Computer Audiophile is for people looking to take the next step in their high quality music listening experience and to discuss everything audiophile related in the forums. The main focus is on Hi-Fi audio equipment that produces audiophile quality sound from a computer / music server. Previously using a computer in an audiophile grade system was unheard of. Now, Macs and PCs are quickly supplementing standalone transports, CD players and large collections of physical media. In the near future purchasing physical media, other than vinyl and reel-to-reel tape, will be a thing of the past and computer based systems will be replacing instead of supplementing the physical media based components. Many audiophiles see this as the end of high quality music reproduction. Fortunately the opposite is true.
"...These differences in density differentials may reflect similar changes in stiffness distributions, which could directly impact vibrational efficacy or indirectly modify sound radiation via altered damping characteristics. Either of these mechanisms may help explain the acoustical differences between the..." You may be surprised to hear what this discussion is all about. If you're a high-end audio skeptic this may make you think differently.
Does your Logitech Squeezebox Duet go to eleven? Mine does! As some of you know I'm not a big fan of Squeezeboxes. I consider them a convenient mid-fi product that serves a purpose but doesn't sound very good. Recently I was contacted by the Bolder Cable Company about its modified Squeezebox Duet. After numerous hours and listening sessions I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the modified Duet versus the stock Duet. The Bolder Cable Company has managed to squeeze every ounce of performance out of the Squeezebox Duet.
I just received some photos of the highly anticipated Audio Research DAC7. I'm helping dispel the myth that audiophiles have no sense of humor by displaying the back of the unit on the front page considering the title of the article says "...Shows Its Face." Of course better pictures are available by clicking the link.
It has been almost two months since I first reviewed the PS Audio Digital Link III DAC. In the time since that review I continued listening to the DLIII in between other DACs that have come and gone. My listening sessions lately have really been fun and I've managed to squeeze every bit of sound quality possible out of the DLIII. If you're wondering how I pulled a little something extra out of the DLIII, think full resolution 24/96 & DVD-Audio.
Hey guys if you haven't been over to the High Definition Tape Transfers site recently I suggest you click on over there. HDTT has, "...introduced a new download site that has many improvements including making your own user account so you can redownload your purchases at any time, secure online checkout, more reliable downloading, and better navigation..." Says Bob over at HDTT.
High-End audio writers have always been masters of subjectivity. Avoiding direct comparisons and an unwillingness to brand one product the "clear" victor over another are par for the audiophile course. This style of writing can leave readers feeling a little cheated and wondering what the writer really thinks. While this may seem frustrating it is a good thing much of the time. Declaring a component the clear cut winner may unjustly prejudice a readers opinion and lead him down a delusional purchasing path while unfairly harming the manufacturers of the "losing" products. I try to steer clear of absolute terms like best, worst, never, nobody, always, everybody. A major reason is I rarely hear something so good or so bad that an absolute statement is appropriate. I can recall the best complete audio system I've ever heard. A pair of Wilson Audio Maxx 2 speakers with all Audio Research components. That decision was a no-brainer. Now it's time to crown another Best. The Best DAC I've ever heard in a computer based audio system. The Weiss Engineering Minerva is definitely THE Best.
Yesterday Western Digital released its new MyBook Mirror Edition. This could be a really nice option for audiophiles looking for more storage and audiophiles just jumping into their first music server project. A couple highlights include automatic data mirroring in 500 GB or 1 TB (usable space) options and even better this is a fanless design that uses less power and produces less heat. This unit also allows the drives to be upgraded in the future. If you're looking for simple direct connect USB storage this could work really well in your audio system. Read more for all the details.
The new HRx albums from Reference Recordings are unlike anything I've ever heard. While I did have high expectations for these releases I certainly did not expect anything this close to perfection. I am absolutely blown away by the sound quality. Everything from the crystal clear highs to the extremely accurate lows sounded fabulous. In fact all the typical audiophile adjectives that describe great sound are apropos for these albums. Read more to find out why this product might be the catalyst that kicks the high end audio world into gear and popularizes music servers like none other.
The topic of converting files has been popular lately. The most recent request in to Computer Audiophile is for instructions to convert DRM-Free SuperHD downloads from MusicGiants so they work in iTunes on a Mac. Standard MusicGiants HD downloads are easy to convert. Add them to your iTunes library and they'll convert on the fly. What's different about the SuperHD content? These albums have much higher resolution such as 24 bit / 88.2 kHz or 24/96. Most conversion methods downsample the files to 16 bit / 44.1 kHz, thus negating the reason most people purchase SuperHD content. The conversion method outlined in this article is so easy you won't believe it. If you know how to double-click you're in luck. Read more for all the details.
©2007-2008 Computer Audiophile | Turn Down The Silence
All Rights Reserved
