Vincent3

I signed up for this site several years ago, when it was called Computer Audiophile, then got the bug to revisit the component systems I grew up wanting to grow into. I'm back because I'm thinking about returning to a computer-based system, and that's why this thread caught my eye. It's good to be back. My experience with powered speakers is limited to my Edifier R1280DB. They're in a closet, because for my current needs I much prefer my receiver and passive speakers. It's not so much about whether passive or powered speakers have better SQ or are less expensive. For me, it's about my receiver's convenient features. In that one box I have amplification, 4 preamp inputs, a phono amp, FM radio, a central headphone jack for all of my sources, and a 3.5mm aux input. I operate all of that with in equally convenient remote control. It sounds great and works well. There are so many excellent passive speakers and amplification solutions for them that I don't see the need to change to powered speakers just for the sake of it. That isn't to say that powered speakers aren't worth it. I believe in their potential to be technically better than any amp and passive speaker, but they have their own set of use cases that make them the better choice.

Bob, thanks for your input. We were typing at the same time. The system going to be in a bedroom for now, then eventually moved into a study. I'm still researching my options for active speakers. For storage, I was going to use a hard drive(s) and back it up to a personal cloud device. Managing another computer crossed my mind. It would be a dedicated audio PC for storage, ripping and listening to local and streamed music. Although it would be a dedicated system, I'd still have to contend with things like software updates and the occasional OS instability issue. Another option would be to stick with the traditional component system and use a laptop and external ADC for digitizing LPs.

Thanks for your replies. So it seems the answer to my basic question is that switching from a traditional component system to a PC-based system isn't an issue. I already have the STX-II (I used it for headphone listening in my family PC), which is why I was going to start with it. I foresee upgrading to an external DAC, but for now I think the STX-II's DAC and headphone amp will be a step above what's in my current components. The STX-II also has an ADC, so that give me the hardware I need to digitize LPs (I already have a phono amp). I might as well start with it and see what I think of it.

Thanks. I'm asking not so much for opinions about the specific components, but about whether switching from a traditional component system to PC system has any caveats I should be aware of.

I have a traditional component system that has been fun, but a few things have been nudging my toward a PC-based system. I'd appreciate your thoughts. Here is my current system and the system I'm considering: Current system: Sony receiver (STR-DH190) Passive speakers (Polk Audio Tsi100) CD player (Onkyo C-7030) Turntable (vintage Pioneer fully automatic) Considering: Dedicated audio PC HTPC case basic motherboard with integrated graphics basic CPU and memory Windows 11 or Linux ASUS Essence STX-II sound card Optical disk drive Monitor, keyboard, mouse active speakers (currently have Edifier R1280DB, but will upgrade soon) I'm considering the move to PC because I want to digitize old LPs that haven't been released on digital format. From what I've read, I should be able to do that with my turntable, phono amp, STX-II, and software like Audacity or VinylStudio. Other advantages of a PC is that the optical drive will be in the PC case (no need for a separate CD component), and the STX-II's DAC and headphone amp are excellent. Since my CDs are ripped to FLAC files, I can just play the FLAC files and keep my CDs in storage. The PC seems like a step forward all around. Are there any drawbacks I should consider? Thanks!

I think I just found the answer to my question. A network streamer with a CD player seems to be just what I need. I haven't been paying attention to them, because I wasn't into streaming. The Marantz ND8006 looks like the one.

Hi, everybody! I've been away from the forum for several years. Until a year ago, I was enjoying my basic desktop system with a Xonar STX-II, Audio-Technica MSR7, and FLAC files. I was then bitten by the turntable bug, which led to a rekindling of my desire to realize the traditional component system I had wanted since I was a teenager. Coincidentally, I was given my father's Pioneer turntable when the component system was most heavily on my mind, so I made the leap. I now have a receiver, the turntable, a CD player, passive speakers, and shelf filled with CDs and LPs. It was fun for a while, but the space usage is increasingly hard to justify. With a small form factor PC and powered speakers, I can free up most of that space and have a system that's just as fulfilling. I was considering a Raspberry Pi, but I think an M-ITX system would better fit my needs. I can use my Xonar STX-II, M-ITX motherboard, light-duty CPU, and optical drive. I have Edifier R1280DB speakers - which I think sound better than my receiver and 5" passive speakers - and might soon upgrade them to more capable active speakers. I'll run a light Linux distro. The PC will be strictly for hi-fi and maybe YouTube viewing, so I'll keep the software and hardware tailored to that. For audio, I'll be listening mostly to ripped FLAC files from my CDs and to internet radio. I think the turntable will go into storage, so my media will be digital only. I might consider a streaming service at some point, but still like having the CD of my preferred mastering in storage. I might eventually pair that down to something like my top few hundred albums, then go with streaming for everything else. I'm not there yet, though. Some questions: What are your thoughts about the Edifier R1280DB for a bedroom speaker? I know they aren't the last word, but I think they sound great for a $130 pair of 4-inch speakers. Again, I plan to upgrade soon. I was considering the R1280DBs and the T5 subwoofer. However, I read that the 1280 doesn't have a proper crossover and that the 4-inch driver does nearly all the work. If that's the case, I'd rather go with something that makes better use of its hardware. For input, I'm thinking about a minimal Bluetooth keyboard with an integrated trackball or touchpad. I would mind having a touchscreen input tablet, but haven't seen anything like that. Any other options I might be missing? I don't want anything voice controlled. For the display, I'll mount on the wall a screen a little under 30 inches (again, YouTube viewing too). I'm not sure if it matters whether I go with a PC monitor or a TV. I'm thinking TVs might be better for distance viewing, but am not sure. Do you think there's much of a difference? Looking forward, are there any upgrade paths I should keep in mind? I know that's a broad question. I guess I'm asking if there are upgrade paths that are popular for people who start out with a system like the one I'm planning. Thanks!

