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omahapianist

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  1. Ok, even with all these set-ups and findings, everyone has to ask themselves - can you really, genuinely hear any differences? Or is it simply knowing that you are listening to music "bit-perfectly" that makes it "better"? And even if one could actually hear any differences between a bit-perfect file and not a bit-perfect file, what does that really mean in the end, especially if a vast majority of people (audiophiles included) can't perceive any true differences. The biggest perceptible differences anyone would be able to hear is in the quality of the recordings themselves.
  2. I'm assuming you're humbled by their "technical abilities" to stream the event from her iPad to the television. I can understand that. I'm no hardcore digital media expert but I always feel like I have a good understanding on how all of that stuff works. I'm the one that my teenage and pre-teen kids come to when they have any issues. However, those days are fast becoming numbered. My son (the teenage one) wanted me to watch something on YouTube (Apex Legends video game trailers) through the app on our PS4. There were apparently some issues with it and I told him I could fix it. He was watching me wondering what the heck I was doing. "Dad, I can fix it", he said, as he whipped out his iPhone 8+ and a moment later, he was streaming it to the TV making minor adjustments along the way. To make matters worse - for me - he was expertly explaining story lines in the development of all the characters in the game and putting together a menagerie of how Apex works and kept asking what do I think of it all. "Um, yeah, it's ok", I said, trying to keep whatever 'Cool Dad' image I had left. Honestly, I was very impressed and he got such a kick out of jumping from YouTube channel to YouTube channel on his phone and on the PS4 to explain this Apex universe. When it was over, I thank him for sharing that with me and went upstairs. It was then I realized just how proud I was of him. And then there's my daughter.... 🙂
  3. I use to be snobbish about audio products. Pay more, get better audio. While that's true to a point, I totally ignore the fact that a lot of good products can be had for very little money. And what drove me to that conclusion is the fact that I will never be able to afford a majority of those items that I've lusted after most of my life. Having said that, I somewhat recently discovered the huge earbud market in China as marketed by sites like Ali Express and Penon Audio, among others. Granted, it does come across like a Frankenstein-like assembly business using old parts from past products from many well-known manufacturers but there are some really crazy headphone creations that deserve to be looked at if you're looking to save a few bucks. I can't say how they would stack up against the established players in the audiophile industry but I think you would be surprised by what you find.
  4. I find that even the worst songs have a strange appeal to me simply because they are so bad. For me, I can say most anything by Katy Perry and Taylor Swift is bad but that may be more of a bias against their music than who they are as individuals. But then I find songs like Sugar Sugar (The Archies) and the Brady Bunch theme utterly irresistible in a kitschy way. But check in again in about the week and I'm sure that'll change.
  5. I never knew a service like this existed. I signed up for Mog and I'm enjoying it immensely. I really enjoy the fact that it's a high-quality streaming service but yet I know it won't ever compete sonically with my downloaded music files on my laptop but for my Touchpad and Droid 2 (with somewhat limited flash drive space), this is truly amazing (especially with audiophile-quality earphones). For now, this is a fantastic compromise between sound quality and convenience that should please most audiophiles. <br /> <br /> Kudos for Mog!
  6. I don't see how anyone can compare visual acuity to aural acuity. Even the most untrained eye can distinguish the subtlest of color, shade, and texture whereas the most golden-eared audiophile can have difficulty hearing much of any difference between 16 and 24-bit sound files. Perhaps the writer in question should have compared the music samples to the difference between, say, a good CD player and a good SACD player. Most will probably hear some differences but some may not. As far as "bad" music is concerned, I understand where you are coming from Tipper. However, "bad" can have duel applications: "Bad" in terms of music not worthy to be graced with hi-res magic and "bad" in terms of poorly recorded material. In all fairness, most digital music recorded in the early to late 80's sounds fairly lifeless so engineers can pick and choose what they want to revive. Things did get a bit better after that but since 24/96 recordings will be very limited in comparison to what's available in the 16-bit world, some will only choose to listen to these hi-res files. However, I do believe many audiophiles listen to all kinds of music regardless of format. The music DOES come first.
