Thanks Ranjeetrain. Will look into them. I expect a lot of things to change over the next few years. So would not want to plonk too much money into digital now. I would expect streaming to take over big time considering how the market is moving.
Sony HAP S1. I like this unit
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rikhav
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Like the Spotify and Tidal service, Rikhav.
There will be exceptions like Adele who did not allow her new album to be streamed and notched up impressive sales. But there will be very few like that
There will be exceptions like Adele who did not allow her new album to be streamed and notched up impressive sales. But there will be very few like that
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ranjeetrain
New Member
Sensible approach, Prem. Digital is progressing so fast it's not a good idea to try to stay on the top. Best becomes second best every single day in digital.
Streaming is going to get bigger everyday and quite possibly record labels will eventually phase out distributing lossless digital masters like they do today. We are all slaves to what record labels tell their mastering engineers to produce and how they decide to sell it. It all depends on how do they want to deal with the nuisance of piracy.
Streaming is going to get bigger everyday and quite possibly record labels will eventually phase out distributing lossless digital masters like they do today. We are all slaves to what record labels tell their mastering engineers to produce and how they decide to sell it. It all depends on how do they want to deal with the nuisance of piracy.
OT, but I'll put it here.
The entertainment industry, music more so, has been adversely affected by digital format in the last decade.
The model was simple earlier. An artist needed a label for wider audience. The listener needed labels for music to reach him/her.
All the rest was logistics which was more less handled quite well.
The internet changed some of the aspects of music distribution and made piracy more widespread. Though the record labels need to share some of the blame for it by not changing their pricing structure.
The worrying thing in the last 10-15 years is the re-release concept of music to feed certain markets. Miniaturization of playback devices has dealt quite a harsh blow to the quality of content.
The entry of digital music pimps (for lack of a better word), the ones who are not involved in producing music nor enjoying music, have changed the way content is meant to sound.
Resurgence of vinyl, which everyone thought is a passing fad is living testament that people still want quality. My only hope is that streaming does not change this irreversibly.
Cheers,
Raghu
The entertainment industry, music more so, has been adversely affected by digital format in the last decade.
The model was simple earlier. An artist needed a label for wider audience. The listener needed labels for music to reach him/her.
All the rest was logistics which was more less handled quite well.
The internet changed some of the aspects of music distribution and made piracy more widespread. Though the record labels need to share some of the blame for it by not changing their pricing structure.
The worrying thing in the last 10-15 years is the re-release concept of music to feed certain markets. Miniaturization of playback devices has dealt quite a harsh blow to the quality of content.
The entry of digital music pimps (for lack of a better word), the ones who are not involved in producing music nor enjoying music, have changed the way content is meant to sound.
Resurgence of vinyl, which everyone thought is a passing fad is living testament that people still want quality. My only hope is that streaming does not change this irreversibly.
Cheers,
Raghu
regeHA
Well-Known Member
I've been a long term user of Spotify and iTunes/Apple Music, but recently started with Tidal HiFi and while its expensive at $19.99/pm its the best service in terms of SQ.
HiFi streams at FLAC (1411 kbps), a huge improvement over 320 kbps that others stream at. It is supposedly going to get better with MQA where the quality will improve or remain the same, but file size will come down considerably.
But a caveat though. You don't find all you want to listen to. Not even with all 3 services combined. Roughly 70-80% of my searches are a yes most of the time, but not all of them.
I personally cannot say that Tidal sounds better than my FLAC rips, but there are many who swear Tidal sounds better than inhouse rips. Seems a bit farfetched to me... unless Tidal is doing some DSP to improve their SQ. To my ears they sound the same, but yes a lot better than Spotify Premium and Apple Music.
PS: To my knowledge though all streaming services are losing money by the boatload, in the millions in fact. While streaming may be the future I'm not sure how many of the companies will survive. I used Rdio, which actually had a better collection of my type of music, but its sadly no more.
HiFi streams at FLAC (1411 kbps), a huge improvement over 320 kbps that others stream at. It is supposedly going to get better with MQA where the quality will improve or remain the same, but file size will come down considerably.
But a caveat though. You don't find all you want to listen to. Not even with all 3 services combined. Roughly 70-80% of my searches are a yes most of the time, but not all of them.
I personally cannot say that Tidal sounds better than my FLAC rips, but there are many who swear Tidal sounds better than inhouse rips. Seems a bit farfetched to me... unless Tidal is doing some DSP to improve their SQ. To my ears they sound the same, but yes a lot better than Spotify Premium and Apple Music.
PS: To my knowledge though all streaming services are losing money by the boatload, in the millions in fact. While streaming may be the future I'm not sure how many of the companies will survive. I used Rdio, which actually had a better collection of my type of music, but its sadly no more.
regeHA,
I have never got on the streaming bandwagon. Yes they are promising MQA and the works.
But the CD (redbook) re-release fad, that has gripped the digital format, mostly uses DRC to make content sound loud on tinny earbuds.
Any comment along these lines from your experience?
Thanks,
Raghu
I have never got on the streaming bandwagon. Yes they are promising MQA and the works.
But the CD (redbook) re-release fad, that has gripped the digital format, mostly uses DRC to make content sound loud on tinny earbuds.
Any comment along these lines from your experience?
