ghook2020

Hi Chris - My Korg MR1000 arrived in today's mail, and I am just now learning how to use it to record vinyl. My initial recordings sound quite good, but I have not stayed far from its default settings. I chose the MR1000 for two reasons. First, I liked the idea of recording in DSF, but without being "locked in" to this format. Looks like it would be easy, if necessary, to convert to high resolution PCM. Second, I saw a previously owned unit up for auction, and much to my surprise, I was the high bidder! I do love everything about vinyl -- the treasure hunt, the cleaning, the ritual of playing. But my collection has reached the point where storage has become an issue. My goal is not necessarily to move 100% to digital playback, but more just to downsize to the point where it becomes more manageable. Am very much looking forward to your review of the MR2000S, and am hoping you will include some good setup tips for getting the most out of these Korg recorders. Thanks in advance! Hook

Hi Ryan -<br /> <br /> I prefer getting the download in the lossless FLAC format. While I agree that most of time I will listen to the vinyl, this does give me the option of streaming this high resolution digital copy to other rooms in my home.<br /> <br /> The only folks for whom this is truly superfulous are those who are already recording their vinyl in a high resolution format. At worst, it saves them the trouble!<br /> <br /> Besides, FLAC is easily converted to MP3 for listening on the go.<br /> <br /> Hook

Hi Eloise -<br /> <br /> Do you know if the RTU license you described is universal? Also wondering if this specific scenerio has been more fully tested in UK and/or EU courts. <br /> <br /> I do see that the back of my CD says "Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws", but there is no reference I can see to an RTU license. <br /> <br /> I also recall reading somewhere that there is a "fair use" provision in the US copyright act. I think everyone agrees that ripping a CD and putting it in a shared folder is not fair. Appears that you guys agree that ripping a CD, and listening to the digital copy while retaining the CD, is considered fair (or that there is an RTU license that permits this). Or maybe there are RIAA lawyers who are still arguing against that as well!<br /> <br /> Would be interesting to know for sure if this buy/rip/sell/still listen to the rip scenerio had been tested against this US provision of fairness. Anyone heard of this actually happening? Would be great to hear from someone with a legal background who could quote chapter and verse.<br /> <br /> Just for the record, I have kept all of my CDs. Got to admit, not on moral grounds, but simply as a disaster recovery strategy.<br /> <br /> Thanks. <br /> <br /> Hook

Hi Barrows -<br /> <br /> Just want to make sure I am reading your comment correctly. I assume you mean that reselling the RIP is illegal? If so, then I agree completely.<br /> <br /> Obviously there is nothing illegal about reselling a legally purchased CD. And, of course, artists only expect to benefit once from the sale of any individual CD.<br /> <br /> Thanks.<br /> <br /> Hook<br /> <br />

Congrats Chris! What a cool way for your site to be recommended!<br /> <br /> Got the CD as a gift from my better half on the day it was released. A few nights before we watched their Soundstage concert on hdtv (Palladia?). Am enjoying Mojo a lot, but now you've given me the perfect excuse to run over to the Electric Fetus and pick up the vinyl!<br /> <br /> Hook

An interesting quote... "Jonathan Berger, a professor of music at Stanford, said he had conducted an informal study among his students and found that, over the roughly seven years of the study, an increasing number of them preferred the sound of files with less data over the high-fidelity recordings." Innocent victims of the "loudness war"? I wonder if dynamic range compression was explained to these students, would their preference change? Or is it that music has always meant something different to young people? When I was a kid, I got my rock-n-roll fix from an AM-only transistor radio, and could care less about my Dad's stereo system. Maybe not so different from today's iPod generation. Perhaps high fidelity is simply an acquired taste that (more often than not) comes with greater maturity and perspective? Hook

Great article Chris! Nice to see your taste in music is so eclectic!<br /> <br /> Thanks for mentioning the local music stores in our Twin Cities. I know we are heading full steam into the digital download age, but I still love passing a rainy afternoon hunting through the racks of vinyl at Fetus, Cheapo, Valley, Roadrunner, etc. We are very fortunate to have so many quality music stores here and I, like you, am doing my best to help keep them in business!<br /> <br /> Despite the hit to your finances, I do hope your buying binges will become a regular feature here!<br /> <br /> Hook

Interesting configuration. I do not fall into the camp of "computer builders", since CAPS was my first attempt. The good feeling of DIY'ing is addictive though, so this likely this will not be the last computer I try to build for myself. Do have a little Acer X1700 mini-tower over in my home theater. Runs XBMC and sends everything via HDMI to a Denon 3808ci. Works just fine for photo slide shows, Youtube'ing, etc. It is acceptable (or, I should say the Denon is acceptable) for multichannel sound (great for movies) but I do almost all of my music listening with my Naim/Harbeth stereo setup. One comment on VNC. I tried a couple of the free versions, and ran into issues. Performance lagged, and with TightVNC I could not get my player software (which at the time was Mediamonkey) to properly refresh dynamic info (e.g., song time slider, etc.). By using Windows 7 Pro (32 bit)'s RDC and JRMC 14, all of those issues have gone away. Under RDC, it feels like 90-something% of direct connect speed. JRMC refreshes dynamic info in real time (e.g., pop-ups appear immediately whenever I move the cursor over a song title, etc.). The interesting thing to me is how many owners of very high-end sources are now giving thumbs-up to the sound quality of computer sources, be those USB solutions or PCI cards. Understand completely that computers are not for everyone of my generation, but I wonder (because I can't keep up with all the threads) how many folks are experiencing the opposite. Am not seeing a lot of stories about folks using a "well configured" computer as a source, and getting poor results compared to their higher-end CD players or streamer appliances. Would be interesting to know what issues they hit, whether they could be resolved, as well as info about their frame of reference for judging sound quality. Or maybe those threads are simply few and far between? Hook

