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Found 11 results

  1. Hello, I recently got a new computer and realized that they did not have any speakers in them. I have set of apple ear pods that i usually use but sometime i don't feel like wearing them so I went looking of a set of second hand speakers. I stumbled this set of Acoustic Research speakers somewhere and they look like a decent set of headphones, but i'm not sure if i should get them because they are pretty old. I'm not sure what model it is either do any of you recognize it? I also read somewhere that Acoustic Research made high end equipment but was told that it was 12 years old so i'm not too sure how much long it will last. Some others that i have asked have said that it looked like it was 30 years old which make me a bit more pessimistic. the seller said: "Speakers are in good condition but do have a few small marks. All speaker drivers are working well. Connected to a phone the speakers sound great." What is the model/sku of these speakers? How much should this set of they worth? How much longer should they last? Should i get them? Are they even good? So many questions, i know, sorry about that. I'm not really an audiophile so my what seems like a nice set of speakers may not actually be nice. Please let me know if they are not. Thankyou
  2. First off I'm really new/noob when it comes to surround sound. But I got it working. But my problem is that I can't seem to find a way to use ALL the speakers whenever I want to play music and such. My setup is a "Xonar U5" hooked up with usb. it's connected with 2x2.1 trough 3.5mm. I don't know if it might be good to point out that each set of speakers is connected to a subwoffer (with RCA) that provides power. Been searching for days but it hasn't given any results the most valid answer (which didn't work) involved going into volume control > Xonar u5 properties > enchantments and check the box for "Stereo fill".. But I don't even have that tab. So what can I do? I don't want anything fancy like 5.1 music just plain old sound trough all the system. /Omen
  3. Hello All! I stumbled across this extremely helpful forum as I starting exploring how to put together a new stereo system for my home. I've been able to find a lot of answers by exploring though the posts here, but Id love to get some feedback about the system I'm putting together. If you don't count the 2.1 bose setup I purchased 13 years ago, this will be my first system. Here's the situation: I've got a budget of up to $4,000. I listen to mostly digital files, and recently started upgrading my library of 500 or so albums to all FLAC. I'd like to be able to wirelessly control the music system from either my MBP (OSX 10.10) or an ipad. I listen to a lot of types of music, but chief among them are classical, jazz and electronic. Space is very limited in my living situation, and I need to buy components that are as small as possible (especially the speakers). There's a good chance I'll be moving from the US to Spain in a few years, so I'd like the system to be reasonably transportable. Here's what I'm thinking of buying: iPad → Roon with Tidal Hi-Fi → Auralic Aries mini w/ 1TB SSD → Peachtree Nova 125SE → Anthony Gallo A’Diva SE 2.1 with TR-1D sub. This comes to arox. $4k. I realize that both the Peachtree Nova and Aries mini have DACs, but I suppose I'll just try each one and see which sounds better. Alternatively, I've considered using the Decware Zen SE84UFO with Blumenstein Orca Deluxe 2.1. My concern is that the speakers are still fairly large compared to the A'Diva's, so I'd only change if the sound quality is markedly better. Thoughts? Better devices to pair? Better values to be had? Anyway around it this will be a huge upgrade and I'm excited for the change. Thanks for the input!
  4. I recently did a lot of research on picking out a new gaming headset. After awhile I narrowed down what headset I'd like to get under $120 down to these three: PlayStation Gold Wireless Stereo Headset HyperX Cloud Gaming Headset Skullcandy SLYR Gaming Headset But then through the research, I discovered the world of audiophiles, and now I want to join. Picking out what pair of headphones to get is difficult for a newbie like me since there are so many options and many people reviewing/discussing specific headphones only talk about music, but not about gaming. Also with this week being Black Friday/ Cyber Monday there is potential for there to be a good deal on headphones, so I'm in a haste to figure out what to get. So I need help picking out the best headphones mainly for gaming/podcasts/video watching for under $120, while keeping the following things in mind: - I want a closed back - Needs to be capable of a wired connection ( No solely wireless headphones ) - Needs to connect to my PS4, PC, and tablet somehow - I don't care about surround sound atm - Only using my motherboard's on board audio atm - The best audio I've experienced is from a PX22 Turtle Beach Headset, I need help - I don't know if this is good for gaming but I like the idea of true sound reproduction, something like what the M40x Headphones do based off what I've read. Any help/recommendations would be really really really appreciated!