  7. With so many websites going for glitz and flash, it's nice to see something that's elegantly simple and easy to glance at in a few blinks of the eye. The biggest thing for me is its uncomplicatedness (or at least the appearance of that). Sometimes, additional colors and graphics can be a little distracting which can force me to concentrate on the content a little more than usual. This is especially nice on my Droid Eris. OK, perhaps the white background CAN be "off-whited" a tad. It certainly does light up a dim room! Note to self: Do not go to this site while sitting on the deck on a warm summer night unless I want the company of moths, treehoppers, and mosquitos. :-) All in all, it works! It worked for the headphone.com site when they changed a while ago so it should work here but perhaps a little subtle color at the top (like headphone.com) can give the eye a little color variety without losing the overall effect. And no, I am not associated with headphone.com or its affiliates. :-P Randall
  8. I haven't heard the other DAC's referenced in your list but I can say that, for me, the NuForce Icon uDAC is a winner for a few reasons: 1. The fact that is has a built-in headphone amp is a bonus for me since I do all my serious listening via headphones. I have a CI Audio VHP-1 headphone amp which runs in Class D and, to my ears, this type of switching amp sounds the best for headphones - analog warmth with solid-state power and control. NuForce is one of the true innovators in this type of amplification and it, along with its high-end DAC with DSP jitter reduction algorithms, makes the uDAC a true joy to listen to your favorite music. 2. Since it runs off of the power of a PC/laptop, there's no need for an AC connection as with some other similar units. No AC noise or contamination. And when I really want to get into the music, I just disconnect the AC plug from the computer to run my laptop solely from the battery. Pure! 3. I like that it has a coaxial input in the event that I may want to use that someday but since I use Kimber Silver USB to connect my DAC and portable HD to my PC (these are AMAZING cables!), I sometimes wonder if a USB to s/pdif interface will really make that much difference. 4. The price. $99.00 for a high-end DAC?? Considering the strength of the company's technical expertise and its award-winning product line, I'd say "Yes!". End of story. Of course, your results may vary. :-)
  9. A while back, I had some issues with the previous version of iTunes on my Vista PC but I did download the latest update and it is an improvement although I didn't have the exact problems you stated Joe. I just updated my J. River software (14) and it simply blows away iTunes in every way. J. River is designed specifically for Windows so that may have a lot to do with it. Randall
  10. OK, dallas21, the first thing that pops into my head is how do you find a "better than a 10% overall performance" in this device or any device for that matter? Our hearing (or our brains to be exact) is not really designed to breakdown and analyze finite sound intervals as an absolute. Perhaps your audio engineering experience allows you to hear differences in loudness and intensity more astutely than some but assigning a perceived value to that difference? It's "easier" to perceive more detail, bloom, greater bass extension, etc., but not on a numerical scale.
  11. I tried iTunes and MediaMonkey but settled on J. River. It's simply the best (for me) and its' sound quality is extremely good! They do offer a 30-day free trial if anyone want to try it first. Randall
  12. First off, here's a link that can help you understand more about the quality of AV receivers/DAC: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/AV-receivers-quality Also, concerning the Yamaha speakers you mentioned (HS50M/HS80M), I cannot comment on their sound quality since I haven't heard them before, but one thing I noticed is that they are powered speakers which doesn't require an external power source to drive them. If you want to get a receiver, you might want to look for passive speakers. Otherwise. you can simply send the output signal (from the receiver) to the speakers. If you have a DAC connected to your PC, you can send the output audio signal from the DAC (via RCA's most likely) to the speakers. Keep in mind that both of the speakers have a 1/4" jack and balanced XLR inputs so it's important to have the right cable/adaptors to connect them to the source. Lastly, I want to add something to the Grado post I sent earlier. Grado says the iGrados have the same drivers as the SR-60's but there is enough of a difference in sound since the drivers in the SR-60 are within an ear cup versus the flat-mounted drivers in the portable version. I bought my wife a set of iGrados some time ago and although they sounds quite nice, they don't have the depth and soundstaging like the 60's. However, if you don't mind wearing the SR-60's for your portable needs as well as for your main rig, you won't need the portable versions. The 60's are terminated with a mini jack (3.5 mm) plug so they'll work very well with a portable player. You'll just need a mini-jack to 1/4" adaptor to plug it in to your receiver, DAC/headphone amp, or a dedicated headphone amp unless any of the aforementioned items only have 3.5 mm outputs. For a few dollars more, you can also step up to the SR-80's which have larger drivers and a moderately better sound. Randall