Did consider Squeezebox Touch as an option before finally deciding to build a CAPS server. Two things stopped me: 1) multiple release delays, 2) bad experiences with previous Squeezebox product. Found Squeezecenter to be slow and buggy. The wireless remote controller felt nice, but it would hang multiple times per day. Thus far my CAPS server under Windows Remote Desktop Control has been running solid for the week-and-a-half I have had it installed. Not a single hiccup. The J River Media Center 14 software has been bullet-proof -- incredibly friendly for search and playback. To be honest, if Naim had put some of the HDX software on a $1-3k product to do nothing but stream to my Naim DAC/XPS2, then I would likely have purchased it. But there was no way I could justify $8250 for an HDX (which, by the way, hasn't exactly been bullet proof!). Also looked at their new UniQute, but like the SB Touch, who knows when it will finally ship? Besides, I hate paying for capabilities that I'll never use (built-in DAC and AMP). As I said in a previous post, the end result of my $1050 investment in CAPS has been the best digital music playback I have ever experienced. Would also like to emphasize that the project was *fun*. The only tool was a screwdriver, and there are tons of people here and elsewhere that are willing to help if you have questions or run into a problem. The only problem I have is that my wife wasn't very understanding when I asked her "what will I do with the $7200 I just saved?" :-) Hook

Hi Eloise - I ran with the OptiChord Toslink cable for a couple of days before the Redco cable arrived. When I first installed the D-sub9 to BNC cable, I did not hear much of a difference at all. After a couple hours, I had a feeling that the BNC cable was slightly warmer, a little less bright. Nothing dramatic, just a feeling. Yesterday I swapped back to the Toslink cable and the change was a bit clearer. The Toslink sounded a bit more detailed, a bit more emphasized in the treble. Upon going back to the BNC cable, I felt it had a more balanced overall sound. Again, these are very subtle differences that I did not immediately detect. Took an hour or so of listening to multiple, familiar albums in order to form the opinion. Am certainly no golden ear -- too many rock concerts during my misspent youth -- but I detected just enough of a difference to develop a preference. As you know, Naim recommends Toslink for noisy sources like computers. My guess is that the RME 9632's "ground-free transformer coupled" digital output must be doing a good job of preventing noise from entering the DAC. Please do get that Naim forum login issue fixed! Your contributions there (and here) are much valued. Thanks again! Hook

Completed the CAPS build and posted details of my experience over on the Naim forum: http://forums.naim-audio.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8772903417/m/6392990037 for those who are interested. Thanks very much Chris and Eloise. Am now enjoying the best digital music playback that I have ever heard. Regards, Hook

Great suggestion - thanks Eloise! The reviews of this card are all extremely positive. It appears to check all of the right boxes! One more question: any thoughts on how it would compare on input to, say, to a Benchmark ADC1? I love my vinyl collection, but would really like to start converting to high resolution digital. Thanks again! Hook

Am finally getting delivery of a Naim DAC this week. It is S/PDIF only, with RCA, BNC and Toslink inputs. Am very interested in following Chris's blueprint for the CAPS server, but would appreciate advice on sound card options. This DAC supports 24/192 input, so I'd rather not settle for the 24/96 limitation of the Lynx Two. The Lynx AES16 was obviously made for AES/EBU DACs, but at least one forum member appears to have had success mating a HD26-to-XLR cable with a Canare 110-to-75ohm impedence transformer. My question are: * Is this too many conversions? Will the Lynx AES16's digital output suffer? And is this a *safe* option? Would hate to fry my new DAC. * Do you think Lynx has a new 24/192 version of the Lynx Two coming anytime soon? (Have left multiple voice and emails for Lynx sales, but no reply yet). * Am I better off with a different PCI solution with S/PDIF output (e.g., Xonar ST, Juli@)? * Or should I bag the whole PCI idea, and go USB (Hiface? Off Ramp?) The rest of my system is Naim Nait XS/Flatcap XS and Harbeth C7s. My goal is best fidelity at a budget that is appropriate to the rest of my setup. But I do buy in to the whole "source first" philosophy, so am willing to stretch my budget to do this right. Thank you all very much for your advice! Hook

Hi Chris - First post, so allow me to begin by thanking you for starting this excellent site! Purchased a Naim Nait XS and Harbeth C7's a few months back. My sources are 1) HP Laptop & Musical Fidelity USB V-Dac and 2) Oppo BDP-83 (analog stereo outs). Am enjoying the new setup a lot, and just put the new Naim DAC on pre-order. Up till now, have only seen it referred to as the Naim DAC. The November issue of Hi-Fi Choice is calling it the Naim "Zero S", fueling the speculation of other Naim DAC products down the road. Lots of interesting debate about how/if this new DAC will be "source neutral". I suppose only time and testing will determine that! Naim tacitly recommends the M-Audio Transit if only by mentioning that they have "successfully used" one in their testing (white paper, page 10). Is the Transit that good (that transparent?), or do you think that they are simply setting a bottom threshold for USB-to-SPDIF conversion capabilities? Do you think that an I/O card will produce better results than USB conversion? Am planning on buying a second, SDD-based Windows laptop to dedicate to music streaming (Mediamonkey is currently sharing my main laptop), but would like to decide on how to make this computer-to-SPDIF connection first. Clearly a lot of stuff to try (beyond MM) is documented in these forums, but getting a platform will come first, and knowing whether I'll need connectivity beyond a USB port would be very helpful. Thanks for your advice, and thanks again for sharing all of your hard work with others trying to figure out this computer-to-audio phenomenon. Regards, Hook Minneapolis, MN