2. digital
  3. 1034440205

Hard Disk Playback Systems

Why are more audiophiles not using hard disk playback systems? The category includes full blown systems by Linn, Escient or Revox; stand alone machines from Yamaha or Harmon Kardon and computer based systems such as Apple/MacIntosh running iTunes software. I've been using an Apple system for about a year and while there are a few drawbacks, the positives are overwhelming.

First the negatives:
- it can be expensive. The Linn or Revox turnkey systems are over $15k. The Apple system I've assembled (including multiple hard disks) cost nearly $6,000.
- a computer is noisy. I've had to place the computer tower within a closed cabinet, but it still introduces 4dB of added background noise into the listening room. I don't believe any of the dedicated systems have this problem.
- the initial setup is tedious. If you have a medium to large CD collection (say 500+), then individually "ripping" each CD and typing in title and song info is quite tiresome. However, if your hard disk/computer is hooked up to the internet, then that info can be automatically downloaded.

The positives:
- assuming you stored the music at full redbook spec (16/44.1), then the sound quality is comparable to a high quality CD transport.
- you have virtually instant access to all of your music collection. Additionally, using "playlists" you can organize your music whichever way you like. THIS FEATURE CANNOT BE UNDERVALUED.
- burning compilation CDs is very quick and easy. Simply click and drag whatever songs you want to a new playlist and hit "burn".
- it's networkable. The computer based and high end Linn/Revox systems have the flexibility to distribute a digital signal throughout your house. This can even be done wirelessly. - it's transportable. Say you going to your vacation home, what would you rather drag along, 100 of your favortie CDs, or a couple of 120Gb firewire hard disks with ALL of your music. Apple based hard disk systems also offer the possibility of downloading playlists to their iPod unit for even greater portability.

I'm sure I've probably left out some aspect of using hard disk playback systems, but I think I've highlighted the major points. The bottom line is that since switching over to a hard disk system I'm listening to music more often and because of the easier access I'm listening to music that I would normally not have selected. As far as I can tell, hard disk systems are a major advance in the enjoyment of digital based music.
onhwy61

Showing 4 responses by dmitrydr

dmitrydr
221 posts
 
How do you, guys, handle emi interference? If you connect sound card using SPDIF, AFAIK it'll be affected by RF noise. Another option is TOSLINK, but it's by itself compromises sound quality.
And, jitter: how do you know your card produces low jitter? I read that $200-$400 "professional" sound cards are not really good about jitter. Just compare quality of the clock on $200 card and in $2000 DAC... Chain as strong as its weakest link is...
dmitrydr
221 posts
 
AFAIK RF noise from computer may easely affect SPDIF signal causing timing error (which, actually, is jitter). So signal does get through, but with transmittion errors. External word clock link would mainly resolve this problem, but it indeed very rare option. And the difference in jitter situation between hard disk playback and CDP is in design and build quality between $200 sound card and 10-20 times as expensive CD player. Meaning that if you find sound card of the comparable quality and use it in hard drive music server that made with the same level of perfection (separate power supplies, isolated digital circuitries, etc. - to eliminate electical jitter) as a good CDP, you probably will get better results then in that good CDP.
Another way would be to eliminate SPDIF interface at all: use firewire or ethernet protocols, which can transmit the timing data encapsulated with the actual audio data on a very high speed, 100% CRC checked and confirmed, i.e. lossless. Thus, transmit music data from your computer in your office to a high quality network music receiver on your rack, which would just reformat the data from firewire to SPDIF in a protected environment without fans, multiple boards, and other noise-generators.
dmitrydr
221 posts
 
Onhwy61, it's just my well forgotten electrical engeneering education - I moved to a computer programming right away, but it still sits somewhere on a background... :)
CD player doesn't have fans, megahertz buses, usually has well isolated power supplies, less circuitry, boards, contacts... I absolutely agree with you that sound cards designed with professional requirements in mind may eliminate most of the problems. But I'm doubt that typical consumer-oriented sound card that (as I saw on forums) usually used for this purpose, was designed with sound quality in first place.
dmitrydr
221 posts
 
Good point, and I mentioned this option is one of the previous replies. USB 2.0/firewire OR ETHERNET outboard sound card would act as SPDIF interface, which means to take, let's say, WAV data stream, encode it to SPDIF format, and transmit it to an external DAC. Eencoding to SPDIF stage may be Achilles' heel there, by very same reason why many people mod their CD players with better clock circuitry. I guess that SPDIF interface, if not audiophile-grade (whatever it means) designed, may still cause all kinds of jitter.
However, just find an outboard card of an appropriate quality, and... it's done.
BTW, let me know if you find one.
More to discover