Thanks,
Raghu
square_wave
Well-Known Member
If you play headless on a pc, you have to deal with many issues..
- You need to use some app to turn the pc on and off.
- Most playback softwares are not so user friendly via an app. slow loading times etc..
- How do you plug in a usb device if you control the pc via an app ?
- Internet radio control via an app ?
I struggle with an audirvana app everyday..
If you are comfortable with a regular pc in your system with a monitor and all that, it is a different story !!
With an all in one system like the sony, you are stuck to one dac. If you are okay with that, an all in one device is the way to go.
I am personally leaning towards players like auralic aries etcwhich are essentially optimised linux pcs with fantastic custom developed playback software and app for remote control. You need to connect an external dac which gives you flexibility. These type of devices also accept usb devices and do internet radio etc..all controlled via an excellent remote app.
- You need to use some app to turn the pc on and off.
- Most playback softwares are not so user friendly via an app. slow loading times etc..
- How do you plug in a usb device if you control the pc via an app ?
- Internet radio control via an app ?
I struggle with an audirvana app everyday..
If you are comfortable with a regular pc in your system with a monitor and all that, it is a different story !!
With an all in one system like the sony, you are stuck to one dac. If you are okay with that, an all in one device is the way to go.
I am personally leaning towards players like auralic aries etcwhich are essentially optimised linux pcs with fantastic custom developed playback software and app for remote control. You need to connect an external dac which gives you flexibility. These type of devices also accept usb devices and do internet radio etc..all controlled via an excellent remote app.
Hi Squarewave
You guys are all experts at this. I am a beginner
I always like to keep it very simple when I am starting something new. Once I begin to understand the format and form some views, it's only then that I start looking to upgrade.
You guys are all experts at this. I am a beginner
I always like to keep it very simple when I am starting something new. Once I begin to understand the format and form some views, it's only then that I start looking to upgrade.
ranjeetrain
New Member
I agree with square wave's assessment.
I have tried a lot of things. Full blown computers, low powered computers, SOC computers, smart phones, tablets, 2-computer setup, 3-computer setup. Nothing comes close to a well sorted, well integrated one single-computer setup. This offers the best balance of simplicity, functionality, flexibility and quality.
An optimized linux PC is the best (so far) among all I have tried. It's performance level is comparable to multi-grand media streamers. A windows PC reduced to appliance level comes a close second.
I have tried a lot of things. Full blown computers, low powered computers, SOC computers, smart phones, tablets, 2-computer setup, 3-computer setup. Nothing comes close to a well sorted, well integrated one single-computer setup. This offers the best balance of simplicity, functionality, flexibility and quality.
An optimized linux PC is the best (so far) among all I have tried. It's performance level is comparable to multi-grand media streamers. A windows PC reduced to appliance level comes a close second.
-i have a laptop that is connected to network [router] and is always on through the day.
on my old and trusted Nexus 7 tab:
-i use a Windows remote to switch on\kill apps on laptop [and launch Foobar].
-Foomote app to view/add/delete and queue the songs available on my latop. it can also access the external hdd/usb drives. Foobar can anyway handle the internet radio. i never look into the laptop screen and i sit around 9 ft away.
Foomote app is really easy to use and almost 100% bug free so far.
i use Adblock so no irritating ads on free version of Foomote!
.all this of-course if you like using Foobar for playback.
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ranjeetrain
New Member
Prem, Raspberry won't cut it for you.
The beauty of digital is that you don't have to spend much to get good sound. Why pay for a software when there is an excellent (hugely capable) community supported software such as Foobar? I have tried most major music player software and I keep coming back to Foobar. It's the most talented software, the best balance of SQ and ergonomics.
The beauty of digital is that you don't have to spend much to get good sound. Why pay for a software when there is an excellent (hugely capable) community supported software such as Foobar? I have tried most major music player software and I keep coming back to Foobar. It's the most talented software, the best balance of SQ and ergonomics.
Hi squarewave
With the HAP Z1es, everything can be controlled through one app. It's very easy to use. You can add external USB for additional storage if you need. You can listen to Internet radio. Basically you put the app on your computer and the iPhone. That's it. You can load songs in the computer and the Sony can pick that up too
Yes the only negative is you are stuck with one dac.
With the HAP Z1es, everything can be controlled through one app. It's very easy to use. You can add external USB for additional storage if you need. You can listen to Internet radio. Basically you put the app on your computer and the iPhone. That's it. You can load songs in the computer and the Sony can pick that up too
Yes the only negative is you are stuck with one dac.
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ranjeetrain
New Member
Prem, I could volunteer if you were in close proximity. What you can do is start with buying an off the shelf laptop. Open a thread here. It will take a shape within a few weeks.
regeHA
Well-Known Member
The usual suspects... i7, lots of RAM 16 GB and more, GPU, SSD, etc.
Sound was good, just not equal to a high end CDP though. I always felt something was missing.
What did (and does) work is similar to what you've stated below.
Huge gains with...
1. NAS + Pi (running the likes of moOde and Rune).
2. Daphile on a dedicated PC.
3. 2 PC JPlay setup.
Next level gains...
Wireless streaming. Don't know if its because of isolation of electrical noise (that's my reasoning), but this finally gave me something I could live with and even say performs on par with my tape and CD setup and for digital music at 16/44 and 24/96. Haven't gone higher res than that.
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