  13. From the receivers available in your area, Yamaha and Onkyo, they are both very good brands although many in the audiophile world would consider these, and receivers in general, to be mid-fi. I know Yamaha makes a decent two-channel receiver with 75 watts per channel (RX-V565) for a very reasonable price. They make a less expensive model designed for home theater with 7 channels but I don't know if that is your thing. You can check out the Crutchfield website as well as the J & R World website for more bargain-priced receivers. Don't forget to check out Amazon.com too! Unlike mid-fi receivers, you can actually find very good audiophile-quality speakers (mostly bookshelf sized) from makers like Polk, Paradigm, and Epos, to name a few. Having said this, these brands may not be available in your area so as long as you stick with established brands like the ones you mentioned, I think you will find something that has a good sound at a reasonable price. If the stores will let you try before you buy, that's the best way of determining what will work for you. You also mentioned Grados in your original post. It just so happens that I'm a hardcore headphone audiophile who uses Grados exclusively and depending on if you want a main headphone system rig or a more portable one for your phone/MP3 player, you definitely can't go wrong with Grados. In fact, you could get an excellent all-in-one headphone amp/DAC with a high-quality set of Grados within your budget (the SR-60's would be a good place to start and I would also recommend a set of the iGrados as an addition for your portable needs) and still have enough left over for a good USB cable, or whatever type of digital cable you prefer or have connections for, and an RCA interconnect in case you wish to send the signal through a receiver with maybe a few high-quality downloads thrown in for good measure. You might also want to look at Klipsch or NuForce too as they make a few in-ear phones whose sound can rival their more expensive counterparts like Shure. All of this, of course, is my opinion and other opinions are welcomed but whatever you decide, this is a starting point for you to start enjoying your music. Randall
  14. There are a number of possibilities here which can vary depending on who you ask. First off, I have two questions: 1. Although you list your computer hardware, you don't say if you are already have any audio equipment (if at all). For example, you may already have a good receiver and speakers in which case you can simply use the funds to help enhance what you have. 2. Assuming that you do not own a receiver, DAC, or speakers, it will be quite challenging to find audiophile-level stereo equipment for the funds available to you. However, it's not impossible to find everything you want within your budget and still get a very satisfying sound. 3. Lastly, you mention that you have a Macbook and Dell PC. Which unit do you use to listen to your music? Not that it makes a huge difference but you'll find different opinions on what DAC works best with each system. If you can provide more detail on your current set-up (including the type of music files you have/want to have) and what you specifically want to do (listen through speakers, headphones, etc.) perhaps we can narrow down what we think might be a good set-up for you. Randall
  15. Seems like no one touched upon the issue of perspective that I mentioned a while back. Regardless of the formats we may enjoy, it means nothing if we are not in our optimal physical position to enjoy the fullest expression of the music in its preferred format (and hear the different nuances). This is especially important in live music. For those who listen to music via their speakers, it's probably safe to say that your listening position is somewhere between the two speakers for the best stereo effect. That's a "perspective" that could allow you to hear all the detail, warmth, etc. of the the instruments being played. Now get up and go sit in an adjacent room while the music is playing. That's another "perspective". I'm sure it wouldn't be satisfying but you CAN listen to music that way. Or even sit off axis, like, say, 4 feet directly in front of the left speaker. Quite a different "perspective". Would anyone listen to music like this? Probably not. My point was that it's important to listen to music (live or recorded) in a position that allows the maximum enjoyment. Like many here, I've attended a number a live concerts over the years and I have sat in all areas of a venue - left, right, center, balcony, left tier, back row, etc. One thing I seem to notice is that depending on where I was, there was always something "not quite right". I recall our symphony orchestra playing Beethoven's 7th symphony one night and I was seated on the right side of the venue, 6th row from the stage. For some reason, I wasn't able to hear the cellos very well, especially during the intro of the second movement. I tried turning my head to see if maybe there was a refraction issue going on but that wasn't it. It was still a great performance but it could have been better if perhaps I was seated more centered and farther back. I can't really say for sure but I knew the characteristics of the cellos were lost for me that evening. Perspective is probably even MORE important in recorded music. An engineer can use whatever format he/she sees fit in giving an accurate musical representation as long as it allows the listen the maximum benefit of hearing everything that there is to hear. Some recordings give you an on-the-stage presence that some people (myself included) enjoy. Some recordings give you the classic 'seventh row/center' perspective which is also good. And for some reason, you will even find recordings that give you a back-of-the-stage perspective while sitting way back from the stage. I never understood that. So with that in mind, we need to make sure that whatever format we choose, the results connects us to the music both sonically AND from the "correct" perspective. Truthfully, I would rather listen to a perfectly recorded CD than a 24/96 file that, while sonically better, places the musicians 50 feet away in a corner. I know I'm exaggerating but you get the point. :-) Randall
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