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Beginner's Guide to Digital Audio Playback System


BigGuy

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Have several friends interested in getting started with PC or Mac-based music server systems and playback.  Would like to provide article(s) which would introduce various aspects.  I have found Michael Lavorgna's "Computer Audio 101" series but wondered if there were other white papers out there that were as good or better?

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Chris has written several articles on such topics. Unfortunately with the new website there harder to find under the home page.  There was a menu on the right side that listed every article under various categories he had written, which I was going to suggest to you.  I think one was titled streaming and networking. This would have brought up all the stuff he has done. 

 

I’ll see if can add this feature back. You’ll still have to do some digging. 

 

Computer setup - Roon/Qobuz - PS Audio P5 Regenerator - HIFI Rose 250A Streamer - Emotiva XPA-2 Harbeth P3ESR XD - Rel  R-528 Sub

Comfy Chair - Schitt Jotunheim - Meze Audio Empyrean w/Mitch Barnett's Accurate Sound FilterSet

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easy & quick thing on a mac is to use your disc reader to rip all CDs to Apple Lossless into iTunes

 

from there, you can send music all over your house with an Apple TV3 for $40 and a DAC

 

the price for the DAC can vary wildly from < $100 to $7,000 or more

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14 hours ago, ShawnC said:

Chris has written several articles on such topics. Unfortunately with the new website there harder to find under the home page.  There was a menu on the right side that listed every article under various categories he had written, which I was going to suggest to you.  I think one was titled streaming and networking. This would have brought up all the stuff he has done. 

 

I’ll see if can add this feature back. You’ll still have to do some digging. 

 

Yes, that is what I remember as well.  Thanks for add-back if possible...or links if you trip over them.

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11 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

easy & quick thing on a mac is to use your disc reader to rip all CDs to Apple Lossless into iTunes

 

from there, you can send music all over your house with an Apple TV3 for $40 and a DAC

 

the price for the DAC can vary wildly from < $100 to $7,000 or more

Thanks, Ralf11, but away too basic.  The interested parties are knowledgeable at this level but looking for more detailed "Betty Crocker" type information.

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Here's a couple but I'm not finding the ones I know would be of greater help.

Computer setup - Roon/Qobuz - PS Audio P5 Regenerator - HIFI Rose 250A Streamer - Emotiva XPA-2 Harbeth P3ESR XD - Rel  R-528 Sub

Comfy Chair - Schitt Jotunheim - Meze Audio Empyrean w/Mitch Barnett's Accurate Sound FilterSet

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4 hours ago, BigGuy said:

Thanks, Ralf11, but away too basic.  The interested parties are knowledgeable at this level but looking for more detailed "Betty Crocker" type information.

 

such as what DAC to buy at a given price level or what?

 

Chris also wrote a How To Rip guide for Windows

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17 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

 

such as what DAC to buy at a given price level or what?

 

Chris also wrote a How To Rip guide for Windows

Thanks for the Rip Guide reference, Ralf11.

 

What DAC at what price level is a bit too specific and subjective.
 

To GUTB's point, there IS a lot of reading but I would like to find a broadbrush overview containing...

  • Music sources, e.g., discs, downloads, rips;
  • Ripping discs and software, e.g., CD, DVD, SACD;
  • Server setup, e.g., Mac, PC, dedicated;
  • DACs re options, e.g., "integrateds" and capability for PCM, DSD, MQA;
  • Music library management, e.g., Audirvana, JRiver, etc.;
  • Server to DAC connectivity;
  • Playback, e.g., bit perfect, etc.;
  • Other...

It seems some/most of articles that I found helpful to my initiation are no longer available or, at best, difficult to find (again).

 

 

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I'd suggest that they simplify instead of tackling every problem.  Focus on putting together a well balanced system to use as a starting point.  By which I mean being an audiophile is not buying problems it is learning where they exist and figuring out how to fix them.  They could do worse than buying nominally the same equipment and setting off to improve it as a group.  

 

As an example; Three identical DAC's begin parting ways at the intersection of power supplies and further removal is gained through variances in I/O.  

 

P.S. @ShawnC I'm glad to see nudging forward a reformatting of that ripping guide was for the greater good.  

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I feel sorry for newbies in this arena. The general community is flooded with garbage and false information, usually perpetuated by people who've never heard high end audio once in their lives, and new people can't discern the quality level of the info they are getting. This is further complicated by the fact that many people who get into this aren't actually that interested in audio quality gains, but are rather more interested in the community and/or lifestyle aspects, so even if they come across high quality information it may not actually be of interest to them.