  5. Hi folks - I recently finished the first stage of my computer audiophile journey - building a new system from the ground up and getting everything onto a server. When I was starting down this path, forums like this we're absolutely invaluable both for deciding what to do, and even more so what not to do (either because it wasn't important to me or because knowledgeable users found some component, step, etc. wasn't useful). I will not claim that I have found the perfect solution but I know that as a relative newb, the level of detail and the plethora of different opinions in these forums can be daunting. As such, I wanted to share what I learned and ultimately where I ended up - in essence, I'm seeking to answer the question I (and many newbs) want answered: how can I maximize bang for my buck in building a high-quality digital system? Background and caveats: What is the scope of the gear I'm referring to?: I'm being holistic: source, power, speakers, and everything in between - the entire chain required to turn 1s and 0s into sound waves hitting the ears. Budget: This is obviously the determining factor. If you have a tiny budget or an unlimited budget then this won't do much for you. My budget was modest, but to the average person, still pretty large at 5k. I ended up bumping it up to 7.5k or so to meet my needs. That said, you can absolutely bring the price down depending on your choices. My conclusion is that it's really tough to build a high quality (reminder, I'm not claiming highest quality!) system, ground up for under 3k and 4k is probably more reasonable. My goals/constraints: What I learned is that the most important thing for a newb to decide early in the process is "what is important to ME?" Forums like these, are full of people with strong opinions about what is absolutely necessary - some say cables, some that MP3s technology was created by the devil and Hi Res is the second-coming, some like to have every single component separate so they can tweak and change everything, some that they can hear the difference between Intel and AMD. That's all well and good, but don't make the mistake of having other people decide what's important to you. After debating different system architectures, source files, etc. I was completely overwhelmed, and ended up sitting down and writing out a few things I wanted from a system and started over again. Here's what I decided for me (again these represent MY preferences, but I believe the underlying questions are useful to all newbs): Maximum sonic quality across a wide range of musical genres - I listen to lots of different types of music so I wasn't interested in building a system that shines only with club jams, or live recordings, or classical, or jazz. What I realized in auditioning different systems, and reading comments, was that meant becoming comfortable with compromise and accepting that other systems will always shine brighter in certain situations. That's ok because I wanted the best system I could get to cover as much ground as possible. Specifically, I wanted a system that could provide great mid-range clarity but could also give me solid low end. I want to stress how important it is for a newb to be honest about listening habits - lots of professional audiophiles and forum participants focus on styles of music that aren't of much interest to me: classical, folk, progressive jazz etc. All great stuff, but I'm far more likely to listen to R&B garage rock, hip-hop, EDM, metal etc. Practically what that means is people lauding components that fit with their musical tastes but that don't match with mine (or yours). If you want to rock, then admit it and build that system - don't spend money to build the most amazing system to recreate live choral pieces ... I should also mention that, in my experience, this is primarily a matter of speakers and possibly amplification (though with reasonable quality amplification at average volumes I struggled to see much difference) - other components don't seem to care what style of music you're putting through them. As simple a system architecture as possible - If I could get the quality I want out of a single box solution, I'd do it. I don't think we're anywhere near that, but it was a guiding principle of mine. That meant looking for at least one (more on this below) component that could play multiple roles. Not too "tweaky" - I'm not an engineer. I'm not a computer wiz. Generally I want things to be simple. Other people in this forum derive pleasure from tweaking and playing around with every detail of a system, and god bless 'em ... that's just not me. Ease of use - I wanted to be able to easily control playback from a handheld device, and preferably multiple handheld devices. Future proofing - Ultimately this is a fool's errand because technology moves too quickly and too far to truly future proof anything, but I do think there are purchases that can at least help in this regard (a little more on this in the DAC/Amp section below). Maybe more importantly for me, it meant that I only wanted to spend time and money on the stuff I thought would have the longest shelf-life - digital sources generally, and computers in particular, are likely to change quickest, so I had no interest in building a 10 year solution to a 5 year problem. Where I ended up