Welcome To Computer Audiophile Academy

 
"I am not young enough to know everything."
        - Oscar Wilde

Recorded music has been around since the mid to late 1800s and computers came along in the 1940s. Shortly thereafter, in typical high-end audio fashion, audiophiles quickly combined their love of music with their intimate knowledge of computers. I'm only kidding, we all know that statement couldn't be further from the truth. Surprisingly, or not, audiophiles have avoided the use of computers as if they were tone controls even though the pro audio world has embraced computers with open arms for quite some time. Now that high-end audio and computer convergence is a reality learned audiophiles have become newbies once again. Unfortunately knowledge of turntable mechanics doesn't translate to computer based audio but knowledge of good sound is equally as valuable whether the source is an analog tape or a high resolution download. In addition to traditional audiophiles there are millions more music lovers who just want to learn the basics of computer audio so they can get convenient and wonderful sound at a fraction of the price of a traditional high-end system. Obtaining this knowledge can be a little daunting for everyone when basic information is intertwined with highly technical talk about jitter, ALAC, NAS, FLAC, AIFF, and the Nyquist–Shannon sampling theorem. With this in mind I now announce our matriculation into the Computer Audiophile Academy.

Welcome to the Academy

Since day one here at Computer Audiophile there has been a focus on sharing information between those in the know and those who want to know. As more data accumulates on the site those seeking information tend to get more confused. Readers often find a forum topic that discusses what they want to know, but the information is not written for a learning audience or may twist and turn for ten to twenty pages without answering the original question. There's no problem with this type of discussion but it's hard for newbies to benefit. Let's face it, we are all newbies on some topics and need better explanations or instructions once in a while. Over the last few months I've received many emails and read countless forum comments with similar requests asking for basic diagrams, term definitions, format recommendations, interface information, NAS configuration, and on and on ... These requests have been extremely helpful in identifying specifically what most readers want to know. Thus the Computer Audiophile Academy was created to address the common and critical needs of the CA readers.

The Curriculum

Based on the most common questions and topics or based on information deemed noteworthy for computer audiophiles, I will create new articles. I will provide the first answer or instructions within each article based on my knowledge, experience, and conversations with industry associates. Recognizing that we all benefit from the collective knowledge of those around us, each article will be wide open for followup questions, constructive criticism, and most importantly answers provided by the millions of readers around the globe. These collective responses will allow each article to contain the most accurate and up to date information. What separates this from a standard forum and a Wiki is the ability to control the article topics and list the most helpful answers first so newbies don't have to waste hours hoping to find an answer. For example, an article discussing the the recommended MediaMonkey settings with screenshots and instructions will be updated as soon as a reader provides additional information that helps improve the original content of the article. This benefits those seeking a consolidated answer and provides others wishing to read more the option to roll their sleeves up and keep reading.

Open for Education

The Computer Audiophile Academy is now open for education. New articles will be written frequently and I promises a few neat surprises along the way. Plus no tests or homework, just great music and great sound quality.

Link To Articles

Note: If the whole concept is still a little fuzzy in your head it's likely that my explanation could have been better. No worries, the concept is very clear in my mind and will be much easier to understand as we get rolling. We'll start with a simple one.