@dogearedaudio
That's an interesting twist!
Surely once the music has been recorded, silver disks just have a one time manufacturing and distribution cost. They are an excellent way of sequestering some carbon as polycarbonate, which is expected to last a hundred years or more.
Streaming costs resources every time it is deployed. Cloud storage, routers, repeaters, cache storage, transmission lines, cables, wireless, satellites ... and that's before it even gets to you.
It is a quirk of the Internet today that these things appear free to the end-user, apart from fixed access fees. At the birth of the internet, it was not clear how anybody would be able to make any money from it. Now less than a handful of US tech giants are hoovering colossal advertising revenues, which we all pay for.
The internet uses a staggering amount of electricity, and it is growing exponentially. 40% is just for cooling data centers! Estimates of around 10 to 20% of global electricity demand next year will be for the internet.
One of the most demanding internet loads is streaming. A CD contains 0.6 Gbytes of data, as much as tens of thousands of text messages. DVDs and SACDs are around 5-Gbytes. 4K Blu-ray is normally 50-Gbytes, about 100 times as much as a CD. That is why 4K video streams are dramatically compressed, and the best you can expect from most audio streaming services is CD quality.
Streaming performs an unnatural act with the internet, because the internet chunks your data into packets and sends the individual packets over switched networks. There is no guarantee of arrival time. The internet can only reliably transmit data if data errors are detected and the offending packets re-transmitted. Streaming gives away error correction in the interest of timeliness, and drops entire packets if need be.
We have recently seen that a routine security update knocked out much of the internet for days. In a war, the internet will be destroyed very quickly - no more streaming.
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@richardbrand
Well, you can certainly make the choices you want to make. I consult for a company that produces digital media, both hard and soft, and over the past 15 years I’ve witnessed hundreds of palletes of returned CDs headed for the landfill, because nobody wants them. And that's just one very small company. Fortunately that practice is on the decline. And I could be wrong, but I don’t believe CDs count as "sequestered carbon," at least not at the moment. There are efforts to turn sequestered CO2 into plastics, but as far as I know no currently manufactured CDs are made that way.
As for the internet, there’s another horse out of the barn. Might as well object to radio or TV.
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@dogearedaudio
Sounds as if your company uses CDs for software distribution or archiving?
Sequestered carbon means the carbon is locked up, not that it can be recycled!
You presented streaming as the eco-friendly alternative. I am suggesting this is a furphy (Aussie slang for an erroneous or improbable story that is claimed to be factual).
At least, radio and TV are broadcast services (forgetting the internet versions!). The last service to stay up and running in a bad bushfire is public radio, provided you have a battery receiver. I was in Canberra when we lost several lives and 450 homes. The firestorm was fierce enough to create its own thunderstorms.
The first thing occupying or revolutionary forces head for is the TV / radio station. The internet appears to be equally fragile.
I have no issue with the internet as a medium for distributing files but strictly speaking, that is not streaming.
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I love SACD and have 3 players and several hundred SACDs. I listen pretty exclusively to Classical and we have kept SACD alive. However the OP didn’t mention his tastes and apparently owns no SACDs. Just trying to keep it simple for him best serve his needs
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$3000 is not going to get you into anything super amzing…I would get a Schiit audio transport for that and a Mytek Liberty II DAC.
Then I would be happy forever.
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What the heck.... buy a used Oppo 105 on ebay for a little over $500.00. I know others above said don't buy used but for a budget of $3000.00 you could buy 6 of them if anything went wrong. I have several that I've had for years and all still going strong. They play regular cds and sacds so np.
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@mahler123
I share you tastes! Can I ask whether you play your SACDs in 2-channel or 5-channel surround?
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To answer questions and to say one hell of an education. I spent 30 plus years working on the development of highly classified jets - I can tell you that with the electronics onboard the US can darken a city in seconds with the highly sophisticated electronics which would not only end streaming but a hell of a lot more damage. As a pilot I can tell you that the US can bring the darkness to a city. Worry about streaming - gone will be all communications so rest assured music would not be of a concern....
As for my system a basic two channel system - listening to B.B. King on a awesome CD but that could end with a ZAP of Electronic Warfare.
I complain to my wife that my car's GPS system sucks from look ahead, to range, to North up to cursor driven maps - my wife's comment ----- this is not a multi-million dollar jet.
But I have learned so much about transports, to DACs, to streaming that all I can say is THANK YOU for taking time out out of your day to provide an enormous amount of information that I will need to disseminate - BUT - that is what makes this forum invaluable.
As for raising some individuals back hairs - all was meant as a different perspective on the subject matter.
And that is what life is all about a different perspective...
Smerk aka PrettyBoy
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I just purchased an anniversary edition Denon A110 SACD player (for regular CDs, not the SA variety) and I’m super excited to do CD listening again! To each their own! I’m keeping my Apple Music subscription, too.