and why: Ultimately I built what to my ear is a really, really, really good system. It certainly beats the pants off of many systems I've heard at many multiples of the cost I paid and (obviously, because I'm writing this) I would recommend it as the "best" system available for someone who's got the same preferences I do. Here is an overview of what I chose, and without going into excruciating detail, why: Digital files: as the, not-so-proud owner, of thousands of Redbook CDs and tens of thousands of mp3s I had to decide what the hell to do with my music. Ultimately I decided that I would: rip all of my CDs Redbook to ALAC files, replace mp3s for my favorite music, live with the lower quality recordings of the majority of mp3s, and then purchase some Hi Res files as they became available. My goal in this process is specific: I want this database to serve as the foundation of my system until I die. That meant sucking it up and ripping CDs (and ultimately, rebuying hundreds of CDs) over the course of months just so I wouldn't have to do it again. It also means that I have started on the process of digitizing my hard-to-find vinyl using a Rega Fono Mini A2D (more on that later if people are interested). Digital source: MacMini , with no tweaks. I recognize that I'm in very dangerous territory here given the site I'm on, but I simply didn't think it was worth it to to build a CAPS system or spend a bunch of time and money on tweaks. I listened to a variety of server products and even a couple of friends' tweaked systems and honestly I couldn't tell a lick of difference. Plus my choice of DAC was designed to help in this regard. I think that for most relative newbs that this is one of the biggest sticking points, and I went a year not doing anything because I was so daunted by options and suggestions. Furthermore, to the future-proofing issue above, this is the area that's likely to change the most and the quickest, so you can put a whole bunch of time and money into something you know you're going to have to replace. Whereas, great speakers for example, are likely to stay great for a long time. My advice, stay simple, and save your money by getting a MacMini and being done with it ... but you can read all the reasons that's a terrible idea in a hundred other posts around CA :-) BTW: I output this source via TOSLINK and USB, but mostly listen via TOSLINK because my DAC can't play 192 via USB. Digital player software: I use iTunes for the majority of my daily listening it's user friendly and familiar. BUT I also purchased Audirvana . I did this for two reasons: 1) iTunes won't play Hi Res files and I wanted to see if they are worth it, and 2) Audirvana has a System Optimization function that basically shuts everything else down that could influence sound quality (I only use this for critical listening). A quick aside on Hi Res: I'm not totally sold, but I think it's awesome this is where music is headed. With storage cheap, I simply see no reason I wouldn't just listen to studio masters if they are available. Additionally, Hi Res files seem to get more care in the re-mastering process, so even if all the debates about human hearing capacity are right, these files will still sound better because they're better masters. DAC and Amp: I have owned some great systems and heard even better ones: and I conclude that DACs matter ... BUT I think this is a really exciting time because it's now possible to get really great stuff without breaking the bank. There are several companies making truly spectacular stereo receivers with on-board DACs that kick the stuffing out of standalone units that cost many multiples (Peachtree comes to mind). Ultimately I chose the NAD C390DD, the little brother to the M-Series. I thought that for 2k or so it was by far the best thing out there. I won't do a full review, but things I liked: simple one box design, a proprietary chip that re-clocks, Hi Res playback, modular hardware design, upgradable software, and DSD architecture that means the signal stays digital to the speakers (i.e. no true D to A conversion). From what I saw with other components, I felt like I would have had to pay at least 50% more to get the same thing out of separate boxes. This area is moving pretty quickly with some great stuff coming on the market, so I won't defend the NAD to the death, but I will say that I think for a newb, you're way better off going with one of the new single-box designs than buying expensive separates. Speakers: Now we're back in familiar territory, at least for me. Despite all the discussion, speakers define the system faaaar more than any other component. It's also the place you can break the bank and, as noted above, where personal preference plays the biggest role. For my budget, this was the ultimate 'bang for the buck' decision, and this was the place I decided to bust my budget. I went with Golden Ear Triton 1s. Simply put, for my ears, they sound better than any other speaker I have heard for less than 10k. For half that price, I believe they are the single best component deal available. You can read the glowing reviews all over the internet ... believe them. The folded ribbon is amazing; the mid-range is super lush; the bass is the crispest I've ever heard at anything approaching the price. The smaller speakers in the