marcober

With a substantial investment in hardware, including an imac (2 years old) feeding an Ayre QB9 and downloading flac music files of the highest quality, the sound still does not compare to the sound of my vinyls. Nevertheless, is there any point to adding a ssd hard drive to store the files? I am only interested in improving the sound quality. And if the answer is "yes" and I am to use the external ssd drive to store the files, is this solution preferable to adding a mac mini? And either way, which type of cable firewire or usb are the experts advising? Thanks MB

Thanks for your help and more likely you are correct in your analysis. The problem is that I am using a MAC (sorry for the caps) and downloading in AIFF (sorry again for the caps). I cannot find much older jazz, blues etc. available in high resolution AIFF downloads at 96 or higher. If I wait for my tastes in music to be available in high resolution downloads or data discs, then my equipment will likely be obsolete by that time. Or am I missing something (which is the real reason I came out of the woodwork and sought help here.) It seems that very hi-res downloads are primarily available in classical symphony orchestral type. I like Albert Collins and other music of that ilk, I just want the sound to compare to vinyl. Is that too much to ask? Mark

Keith: How do you know I didn't listen to the equipment before I purchased it? Also, if I were your child I probably would have run away from home and joined the circus by now. Love and say hi to mum Mark

Thanks, WL. I really appreciate your help. MB

That's not an insult. My grandmother lived on LOMBARD (sorry about the capital letters Eloise) Street in Baltimore. MB

All I did was to ask a serious question. I had no idea that I invaded such a high class closed society with petty rules and regulations. I am sorry your highness MB

Albert: Out of all the silly and/or obvious replies I received, yours is not inane and makes sense. Of course, I could take the problem to my dealer and of course I could have written my question in lower case instead of capital letters. After all, if this is the best help I can get from this group then what the hell do we need Computer Audiophile for? As to your helpful advice, though... I downloaded Albert Collins in aiff and I had no idea that I was getting only 16/44.1. I expected better from HRx. This is not making me a happy audiophile. I thought all HRx was of a higher resolution. Do you know of any other sources for high resolution remasters of this kind of music and/or traditional jazz the likes of Miles, Monk etc.? In any case, thanks for your help. Mark

sorry "then"

Eloise: Its more important that you're spelling is correct than if I happen to type accidently w/the caps lock on. MB (I am not shouting my initials). Poor spelling is bad etiquette too.

I JUST SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND I AM NOT SATISFIED. I AM USING MY NEW MAC, MY AYRE DAC WELL BROKEN IN W/CARDAS USB CABLE ALSO WELL BROKEN IN. MY SETTINGS ARE OK AND I PURCHASED AN HRX WHICH IS PROPERLY INSTALLED AS WELL AS A DOWNLOADED HD TRACKS ALBUM OF ALBERT COLLINS. NOW, I'M JUST NOT SATISFIED WITH THE SOUND ITS THIN AND DIGITAL AS OPPOSED TO SWEET AS ANALOG SOUND IS...ITS NOT EVEN AS SATISFYING AS THE SOUND I GET FROM MY SQUEEZEBOX (INTERNET RADIO) W/CARY DAC. PLEASE DONT MAKE ME DELINEATE WHAT EQUIPMENT I HAVE AND NOVICES NEED NOT SPECULATE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED. SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE NEEDS TO HELP. MARK BERKLEY