That said, I'm also talking audiophile type CDs....





At any rate this is one of those debates that can go on forever, and one I tire of quickly, so I end with "this is what my ears hear, via my equipment". I'm sure you have your opinions on the quality of my equipment as you've stated previously, but your opinion is not my reality. Yes, I don't have a $50,000 dollar system, but I'm comfortable with what I have.

Peace

 

[IndianEars]

Thanks

 

[keith_correa]

If using SSD's to store audio tracks, I recommend reading this (dated) article - https://icrontic.com/article/how_ssds_work

There are pointers in there which if implemented will extend the life of the SSD's.

 

[bobbyndd]

I

We've had conversations here - Anyone digitizing their CD music collection?

And in my post, you quoted, had you looked into the links, you would have clearly seen it saying I'm playing uncompressed FLAC files through JRiver Media Center. I have files on both SSD (PC) and HDD (NAS). Honestly, I hear no difference, and I listen to my music with headphones.

I do however feel music played directly from the CD has slightly more weight especially in the bass notes. As I described in one of the links posted in the post you quote....


Yeah, that's how I see it when playing files from my CD vs files from the PC. I also have some wav files, and still think the CDs sound better. That said, I'm also talking audiophile type CDs....

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At any rate this is one of those debates that can go on forever, and one I tire of quickly, so I end with "this is what my ears hear, via my equipment". I'm sure you have your opinions on the quality of my equipment as you've stated previously, but your opinion is not my reality. Yes, I don't have a $50,000 dollar system, but I'm comfortable with what I have.

Peace

I do agree with your observations. When I did an A/B test between high res SACD rip vs CD of the same album, CD sounded better.

 

[MIOM]

I do agree with your observations. When I did an A/B test between high res SACD rip vs CD of the same album, CD sounded better.

Yep, there's subtle things you might pick up listening to the CD that might be missed listening to the ripped counterpart - maybe a slight echo or reverberation. The finer details of the pluck of the strings on a guitar. Bass notes lasting a tad longer. Stuff like that, especially when listening through headphones.

 

[IndianEars]

I thought the discussion above was a compare between the CD and the Ripped CD (on a SSD or HDD) .

SACD is a Completely different animal

 

[MIOM]

If using SSD's to store audio tracks, I recommend reading this (dated) article - https://icrontic.com/article/how_ssds_work

There are pointers in there which if implemented will extend the life of the SSD's.

Did you catch the date of that article? SSDs have come a long way since 2008. And that's just a "how SSDs work and what goes into them" article.

I think too many, especially those who don't trust SSDs to begin with push a false narrative that's SSDs are overly fragile devices that will die prematurely if used too much. While it is true nothing lasts forever, and abuse will shorten the lifespan of ANY drive, the fact is most users use drives as intended, and have zero issues. Also, most will have long replaced a drive before it wears out... whether SSDs or HDDs.

I've been using SSDs since I started with OCZ back in 20010, moving to Samsung in 2013. I've never had one fail for any reason. That even after years of use, and replacing them for a larger capacity, the drives still work. Even my original OCZ SSD from 2010.

I think some are just looking for any excuse to poo-poo on something they don't fully understand or trust.

 

[MIOM]

I thought the discussion above was a compare between the CD and the Ripped CD (on a SSD or HDD) .

SACD is a Completely different animal

A ripped CD is a ripped CD - so I'm comparing apples to apples (SACD) and oranges to oranges - non-SACDs.

I thought that was clear when I said I ripped all my CDs - SACD, non-SACDs, audiophile CDs, normal CDs. Apparently not

 

[keith_correa]

Did you catch the date of that article?

Did YOU catch what I said in braces?:

If using SSD's to store audio tracks, I recommend reading this (dated) article - https://icrontic.com/article/how_ssds_work

SSDs have come a long way since 2008. And that's just a "how SSDs work and what goes into them" article.

Really? Read the section on "Clustering" which was the most relevant part even though I didn't explicitly mention it - it talks about block and clusters - which if changed since 2008, was lost on me.

 

[IndianEars]

A ripped CD is a ripped CD - so I'm comparing apples to apples (SACD) and oranges to oranges - non-SACDs.

I thought that was clear when I said I ripped all my CDs - SACD, non-SACDs, audiophile CDs, normal CDs. Apparently not

MIOM....

In my post #28, I was referring to bobbyndd's post (Post #26).

I was not referring to your post ...

Actually, I do not quite understand your post (#30) but that is not of consequence, in view of the above.

 

[MIOM]

Did YOU catch what I said in braces?:



Really? Read the section on "Clustering" which was the most relevant part even though I didn't explicitly mention it - it talks about block and clusters - which if changed since 2008, was lost on me.

Of course, some things remain the same. As are some common to storage devices as in clustering, and..... ???

I don't do anything extra with SSDs not done with HDDs. I simply use them as I've done with HDD drives. Never an issue. Never a worry.

With that, I said what I said on the subject and stand by it. If you guys want to peddle in fear, misinformation, and misunderstandings on SSDs, knock yourselves out.

Movin on

 

[reignofchaos]

A ripped CD is a ripped CD - so I'm comparing apples to apples (SACD) and oranges to oranges - non-SACDs.

I thought that was clear when I said I ripped all my CDs - SACD, non-SACDs, audiophile CDs, normal CDs. Apparently not

Ripping SACD to DSD files requires specific Bluray players with a lot of hacks. If you try to rip it on a PC, you will only get the vanilla redbook layer.

 

[IndianEars]

Ripping SACD to DSD files requires specific Bluray players with a lot of hacks. If you try to rip it on a PC, you will only get the vanilla redbook layer.

PERFECT

Assuming it's a Hybrid CD.

If it's an SACD only, it will not rip at all, if special processes are not used, as mentioned by you.

 

[reignofchaos]

PERFECT

Assuming it's a Hybrid CD.

If it's an SACD only, it will not rip at all, if special processes are not used, as mentioned by you.

Correct! Assuming there is a redbook layer. If not nothing will be ripped.