Triton line are also fantastic, so if you wanted to save some bucks, you can while still getting amazing quality. Of this entire post, this is the only component that I will absolutely go to the mat for. These things are absolutely spectacular for the price especially because I could get rid of my sub and simplify the system even more. Other bits and bobs and opinions: Bliss - If you're trying to organize a big, ugly, messy library you absolutely must get this, particularly if you care about cover art. This saved me hundreds of hours and is super cheap for the benefit. Rowmote - I use the Rowmote app on my phone to point and click and use basic programs on my Mac. It's simple and easy. Backup - I use time machine with a 2TB Western Digital Passport to back everything up. With the hundreds of hours I have in this project, and the fact that I'm doing this for posterity, regular backup is an ABSOLUTE MUST. Fo' real. Cables and interconnects - I just don't get it. Buy decent quality stuff and spend your money elsewhere. Maybe cables matter in a cost-is-no-object system but for anyone starting out, it's a giant neon red herring ... Power sources/grounding etc. - Frankly I have no real opinions on whether any of this stuff matters at all BUT I must admit that I use a grounded Panamax power conditioner. I don't have it for the sonic qualities, but rather because 1) it has a whole bunch of grounded outlets to cut down on wire clutter, 2) it makes me feel better about my components getting fried during surges and storms, and 3) most importantly, I basically got it for free. My bet is that a solid surge protector is just as good ... In conclusion: I've listened to a bunch of 10, 20, 50k systems and I truly believe that my little rig (Mac Mini>NAD C390DD>Golden Ear Triton 1's) will stand up to them. I've no doubt that you can 1) spend more and get more and 2) that people here will have all sorts of differing opinions on the path to sonic bliss, but I can confidently say that you will be hard pressed to do better in this range. So if you're lurking here trying to find ideas of which way to go, or if you're scraping the money together to upgrade to the next rung on the ladder, I think this is a pretty fool-proof way to go. Even if you go in a different direction, hopefully some of the questions and considerations I brought up will be helpful to you. Happy listening! Best, Eric
  6. Hi folks - I recently finished the first stage of my computer audiophile journey - building a new system from the ground up and getting everything onto a server. When I was starting down this path, forums like this we're absolutely invaluable both for deciding what to do, and even more so what not to do (either because it wasn't important to me or because knowledgeable users found some component, step, etc. wasn't useful). I will not claim that I have found the perfect solution but I know that as a relative newb, the level of detail and the plethora of different opinions in these forums can be daunting. As such, I wanted to share what I learned and ultimately where I ended up - in essence, I'm seeking to answer the question I (and many newbs) want answered: how can I maximize bang for my buck in building a high-quality digital system? Background and caveats: What is the scope of the gear I'm referring to?: I'm being holistic: source, power, speakers, and everything in between - the entire chain required to turn 1s and 0s into sound waves hitting the ears. Budget: This is obviously the determining factor. If you have a tiny budget or an unlimited budget then this won't do much for you. My budget was modest, but to the average person, still pretty large at 5k. I ended up bumping it up to 7.5k or so to meet my needs. That said, you can absolutely bring the price down depending on your choices. My conclusion is that it's really tough to build a high quality (reminder, I'm not claiming highest quality!) system, ground up for under 3k and 4k is probably more reasonable. My goals/constraints: What I learned is that the most important thing for a newb to decide early in the process is "what is important to ME?" Forums like these, are full of people with strong opinions about what is absolutely necessary - some say cables, some that MP3s technology was created by the devil and Hi Res is the second-coming, some like to have every single component separate so they can tweak and change everything, some that they can hear the difference between Intel and AMD. That's all well and good, but don't make the mistake of having other people decide what's important to you. After debating different system architectures, source files, etc. I was completely overwhelmed, and ended up sitting down and writing out a few things I wanted from a system and started over again. Here's what I decided for me (again these represent MY preferences, but I believe the underlying questions are useful to all newbs): Maximum sonic quality across a wide range of musical genres - I listen to lots of different types of music so I wasn't interested in building a system that shines only with club jams, or live recordings, or classical, or jazz. What I realized in auditioning different systems, and reading comments, was that meant becoming comfortable with compromise and accepting that other systems will always shine brighter