Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2014 14:14:03 GMT
I thought this thread was about source? Or is mains now the source. Try plugging your speakers into it to find out. You may get a low G#, but not for long. yeah, sorry, that was probably me.....my source is fed digital via homeplugs...which use the mains as their direct digital connection.......so it's relevant, but confusing with regard to file based audio...
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Post by gazjam on Jul 12, 2014 14:19:17 GMT
It is now, was a switcher before. Even a linear PSU for your router can make an improvement... not so much making the router sound better (aye right!) but stopping the switcher putting crap back into the mains. Previously had isolated all switchers in my setup by plugging into a Belkin PF30, improved things but not as much as getting the SMPUs out the way all together. Can we assume the router PSU is currently not linear ? Different circuit to the hifi
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Post by MikeMusic on Jul 12, 2014 14:30:34 GMT
It is now, was a switcher before. Can we assume the router PSU is currently not linear ? Different circuit to the hifi Ta. Will test mine out, or off even - to improve my *source* !
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ian
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 26
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Post by ian on Jul 12, 2014 15:55:07 GMT
Although I've rebuilt a few Lenco turntables in my time and love what vinyl can give musically I also appreciate what a good fileserver can do. I've never been that enamoured by straight CD but when I started playing with ripped files it suddenly made sense. I've played with Foobar 2000 on a Windows laptop and that works well but my player of preference is a dedicated Vortexbox, headless, fanless and smaller than a typical amplifier so sits with other gear without problem.
For those of you unfamiliar with Vortexbox it's a Linux based system (Fedora) with built in CD ripper - it can also rip DVD's but I've never done this. Comms with the box is via a web page so it has to be connected to your network. By default Vortexbox comes with Logitech Media Server again via a web page or via an app on iPad/iPod etc. There are other apps that work well too but I like the simplicity of the Logitech interface. The other nice thing about Vortexbox is it's open source so you can load it on any old PC if you simply want to try it rather than shelling out for a dedicated machine.
As far as sound quality is concerned it is probably the best source based on value for money in my system. Connected using asynchronous USB to a Meridian Director DAC there are no digital nasties apparent to my ears and of course the convenience is fabulous compared to vinyl or CD players. Browse, play, make up playlists, make up several hours of listening if you want. CD's don't clutter up the place once ripped and the price of second hand CD's is a fraction of their vinyl equivalent so building up a music library doesn't have to break the bank. Vortexbox is quite happy with hi res downloads in FLAC format too.
Cheers, Ian
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Post by terrybooth on Jul 13, 2014 11:58:07 GMT
Ian - you touch on a couple of things here that spark a couple of toughts from me.
First: CDs sound better when ripped. This is certainly what I've found when comparing reproduction from the computer drive and the same computer playing a file. However, a drive in a computer and the associated processing are not quite the same as in a well sorted CD player. A good CD player will play a CD well (if you pardon the tautology).
Second: the all in one approach to cd ripping. (Vortebox, Brennan, PC, 'Music PC'). As you will see, I've moved away from that. A few bits of thinking behind that: first, all the music playing thingy has to do is to read a file and play it, my hope is that simpler will develop into better; second, with source and reproduction separated, it possible to access your music from wherever you can put and another music player; and third, like it or not, the future of music reproduction looks, at the moment at least, to be in streaming music stored somewhere else.
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ian
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 26
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Post by ian on Jul 13, 2014 13:56:23 GMT
Hi Terry, I take your point but I have owned some fairly decent CD players over the years including Meridian and Astin Trew and still prefer the Vortexbox. When I first got a Vortexbox it fed a Cambridge DACmagic, not a bad combo but when I upgraded to an asynchronous DAC (AudioLab CDQ) that is when the real break through took place. It's not really like the Brennan all in one which I believe has a built in DAC. Incidentally I preferred the Vortexbox using the CDQ's DAC to the CDQ playing the CD directly As to streaming, well I struggled for a long time to play music without an album sleeve in my hand so I somehow don't think that I will ever progress to not owning the music even if it is only as a digital file
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Post by terrybooth on Jul 13, 2014 14:47:39 GMT
Hi Terry, I take your point but I have owned some fairly decent CD players over the years including Meridian and Astin Trew and still prefer the Vortexbox. When I first got a Vortexbox it fed a Cambridge DACmagic, not a bad combo but when I upgraded to an asynchronous DAC (AudioLab CDQ) that is when the real break through took place. It's not really like the Brennan all in one which I believe has a built in DAC. Incidentally I preferred the Vortexbox using the CDQ's DAC to the CDQ playing the CD directly As to streaming, well I struggled for a long time to play music without an album sleeve in my hand so I somehow don't think that I will ever progress to not owning the music even if it is only as a digital file I gave up a CDi for ripped music so I do know where you are coming from. As for having something in your hand, isn't that what the control programme on a tablet is for?
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ian
Rank: Soloist
Posts: 26
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Post by ian on Jul 13, 2014 16:51:15 GMT
Funnily enough that's exactly what I am doing right now . Now there's the downside of file based audio. Set an album off playing and start browsing through the collection. Ooh, haven't heard that for a while - do I add it to end of current tracks or replace? Decisions, decisions - it's too damn easy
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