alextanght

Hi all, I have been learned that when a normal audio CD is insert into a computer, it audio data cannot read directly and thus we need a ripping process (immediately playback and record) to import the audio CD. However, my experience is using MAC or Windows XP and browse the CD like normal data file, I found the WAV files (or Aif on MAC) for each tracks. I can copy these WAV/AIF files from CD to local Hard disk and use it for playback. As we all hoping to get the original data stored on the CD, is this simple copy and paste process is what we want? I discussed this with a CAS player and he use Windows 7, he only see a 1k file for each track when browsing an audio CD likes a data CD. This make me confuse about the different behavior and how the copy and paste work? Alex

Thanks a lot for all yours advices. I finally purchased a HiFace Evo to connect my Mac Book Pro to my Philips DAC. The sound is much better but still not closed to the CD player. I finally changed to use Audirvana (instead of iTune) to play to the same source and suddenly my world changed. The sound is now transplant and detailed. I feel the air is now denser and having a better 3D image. Of course I mean is it can compare to my CD system now not and not a great jump like changing a hi-end amplifier or speaker. I still have to verify my CAS is now better or not than the CD system, but at least I can conclude the HiFace Evo and Audrivana are very good product esp. Audrivana is open source. Alex

I checked my local dealer and it is suggested Evo over HiFace with around US$300 more. Do you think it worth to go for Evo in my situation? Alex

Hi Blueixus, You hit my point exactly. I haven't get a new DAC is I am afraid nowadays I can't get a DAC (compare to Philips) with improvement in my budget. I walked around audio shops and sales people only said technology has changed (of course they want to do business). I am not very willing to spend money for a complete DAC but just for the interface to work without sound quality improved. I would said it is hard to test a DAC as speaker, amplifier, CDP are all changed in different demo room. Alex

May I know the different (or importance) of setting the laptop output to 16bit 44100Hz? Alex

Any comment to PS Audio Digital Link III DAC?

Thanks Eloise and Erwin, I try connected the DAC directly to my MacBook, it sound closer to the CDP. I am using Philips DAC960 (an old product which using TDA1541a) and Primare D20 CDP. And I am using an adapter instead real mini-TOSLink with a 1M optical cable. After direct connect, I still found the atmosphere is richer in CDP (but much better than though AEP). So should I invest in new DAC with USB? But due to limited budget, may only get a DAC around US$1000. Any suggestion? Alex

Hi all, I got a bad experience with Airport Express. Currently I ripped my CD (normal CD) using iTune on Mac with CD error correction in apple lossless format. When I stream through Airport Express using optical cable to my DAC, I found the quality is degraded. To verify, I play the same CD in my CD player and using coaxial cable to the same DAC. I found the high frequence and atmosphere has comes back. The sound is more wild open. Where is the problem, CD-Ripping? AEP limintation? Optical vs Coaxial quality issue? My DAC cannot accept USB, so I have not try direct connect it with my MAC Book Pro. As my country do not accept return policy, I can't try and return to the shop if it do not sound well. I need some advise if I should buy a new DAC (how much will improve using USB vs Optical vs Coaxial) or it is a truth that CD player sound is still better then using computer server (Convience vs quality trade off) Thanks for any advise. Alex

For the cover flow with multiple entry for the same CD is because you have different artist for the same CD (usually a major artist feathering with others). iTune is smart enough to separate them for you to choose by artist, but it is a double edge sword. There is two very simple configuration to solve them. 1. You press shift to select all the songs for the same CD, then press Cmd-I to to get info. In the Info tab, you will see a Album Artist, enter the major artist and cover flow will smart enough to collect them into a single item 2. If it is a compilation disc, you can have the same approach as 1, but after you just go to option tab and make "part of a compilation" to yes. The different is that if you filter by artists in the list view, compilation album will goes to Compilation section instead of the artist. So for classical CD which is performed by a conductor, I will put his name in the album artist and leave the artist field in comma separated list with conductor and orchester. This make my cover flow and filter by artists perfect. Alex

Thanks a lot for your response. I know it is not a easy task to test the bit perfect. No matter it is perfect or not, I got a good lesson. I believe the major improvement is not only on the source, the DAC, amplifier, speaker and room acoustic should contribute more.

I absolutely agreed with you that bit-perfect is the key. If possible, it should compare as a similar product as Airport Express and not necessary to have the computer turn on. BTW, how can we compare is it bit-perfect? I think I can handle this if I got required knowledge and equipment.

Many networked media player (like WD TV Live) can support DLNA and directly stream music store on NAS. They got an optical out and a nice remote for controlling from your sofa. Do anyone has experience on such configuration? Does it allows playlist or just similar to plugging a USB drive to console which only capable to select the music from a directory structure? Alex

I recently take my father old Philips DAC960 and start to join CA family. I got questions in how to get high res audio source playing through my stereo (seems to be a next step after standard CD quality). I am using mac running iTune to manage my music. To hook it with the DAC in my living room, I use Airport Express with optical out. After searching the internet, I found AEP is only capable to output to 16 bit / 44.1KHz. Besides, some article said iTune is also not possible to handle 24bit files either it cannot store it or it will downgrade it to 16bit before output. My questions are: 1. Can I use iTune to manage Hi res source? If possible how? If not, what software should I use? 2. If AEP is not capable to output the 24bit source, how should I get it via macbook pro. I wonder the optical out on the macbook is also 16/44.1 only 3. Do I need to change the DAC to support this resolution? 4. As DAC960 is quite a old product, but internet said it is famous on sound quality. As I have not tried other DAC, can someone provide me advices if I should upgrade to other DAC in term sound quality and feature (I always believe the top in spec/price is not equal to best quality) 5. If my major source is general CD (I rip from the mac cd-rom), is that no point to move to 24bit? How about if a CD or DVD said it have 24/96 sampling, how can I rip it? Thanks a lot for this newbie question.