Thank you ubewaltz for starting this post. Years ago I worked & owned audio stores. I have been out of audio for 30+ years. My bucket list included getting back into music, now that I have the time to enjoy it. I have gotten a pretty good system for vinyl and have been trying to educate myself on digital. I am fine, when it comes to vinyl, but digital is a different store. I remember the first time we got a CD in the store and a player. We hoked it up to our Ref. system (Mags MG2s, Mac C28, Mac 275 and a B&O linear TT ) and quickly realized that the cassette tape sounded just as good as the CD and compared to vinyl the CD was a joke. That being said, an Edison phonograph compared to what we have today, you have to start somewhere.
I have been debating getting a good CD player with a DAC, seeing as I have 500+ CDs and all the CDs are on my computer. After reading all the outstanding comments in this post, I am forced to rethink the CD player. I was looking at the Esoteric, Ayon, and the ARC players costing $5000+ on average. The idea of a streamer sounds fantastic on the surface, but I am far from a geek. In fact I spent as much time looking up what computer terms meant, as I did reading the post.
I don't want to start up an old battle, but in reading all your comments as to the sound quality of the Vault, I was wondering if you had ever compared a CD, tidal, or streaming to Vinyl? I have been listening to music from my Ipad, phone, or bluetooth MP3 in my car and to my AV system. The other night, I finally got the system I have been putting together to play vinyl and played a record. I must say I was blown away. I had to just sit an enjoy the music. Can't believe I was away from it for so long.
I just wanted to put my 2 cents worth regarding coping CDs to the computer. I am sure I have purchased the same music over and over thru the years. I have purchased my favorite music on 45 rpm, 8 tracks, cassettes, LPs, CDs, buying off the internet, and now with say Tidal, I have to pay per month to listen to the same music I purchased many times before. No wonder the records companies make so much money. Than goodness for the internet, so anyone can get there music to the public without the record companies.
I have been debating getting a good CD player with a DAC, seeing as I have 500+ CDs and all the CDs are on my computer. After reading all the outstanding comments in this post, I am forced to rethink the CD player. I was looking at the Esoteric, Ayon, and the ARC players costing $5000+ on average. The idea of a streamer sounds fantastic on the surface, but I am far from a geek. In fact I spent as much time looking up what computer terms meant, as I did reading the post.
I don't want to start up an old battle, but in reading all your comments as to the sound quality of the Vault, I was wondering if you had ever compared a CD, tidal, or streaming to Vinyl? I have been listening to music from my Ipad, phone, or bluetooth MP3 in my car and to my AV system. The other night, I finally got the system I have been putting together to play vinyl and played a record. I must say I was blown away. I had to just sit an enjoy the music. Can't believe I was away from it for so long.
I just wanted to put my 2 cents worth regarding coping CDs to the computer. I am sure I have purchased the same music over and over thru the years. I have purchased my favorite music on 45 rpm, 8 tracks, cassettes, LPs, CDs, buying off the internet, and now with say Tidal, I have to pay per month to listen to the same music I purchased many times before. No wonder the records companies make so much money. Than goodness for the internet, so anyone can get there music to the public without the record companies.