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16 minutes ago, GUTB said:

I feel sorry for newbies in this arena. The general community is flooded with garbage and false information, usually perpetuated by people who've never heard high end audio once in their lives, and new people can't discern the quality level of the info they are getting. This is further complicated by the fact that many people who get into this aren't actually that interested in audio quality gains, but are rather more interested in the community and/or lifestyle aspects, so even if they come across high quality information it may not actually be of interest to them.

What should we do then?  Give no information or advice.  This site is about getting files off your computer and into your systems(s).  Don't let the term Audiophile in the title make it seem like it's for the elite or High End market, it's just a nice title.  In case you haven't noticed Chris has done only one or two Speaker or amp reviews.  

 

Don't get me wrong, hearing a high end system is great, so what.  Many simply can't afford it.

Computer setup - Roon/Qobuz - PS Audio P5 Regenerator - HIFI Rose 250A Streamer - Emotiva XPA-2 Harbeth P3ESR XD - Rel  R-528 Sub

Comfy Chair - Schitt Jotunheim - Meze Audio Empyrean w/Mitch Barnett's Accurate Sound FilterSet

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There is a huge difference between high-end audio and computer based audio. Lots of different options on both sides of the equation. For example, I am very interested in computer based audio and enjoy listening to my digitally stored music around my house with a server and various renderers/electronic gadgets. On the other side of the equation, I enjoy reading about high-end audio but have no real interest in spending thousands of dollars on the equipment that for me would be small incremental changes to a music system that already allows me to thoroughly enjoy my music. 

 

In response to the original poster the upnp discussion will be useful as it describes the concept of controllers, servers and renderers in the upnp chain that is necessary in order to implement computer based audio. Once you have that understanding there are a myriad of options to fill these required parts of the chain. The choices after that depend on so many variables it is almost impossible to give suggestions without a lot of questions and discussion. For example...

  1. Budget?
  2. What audio equipment do they already have? 
  3. What computer equipment do they already have?
  4. Multi-room?
  5. Ease of use?
  6. Portability? 
  7. Listening habits?
  8. Source material?
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3 minutes ago, DaQi said:

There is a huge difference between high-end audio and computer based audio. Lots of different options on both sides of the equation. For example, I am very interested in computer based audio and enjoy listening to my digitally stored music around my house with a server and various renderers/electronic gadgets. On the other side of the equation, I enjoy reading about high-end audio but have no real interest in spending thousands of dollars on the equipment that for me would be small incremental changes to a music system that already allows me to thoroughly enjoy my music. 

 

In response to the original poster the upnp discussion will be useful as it describes the concept of controllers, servers and renderers in the upnp chain that is necessary in order to implement computer based audio. Once you have that understanding there are a myriad of options to fill these required parts of the chain. The choices after that depend on so many variables it is almost impossible to give suggestions without a lot of questions and discussion. For example...

  1. Budget?
  2. What audio equipment do they already have? 
  3. What computer equipment do they already have?
  4. Multi-room?
  5. Ease of use?
  6. Portability? 
  7. Listening habits?
  8. Source material?

 

This is a good example of the divide -- a non-audiophile who is more interested in the lifestyle aspects of modern computer audio. What makes this hard to navigate for people is that non-audiophiles like @DaQi will spread misinformation about high-end audio (ie, calling high-end equipment an incremental upgrade to his lifestyle products). To many people they are also only interested in the lifestyle and so will accept that information anyway. To others who are  trying to pursue SQ they may end up spinning their wheels for long time in the consumer-grade market.

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5 hours ago, DaQi said:

Ouch! I was very careful to couch my comment above, that for me it would be incremental. I have listened to high end audiophile equipment and for me the difference between my set up and various high-end setups was incremental and not worth the money I would need to spend. Did I note an improvement in SQ - absolutely I did, but it just wasn't worth it to me to pursue as I already thoroughly enjoy my music with decent SQ. Before you call people non-audiophiles or accuse them of spreading misinformation you may want to check your facts. I did not say I am not an audiophile and I didn't provide any misinformation about high-end equipment. I have made my choices, I stand by them and don't force others to my point of view. There is a lot of subjectivity to audio and I was trying to share that it is VERY difficult to make any recommendations on equipment without a lot of information about the person we are recommending to. Even within the information provided by the original poster in this thread there is a LOT of latitude for recommendations. 