I'm going to replace my Xonar STX II and am considering to paths. Which you you recommend: Install my old Xonar D1 for its DAC, then buy an Objective 2 headphone amp. Buy an Objective2+ODAC. It's $137 to buy the headphone amp with the options I want, and $299 for the amp/DAC. Would there be enough difference between the two DACs to justify the price of buying a new DAC when I already have the D1? I'm replacing the Xonar STX II because it occasionally makes a static noise that can be stopped only be restarting the PC. Also, I've never liked the lack of auto-detect on the front headphone input. It's a shame, because it sounds great. I removed the card yesterday, and the SQ plummeted with my onboard ALC 662. I want my SQ back soon. Thanks!

Thanks for the replies. I switched to Windows 10. This is on a recently built PC that is still using the onboard ALC662, and I'm listening with MDR-V6 headphones. My music sounds quite different than it did when I was running Linux. I don't know if the difference is in the drivers, or in how the operating systems process sound. I compared Windows Media Center to Foobar, and I prefer how WMC displays albums. Unfortunately, the default settings allowed it to "correct" some of my metadata, but I turned that off and fixed the metadata without too much trouble. I'm also going to try JRiver As far as Windows 10 itself is concerned, I noticed right away how it pushes toward online integration that can sometimes be intrusive (e.g. the updating of my metadata). Of course, it also raises privacy concerns. Whereas Linux felt like a product that you installed locally on your PC, Windows 10 feels more like it wants to be a front end for cloud service. We already saw our first virus get past Defender, so I installed another security package. So far Windows 10 gets the nod, but I can see the potential for things to develop away from that. If that happens, I'll reinstall Linux.

Is there anything about Windows 10 I should know before switching from Linux, both in terms of audio and the OS in general? I've been using Linux since MS stopped supporting Windows XP. As much as I appreciate Linux being free and relatively secure, I'm tired of dealing with its compatibility issues. I do use Windows 10 at work, but that's as an end user of Outlook, Office, a few databases, and IE. I don't have to administer it like I would my home system. As far as audio goes, my system is fairly simple and budget-oriented. I have an MITX motherboard with a video card, so I don't have space for a sound card. I'm going to get a Schiit Fulla 2 or a Modi/Magni stack. I use Sony MDR-V6 headphones and am going to replace my old 2.1 multimedia speakers with powered stereo speakers. My music is mostly rock/pop ripped at 192 VBR (I know FLAC is preferred, but I switched to MP3 when I saw how quickly FLAC filled up my hard drive). I'm planning to go back to Foobar and EAC. As far as Windows 10 in general goes, I was at first concerned about it installing updates automatically without letting users opt out. Have you had any problems with this? Is the current version of Windows Defender sufficient for reasonable security? Thanks!

Is there anything about high-impedance headphones that is inherently better? I ask because I see lots of highly recommended headphones with low impedance (for example, Audio Technica ATH-M50, Sony MDR-V6, the entire Grado line) and wonder why I should get a higher impedance headphone that will necessitate a headphone amp. If impedance is an issue, is there an impedance range that would work well on both a good moderate home system and a good portable mp3 player? One point of reference is the Beyerdynamic DT 880 in 32, 250, and 600 ohms. Thanks!

The Well-Tempered Computer is a good resource for the hardware aspect. One of the most important things is a good source. Steve Hoffman Music Forums is a good site for learning about the importance of mastering and which releases of albums are considered the best. I don't always agree with the forum's consensus on the acceptability of a certain release, but it's a good place to develop an awareness of the topic. Avoiding lackluster releases is definitely worth the effort, especially if you have an analytic system that will highlight sonic flaws.

I listen to CDs because that was how music was available for many years after the demise of the cassette tape. CDs that are mastered well sound great. Speaking of mastering, could it be that your DVDs were mastered with compression or other techniques that rely more on exaggeration than balance and subtlety?

I tried resampling a few covers with IrfanView. With the sharpening feature selected, it got the image detail where I want it to be.

I too like my cover art to be an exact copy of my CD's cover, with accurate colors and sharp image detail. Some of the cover art got from FreeDB is excellent, but I'll need to scan a few. I read that scanning to TIFF is better than JPG. Will I get better results if I do the initial scan as a TIFF, make any image quality adjustments, resize it, then save the final image as jpg? I tried that yesterday with a couple of covers. The color accuracy was spot on, but the sharpness could be better. I know next to nothing about digital graphics, so I'm experimenting based on loose assumptions at this point. I'm aiming for 400 x 400 and a reasonable file size. Regards, Vincent3