in certain situations. That's ok because I wanted the best system I could get to cover as much ground as possible. Specifically, I wanted a system that could provide great mid-range clarity but could also give me solid low end. I want to stress how important it is for a newb to be honest about listening habits - lots of professional audiophiles and forum participants focus on styles of music that aren't of much interest to me: classical, folk, progressive jazz etc. All great stuff, but I'm far more likely to listen to R&B garage rock, hip-hop, EDM, metal etc. Practically what that means is people lauding components that fit with their musical tastes but that don't match with mine (or yours). If you want to rock, then admit it and build that system - don't spend money to build the most amazing system to recreate live choral pieces ... I should also mention that, in my experience, this is primarily a matter of speakers and possibly amplification (though with reasonable quality amplification at average volumes I struggled to see much difference) - other components don't seem to care what style of music you're putting through them. As simple a system architecture as possible - If I could get the quality I want out of a single box solution, I'd do it. I don't think we're anywhere near that, but it was a guiding principle of mine. That meant looking for at least one (more on this below) component that could play multiple roles. Not too "tweaky" - I'm not an engineer. I'm not a computer wiz. Generally I want things to be simple. Other people in this forum derive pleasure from tweaking and playing around with every detail of a system, and god bless 'em ... that's just not me. Ease of use - I wanted to be able to easily control playback from a handheld device, and preferably multiple handheld devices. Future proofing - Ultimately this is a fool's errand because technology moves too quickly and too far to truly future proof anything, but I do think there are purchases that can at least help in this regard (a little more on this in the DAC/Amp section below). Maybe more importantly for me, it meant that I only wanted to spend time and money on the stuff I thought would have the longest shelf-life - digital sources generally, and computers in particular, are likely to change quickest, so I had no interest in building a 10 year solution to a 5 year problem. Where I ended up and why: Ultimately I built what to my ear is a really, really, really good system. It certainly beats the pants off of many systems I've heard at many multiples of the cost I paid and (obviously, because I'm writing this) I would recommend it as the "best" system available for someone who's got the same preferences I do. Here is an overview of what I chose, and without going into excruciating detail, why: Digital files: as the, not-so-proud owner, of thousands of Redbook CDs and tens of thousands of mp3s I had to decide what the hell to do with my music. Ultimately I decided that I would: rip all of my CDs Redbook to ALAC files, replace mp3s for my favorite music, live with the lower quality recordings of the majority of mp3s, and then purchase some Hi Res files as they became available. My goal in this process is specific: I want this database to serve as the foundation of my system until I die. That meant sucking it up and ripping CDs (and ultimately, rebuying hundreds of CDs) over the course of months just so I wouldn't have to do it again. It also means that I have started on the process of digitizing my hard-to-find vinyl using a Rega Fono Mini A2D (more on that later if people are interested). Digital source: MacMini , with no tweaks. I recognize that I'm in very dangerous territory here given the site I'm on, but I simply didn't think it was worth it to to build a CAPS system or spend a bunch of time and money on tweaks. I listened to a variety of server products and even a couple of friends' tweaked systems and honestly I couldn't tell a lick of difference. Plus my choice of DAC was designed to help in this regard. I think that for most relative newbs that this is one of the biggest sticking points, and I went a year not doing anything because I was so daunted by options and suggestions. Furthermore, to the future-proofing issue above, this is the area that's likely to change the most and the quickest, so you can put a whole bunch of time and money into something you know you're going to have to replace. Whereas, great speakers for example, are likely to stay great for a long time. My advice, stay simple, and save your money by getting a MacMini and being done with it ... but you can read all the reasons that's a terrible idea in a hundred other posts around CA :-) BTW: I output this source via TOSLINK and USB, but mostly listen via TOSLINK because my DAC can't play 192 via USB. Digital player software: I use iTunes for the majority of my daily listening it's user friendly and familiar. BUT I also purchased Audirvana . I did this for two reasons: 1) iTunes won't play Hi Res files and I wanted to see if they are worth it, and 2) Audirvana has a System Optimization function that basically shuts everything else down that could influence sound quality (I only use this for critical listening). A quick aside on Hi Res: I'm not totally sold, but I think it's awesome this is where