 

This seems a very sensible approach.   There's only one thing that annoys me more than people who post conclusive evaluations of products based on rehash of forum opinions elsewhere and with zero listening experience of their own,  and that's those who grossly exaggerate the difference between products, and especially the relationship between price and performance.

 

By and large, veils are not rent, jaws do not drop, hairs on back of neck do not raise, one product does  not "crush" another even with it's "battleship" build ( insert choice of inappropriate militaristic terminology here).  The truth is that, with the possible exceptions of speakers, decent modern entry level products in the  £500 to £1000 range give you about 80% of what's currently possible.  Audophilia is not therefore about spending large amounts of money to effect step change and realise "night and day" improvement, but rather a gradual process of diminishing returns to attain some of the remaining 20% in small increments according to personal appetite and budget.

 

As a reformed  audiophile though, I admit to having committed everything I criticise above at some point.

 

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12 hours ago, GUTB said:

I feel sorry for newbies in this arena. The general community is flooded with garbage and false information, usually perpetuated by people who've never heard high end audio once in their lives, and new people can't discern the quality level of the info they are getting. This is further complicated by the fact that many people who get into this aren't actually that interested in audio quality gains, but are rather more interested in the community and/or lifestyle aspects, so even if they come across high quality information it may not actually be of interest to them.

 

Only you have heard a high end system and is a true audiophile GUTB. Everyone else only buys garbage and give false information :D.

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5 hours ago, Norton said:

 

This seems a very sensible approach.   There's only one thing that annoys me more than people who post conclusive evaluations of products based on rehash of forum opinions elsewhere and with zero listening experience of their own,  and that's those who grossly exaggerate the difference between products, and especially the relationship between price and performance.

 

By and large, veils are not rent, jaws do not drop, hairs on back of neck do not raise, one product does  not "crush" another even with it's "battleship" build ( insert choice of inappropriate militaristic terminology here).  The truth is that, with the possible exceptions of speakers, decent modern entry level products in the  £500 to £1000 range give you about 80% of what's currently possible.  Audophilia is not therefore about spending large amounts of money to effect step change and realise "night and day" improvement, but rather a gradual process of diminishing returns to attain some of the remaining 20% in small increments according to personal appetite and budget.

 

As a reformed  audiophile though, I admit to having committed everything I criticise above at some point.

 

 

Gear that costs 500-1000 doesn’t remotely compare with gear that costs 10000-20000. There is a danger of buying gear in the 1000-5000 bracket that doesn’t sound much better than the consumer products you’re talking about of course, but the real challenge and fun is finding gear in the sub-10000 category that competes with stuff that is 10000+. And today even a little research will find a sub-5000 product that will crush anything 500-1000.

 

People have to live within thier budgets, but spreading false info about audio gear won’t help them.

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5 hours ago, Norton said:

 

This seems a very sensible approach.   There's only one thing that annoys me more than people who post conclusive evaluations of products based on rehash of forum opinions elsewhere and with zero listening experience of their own,  and that's those who grossly exaggerate the difference between products, and especially the relationship between price and performance.

 

By and large, veils are not rent, jaws do not drop, hairs on back of neck do not raise, one product does  not "crush" another even with it's "battleship" build ( insert choice of inappropriate militaristic terminology here).  The truth is that, with the possible exceptions of speakers, decent modern entry level products in the  £500 to £1000 range give you about 80% of what's currently possible.  Audophilia is not therefore about spending large amounts of money to effect step change and realise "night and day" improvement, but rather a gradual process of diminishing returns to attain some of the remaining 20% in small increments according to personal appetite and budget.

 

As a reformed  audiophile though, I admit to having committed everything I criticise above at some point.

 

I disagree on "veils rent", its not common but it happens

 

AR turntable vs the competition

NAD3020 vs the competition

Hafler DH200 vs the competition

Magnepan 1.7 vs the competition

Microzotl2 vs the competition

microRendu vs the competition

 

all products that have in their "weight class"  caused me some degree of jaw dropping, and pocketbook happiness.

 

As to "80% of whats currently possible", how satisfied would one be with an eReader that got 20% of the text wrong? So that statement is a little too coarse to pass muster. Its a given for the component price range below $1K that for most products the bass is going to be rolled off or very inaccurate, tone color will be weak or exaggerated or detail resolution will be weak. And that's ok for those who aren't hobbyists, for whom audio playback is just a background, not their passion. However if you are critical and a cheapskate about audio as I am, its very difficult to buy system components of audiophile quality for under $1K

Regards,

Dave

 

Audio system

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