Peter Creasey
Peter Creasey
I agree!
. . . . . . Pete
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A nice budget small scale audiophile stereo set up for those of you who want to jump in
- Thread starter BJ
- Start date
I agree!
. . . . . . Pete
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
What proportion of your listening is really LPs, though? I guess if you have a lot of old and rare classical or jazz it pays to invest in a turntable. Otherwise, go digital. And then you want to prioritize the speakers.originally posted by Yule Kim:
Quick question.
If you are going to invest heavily in one component of a sound system and go cheaper with the others, which component should you spend the most money on: the receiver, the turntable, or the speakers?
I actually don't buy cds or mp3s anymore. I usually buy used lps and those are what I primarily listen to. I only listen to mp3s on my ipod.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
Can you tell me more? Do you mean non-proprietary in the sense that they have the ability to read others' proprietary formats, or non-proprietary in the sense that you can buy the material in an open-source format? If we're looking backwards, only the first is important, but looking forwards the second is really the critical thing. For example, if I spend a few grand over the years on Kindle books and then someone invents a superior format, what I really need is not just a device that can read the Kindle format but software that can convert the Kindle books to the new format.originally posted by Peter Creasey:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg: Proprietary formats are one thing I absolutely can't abide. It's the only reason I haven't bought a Kindle yet.
Keith, The Sony ereaders are the best...and are non-proprietary.
. . . . . Pete
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
What's your reasoning? Romance of vinyl, sound quality, or availability of the content you want to listen to?originally posted by Yule Kim:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
What proportion of your listening is really LPs, though? I guess if you have a lot of old and rare classical or jazz it pays to invest in a turntable. Otherwise, go digital. And then you want to prioritize the speakers.originally posted by Yule Kim:
Quick question.
If you are going to invest heavily in one component of a sound system and go cheaper with the others, which component should you spend the most money on: the receiver, the turntable, or the speakers?
I actually don't buy cds or mp3s anymore. I usually buy used lps and those are what I primarily listen to. I only listen to mp3s on my ipod.
The vinyl vs. CD debate has been going on forever so no need to retread, but now that digital is no longer limited to CD resolution and the choice is often between vinyl and 24-bit/96khz digital, it's going to get a lot tougher for anyone to make the case that vinyl sounds better (if you define better as fidelity to the source material, rather than a subjective preference for the kind of distortion the format introduces).
I'm sorry, but that's a load of crap. Sit down and listen to the high or mid end in either category and the proofs in the pudding. I listen to both (my digital front end set up being significantly more expensive than my vinyl) and the vinyl comes out on top.
Recently did an extended sit down with the $15k top of the line Naim CD player, the new Naim DAC, and a top end LP12 set up. All of them were fantastic, but I preferred the vinyl set up.
Recently did an extended sit down with the $15k top of the line Naim CD player, the new Naim DAC, and a top end LP12 set up. All of them were fantastic, but I preferred the vinyl set up.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
Which of course plays at 16-bit/44.1khz so has nothing to do with what I said.originally posted by BJ:
Recently did an extended sit down with the $15k top of the line Naim CD player
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
btw, so this $15k CD player outputs digitally into a standalone DAC? How dumb does one have to be to drop $15k on something that's going to provide the same digital stream as anything else?
Eden Mylunsch
Eden Mylunsch
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
originally posted by Yule Kim:
The vinyl vs. CD debate has been going on forever so no need to retread, but now that digital is no longer limited to CD resolution and the choice is often between vinyl and 24-bit/96khz digital, it's going to get a lot tougher for anyone to make the case that vinyl sounds better (if you define better as fidelity to the source material, rather than a subjective preference for the kind of distortion the format introduces).
For me it comes down to the fact that I just like the LP experience more than I do CDs or downloading music. I like that the cover art is big and album credits are easier to read on LP than they are in the digital realm. I like being forced to engage with the record when using the Discwasher to remove dust or when turning the record over to listen to the other side. It's inconvenient as hell sometimes, but I work around it by also having a couple of digital source options when I don't want to deal with vinyl.
-Eden (FTW, SACD roolz!!!)
Tom Glasgow
Thomas W Glasgow
Back to the beginning of the thread and you each have had seven months to prep.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
Legit reasons Eden, and I think that's why a lot of people still prefer LPs, but fundamentally it sounds like it's really about a petite madeleine moment for the format one grew up with and not an argument that it's actually preferable in any sense.
originally posted by Eden Mylunsch:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
originally posted by Yule Kim:
The vinyl vs. CD debate has been going on forever so no need to retread, but now that digital is no longer limited to CD resolution and the choice is often between vinyl and 24-bit/96khz digital, it's going to get a lot tougher for anyone to make the case that vinyl sounds better (if you define better as fidelity to the source material, rather than a subjective preference for the kind of distortion the format introduces).
For me it comes down to the fact that I just like the LP experience more than I do CDs or downloading music. I like that the cover art is big and album credits are easier to read on LP than they are in the digital realm. I like being forced to engage with the record when using the Discwasher to remove dust or when turning the record over to listen to the other side. It's inconvenient as hell sometimes, but I work around it by also having a couple of digital source options when I don't want to deal with vinyl.