music is headed. With storage cheap, I simply see no reason I wouldn't just listen to studio masters if they are available. Additionally, Hi Res files seem to get more care in the re-mastering process, so even if all the debates about human hearing capacity are right, these files will still sound better because they're better masters. DAC and Amp: I have owned some great systems and heard even better ones: and I conclude that DACs matter ... BUT I think this is a really exciting time because it's now possible to get really great stuff without breaking the bank. There are several companies making truly spectacular stereo receivers with on-board DACs that kick the stuffing out of standalone units that cost many multiples (Peachtree comes to mind). Ultimately I chose the NAD C390DD, the little brother to the M-Series. I thought that for 2k or so it was by far the best thing out there. I won't do a full review, but things I liked: simple one box design, a proprietary chip that re-clocks, Hi Res playback, modular hardware design, upgradable software, and DSD architecture that means the signal stays digital to the speakers (i.e. no true D to A conversion). From what I saw with other components, I felt like I would have had to pay at least 50% more to get the same thing out of separate boxes. This area is moving pretty quickly with some great stuff coming on the market, so I won't defend the NAD to the death, but I will say that I think for a newb, you're way better off going with one of the new single-box designs than buying expensive separates. Speakers: Now we're back in familiar territory, at least for me. Despite all the discussion, speakers define the system faaaar more than any other component. It's also the place you can break the bank and, as noted above, where personal preference plays the biggest role. For my budget, this was the ultimate 'bang for the buck' decision, and this was the place I decided to bust my budget. I went with Golden Ear Triton 1s. Simply put, for my ears, they sound better than any other speaker I have heard for less than 10k. For half that price, I believe they are the single best component deal available. You can read the glowing reviews all over the internet ... believe them. The folded ribbon is amazing; the mid-range is super lush; the bass is the crispest I've ever heard at anything approaching the price. The smaller speakers in the Triton line are also fantastic, so if you wanted to save some bucks, you can while still getting amazing quality. Of this entire post, this is the only component that I will absolutely go to the mat for. These things are absolutely spectacular for the price especially because I could get rid of my sub and simplify the system even more. Other bits and bobs and opinions: Bliss - If you're trying to organize a big, ugly, messy library you absolutely must get this, particularly if you care about cover art. This saved me hundreds of hours and is super cheap for the benefit. Rowmote - I use the Rowmote app on my phone to point and click and use basic programs on my Mac. It's simple and easy. Backup - I use time machine with a 2TB Western Digital Passport to back everything up. With the hundreds of hours I have in this project, and the fact that I'm doing this for posterity, regular backup is an ABSOLUTE MUST. Fo' real. Cables and interconnects - I just don't get it. Buy decent quality stuff and spend your money elsewhere. Maybe cables matter in a cost-is-no-object system but for anyone starting out, it's a giant neon red herring ... Power sources/grounding etc. - Frankly I have no real opinions on whether any of this stuff matters at all BUT I must admit that I use a grounded Panamax power conditioner. I don't have it for the sonic qualities, but rather because 1) it has a whole bunch of grounded outlets to cut down on wire clutter, 2) it makes me feel better about my components getting fried during surges and storms, and 3) most importantly, I basically got it for free. My bet is that a solid surge protector is just as good ... In conclusion: I've listened to a bunch of 10, 20, 50k systems and I truly believe that my little rig (Mac Mini>NAD C390DD>Golden Ear Triton 1's) will stand up to them. I've no doubt that you can 1) spend more and get more and 2) that people here will have all sorts of differing opinions on the path to sonic bliss, but I can confidently say that you will be hard pressed to do better in this range. So if you're lurking here trying to find ideas of which way to go, or if you're scraping the money together to upgrade to the next rung on the ladder, I think this is a pretty fool-proof way to go. Even if you go in a different direction, hopefully some of the questions and considerations I brought up will be helpful to you. Happy listening! Best, Eric
  7. Good afternoon. I recently purchased a new Macbook Pro solely to run Amarra on my new sound system. I will be playing DSD files from an external HDD, and the current system set up has a dual-core i5, 2.6GHz, and 8GB of 1600MHz RAM. I'm trying to figure out if I should get a quad-core i7 processor, or possibly more RAM since the files exceed 3GB in size, and I would like to play off a cached list. Would either of these upgrades be significantly beneficial? Thank you for your replies. Everything is greatly appreciated.
