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Computer, CD transport or Network Player?

I currently have most of my music downloaded on my computer as FLAC files and listen to it through JRiver or Signalyst HQ (audio players for Windows) on my Dell desktop. The sound is amazing but I have a question and it is this:

Which do you find to have the highest sound quality;

1.  Redbook CD's directly played in a high quality CD transport?
2.  Ripped FLAC or Apple lossless files played through a high quality PC or MAC computer based audio player (such as JRiver or Signalyst for Windows or Vox or Clementine for MAC)?
3.  or music (from one's own private CD collection) loaded on a network player?

Using a DAC of course.
mewsickbuff

Showing 3 responses by randy-11

randy-11
1,913 posts
 
 I agree with shadorne, but one caveat - the quality of the design and implementation will decide among any of the 3 approaches.

Big money is not required, but careful attention to ground loops, noise injection and phase error will be important.  USB can be a problematic interface too.

The speakers, their locations, room treatments, and the SQ of the initial mastering & recording processes will all be much more important.

A rel. new DAC design will give better SQ/$ than older ones, so I would avoid used if older.

Your question would be an excellent one for the numerous audiophile and industry engineers at
https://www.computeraudiophile.com
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
I have seen claims that SSDs sound better than HDDs, also that the LCD drivers in a laptop create more noise in the digital stream than say a mac mini (more room between components, so the inverse square law helps quite a bit).

What I have not seen is actual measurements or reliable listening tests (blind, randomized, adequate sample size, etc.).

BTW, I am a WiFi type guy also.  It also breaks ground loops and is convenient.

Some problems are only going to be of importance if you are spending many thousands of $$ on a system.
randy-11
1,913 posts
 
optical or WiFi also eliminates the problems

- why not do some listening tests vs. an existing computer using the return privilege you get at several online places, or ask a local dealer?
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