I buy lps for similar reasons. I like the physical artifact more than cds. Also, most of the record stores in dupont are pulling out of the cd business and focusing on lps. Used Lps also tend to be fairly inexpensive.
Sound quality isn't my primary reason for purchasing lps, though I do think they sound a little warmer than cds.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
I tend to buy most of my music used too, but on CD. I wish-list them on Amazon and periodically check to see which ones are down to a dollar or so. Then I rip them to FLAC. I suppose if I liked the physical experience of vinyl I could set up a turntable that's not hooked up to anything and play a blank LP while the Sonos is streaming the FLACs. :)
Dan Donahue
Dan Donahue
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Which of course plays at 16-bit/44.1khz so has nothing to do with what I said.originally posted by BJ:
Recently did an extended sit down with the $15k top of the line Naim CD player
The market didn't support SACD or DVD-a, so finding what you want to listen to in 24 bit format will be a challenge (not to mention an expensive dedicated player to take advantage of the digital depth upgrade). Maybe someone will step up with reliable 24 bit flac downloads of popular releases, but the trend seems to be toward crappier sound rather than better.
I never got into surround sound so my Linn table, Rotel pre-amp, amp and cd player, B&W 802s and BD 880s serve me well.
Keith Levenberg
Keith Levenberg
Have you tried hdtracks.com?originally posted by Dan Donahue:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg:
Which of course plays at 16-bit/44.1khz so has nothing to do with what I said.originally posted by BJ:
Recently did an extended sit down with the $15k top of the line Naim CD player
The market didn't support SACD or DVD-a, so finding what you want to listen to in 24 bit format will be a challenge (not to mention an expensive dedicated player to take advantage of the digital depth upgrade). Maybe someone will step up with reliable 24 bit flac downloads of popular releases,
That much is certainly true!but the trend seems to be toward crappier sound rather than better.
originally posted by Dan Donahue:
but the trend seems to be toward crappier sound rather than better.
I blame Steve Jobs!
Peter Creasey
Peter Creasey
originally posted by Keith Levenberg: Do you mean non-proprietary in the sense that they have the ability to read others' proprietary formats, or non-proprietary in the sense that you can buy the material in an open-source format?
Keith, If I understand your terminology correctly, "No" on your first question and "Yes" on your second.
However, if I'm not wrong, Kindle is about the only proprietary provider. I believe most or all other book sources are available to the Sony ereader.
I can go most anywhere (but NOT Kindle) with my Sony ereader and get books. It has paid for itself many times over with all the books I have obtained sometimes at a reduced price but usually for free.
A good source of info is the Mobile Read Forums, the Sony section at...
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www.mobileread.com
. . . . . . . Pete
Blame Napsteroriginally posted by Ned Hoey:
originally posted by Dan Donahue:
but the trend seems to be toward crappier sound rather than better.
I blame Steve Jobs!
Scott Kraft
Scott Kraft
originally posted by Peter Creasey:
originally posted by Keith Levenberg: you want to prioritize the speakers.
I agree!
. . . . . . Pete
So wrong. Like wine, it’s source first.
Ken Schramm
Ken Schramm
It's all in the transducers. Everything else is just electrons.
Yule, front end is important, but take a look at your room first. The space is so much more important - it's a bit like the context and food when you pick a wine. I've seen so many high-budget systems in really poorly designed rooms.
I have completely different sets of music in CD, mp3 and vinyl. My vinyl is 40% classical and opera, 20% live performances (usually jazz), 20% house/trance, 20% ridiculous things like "Christmas in Ukraine". These are albums I tend to listen all the way through. My CD collection is split equally between jazz, classical studio recordings and rock. I hardly listen to them any more, as it's all been loaded onto my mp3 player, which also has a ridiculous number of house tracks as well as all my Chinese/Cantonese music.
Would I listen to all the stupid outtakes from the complete Bill Evans on Verve if it was only on vinyl or CD? No. But they're more accessible on mp3, and when I hear something interesting, I go back to the CD and vinyl versions to take another listen.
All that said, I'd look for an amp first before going crazy on the TT. IThe difference between a $200 and $500 amp is much more obvious to me than that between a $200 and $500 TT. I also spent a lot of time listening to different cartridges before deciding that I rather like Grado at the same price point as Shure.
I have completely different sets of music in CD, mp3 and vinyl. My vinyl is 40% classical and opera, 20% live performances (usually jazz), 20% house/trance, 20% ridiculous things like "Christmas in Ukraine". These are albums I tend to listen all the way through. My CD collection is split equally between jazz, classical studio recordings and rock. I hardly listen to them any more, as it's all been loaded onto my mp3 player, which also has a ridiculous number of house tracks as well as all my Chinese/Cantonese music.
Would I listen to all the stupid outtakes from the complete Bill Evans on Verve if it was only on vinyl or CD? No. But they're more accessible on mp3, and when I hear something interesting, I go back to the CD and vinyl versions to take another listen.
All that said, I'd look for an amp first before going crazy on the TT. IThe difference between a $200 and $500 amp is much more obvious to me than that between a $200 and $500 TT. I also spent a lot of time listening to different cartridges before deciding that I rather like Grado at the same price point as Shure.