  8. Hi folks, I ordered my first high end headphones. The V Moda Crossfade m100. I rip my CDs as mp3s at 320kbps. Is this good enough quality to utilize the full potential of m100 or do you advise me to keep it FLAC? When it comes to the player. I own a Galaxy Note 2. Do you think it's powerful enough to run the m100 at full throttle or do you think I'll need a specialized player? Some are even using mobile amplifiers... Will I need an amplifiers even when I get, let's say, a recent Sony Walkman? Thanx in advance guys, as you see I'm completely lost Any suggestions are welcome, Umyd
  9. I had to liquidate my audiophile 2-chnl gear ~20yrs ago. I'm starting from scratch now. Makes sense to use a computer (Mac, in my case) for ripping, downloading, storing, playback. I might start with desktop speakers and headphones in my office. Then set up a listening room later. Not sure of my budget yet. Seems like a good place to start is getting good lossless files onto my Mac. Then figure out how to connect it to whatever gear ( streamer, DAC, amp, headphones or speakers) presumably via either USB in my office, or WIFI to a listening room. Am I on the right track? if so, I could really use some pointers, links, to info about preparing my iMac which has an external HD as well as internal. I don't want to have to rip CDs more than once. where can I learn about a few scenarios: computer music library (iTunes-based, or other) ripping s/w to go from CD to the library , and downloading hires files to the library storing on internal, external, or NAS drive playback sw (iTunes, other) At this point i'd need a way to stream. this is where I'm unfamiliar with gear (music streamer, NAS, UPnP/DLNA ??) if you can point me to a thread, links etc, I would appreciated it, since I'm getting dazed & confused . Thanks!
  10. Hi so i'm a little bit older and all of this stuff is pretty new to me i'm writing to ask for advice. i would like a simple - cost effective solution for ripping CDs - improving sound quality DAC?? - and playing music on my Windows desktop PC and my Stereo (RCA connectors) - i would like to spend around $500 following - is a little more detail i have a collection of about 600 cds i would like to rip them (retain really good quality) and play them through both my Windows 7 desktop and my stereo which is about 20 feet away in my living room Rip - what format i'm not sure what format i should use some of my cds are ripped in WAV to my PC i have heard that FLAC is a good choice please also know - that i often copy a cd or make a compilation for the car - my Honda, as far as i know, only plays cds Ripping Software - Tool to rip and manage my files i have heard good things about JRiver i have also heard good things about DBPoweramp do i need 2 different software packages - one to rip and one to play - what do i give up if i just get JRiver DAC?? i've heard that i need a DAC to improve the quality of the sound i started looking at the different sites - reading the articles - and got really confused. some of this stuff is really expensive i have a very limited budget - about $500 can i get something with good sound? remember - i want to play music on my PC and my stereo Stereo equipment i have a Krell amplifier with RCA connections B&W speakers yes - i know they're good - but that was a long time ago and i no longer have those kinds of resources Storage do i need a network storage device? when offering your thoughts - no need to bundle the cost of the NAS with the DAC solution. i have heard that the WD Cloud 4 T is a good solution for about $225 i want to thank you for your thoughts and advice. -Ethan
  11. Hi everyone. I am just discovering the whole computer audiophile idea. I need some much needed information, and general knowledge to get me pointed in the right direction. I would like to set up a system using a windows 7 all in one, or possibly a laptop if need be. I have already purchased Jriver media center 18, and need to know the best sounding hardware configuration. Presently, I have my music stored on an external hard drive connected to my router which feeds my Oppo BDP-95 via ethernet. I would like to use a newly purchased computer with Jriver to feed a newly purchased asynchronous usb DAC/preamp, in a dedicated music room. My question is how do I set this up for the best possible sound. Do you have to have a high end sound card for the ASIO implementation? Where do I store the music, and what is the best way to get my music to the DAC as un-scathed as possible? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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