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Having owned OPPO, Denon and Luxman CD players I now have found sonic nirvana with the McIntosh MCD600.
Absolutely sublime sound. Touch of warmth in the upper bass.
OP, like you my only source is a CD player.
It's over your budget, but I think it's worth it.
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You don't need SACD capability, but it's nice to have that option. The MCD600 plays regular CDs and SACDs.
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CD players always have an internal DAC. A transport is a CD player without the DAC.
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Forgot to mention the MCD600 also has a preamp section.
I removed my preamp and run balanced interconnects directly from the CD player to my monoblock amps.
Less cables, less electronic stuff for the signal to pass through improved clarity, like removing a slight opacity to the sound.
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And the remote has a luxurious tactile feel. Fast, accurate response from any angle in the room. Best remote I've ever had.
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Also forgot to mention, I love the sound of the 600 so much I bought a second one for a backup just in case. I've NEVER done that before. It really is that good. Worth every penny.
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And another thing, if you use balanced interconnects and select the variable outputs, the output is 16 volts. Your amp(s) will be loafing. Less attenuation required for a given sound pressure level. When amps work easier the sound is better.
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tomcarr
if you use balanced interconnects and select the variable outputs, the output is 16 volts. Your amp(s) will be loafing. Less attenuation required for a given sound pressure level. When amps work easier the sound is better.
That's not at all how an amplifier works. It will produce the same power for any given output level.
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smerk
I look forward in reading more about your System and musical tastes. There has never been a better time to invest in a CD Player.
Happy Listening!
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@cleeds OK, I'll be the first to admit I'm not an EE, or any other type of engineer.
Thank you for responding.
What I do know is when I was using a separate pre it showed 60% gain to have playback at 80 dB. Using the volume control on the McIntosh CDP it shows 40% to get the same 80 dB level.
I mentioned that to a friend and he told me the higher voltage would cause that difference.
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jafant
I presently own a Simaudio Moon CD .5. With bookshelf Triangle Speakers, through a Denon AVR. Might not need a new CD player - but I thought I had/have no clue as to what is this and that - so why not ask the gents on Audiogon. In college I was on the local town Radio Station as A Disc Jockey and played - Zepplin, King Crimson, Yes, CSNY, Hendrix, Vanilla Fudge, Grand Funk, Humble Pie etc, etc. My wife is way younger than I so her taste is NIN, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, Beastie Boys, etc. I also was a big blues lover but in College hard to get blues Vinyl purchased by the Radio Station - Hooker, Old Yardbirds, Stevie Windwood, B B King, Muddy Waters, Johnny Guitar and the like. BUT I do have CDs of these great Blues Composers, OLD Canned Heat and others. So that is what I am spinnin on my CD player----
Now will the sound be better with a higher priced, newer CD player??? - that is what I am searching for in an education.
To all have a Awesome Thanksgiving - my wife is cooking a Duck/Turkey legs, Chicken Breast, Ham, Chinese Sticky Rice, Green Beans, Chinese Broc witrh Oyster sauce - Might throw some Gator and Frog Legs in on the mix. Gotta love a Gourmet Cook with a double oven and a full over oven outdoor vent for the wok....
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Stick with your CDs that you love is my opinion. I've been down all the rabbit holes from tapes, vinyl and CD to streaming exclusively and I find that when streaming, I never get into an album, always jumping around from song to song and for me the sound of playing a CD via a transport into my DAC is much better than the same thing streamed though Roon or Spotify or Tidal. Streaming definitely has a place for me but for me it killed the joy of owning music and getting into a whole album. You can still buy almost everything that comes out on CD, everyone thinks it's dead but there will always be a place for it. Whoever said it's environmentally unfriendly LOL.
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My wife loves Pandora. Music she likes and with enough variety of artists/songs you never know what the next track will be. I look at it like listening to your own radio station.
With that said, something I was told years ago is "if you can't hear the difference then don;t waste your money". I too have hearing issues in my senior years and keep that in mind when looking for an equipment "upgrade". I purchased a used Marantz CD player for just a few hundie and could tell the difference between it and the Oppo I have for dvds but I doubt I could hear anything much better at a much higher price.
Good thing smerk's address is unknown to us, with a menu like that you would have a bunch of adiophiles banging on the front door!
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+Marantz Ruby. Easily the best bang for the buck!
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After all the excellent information - I decided not to spend more money than I wanted to - I purchased an EMOTIVA CD Player, my system is nowhere near that of the majority of individuals on this site. But it works for me. As I get older, I spend less then I would have imagined finding reasons with rational why I really do not need this or that.
More importantly I enjoy giving my wife items that she really appreciates. Items that she never had growing up. The adage happy wife happy life in my terms is somewhat demeaning and giving her what she enjoys is what my life is all about - bringing happiness to her.
I’ve had an awesome life and what better way to enjoy my music knowing that she is happy at whatever I give her. That is me being an audiophile person. Enjoy the holidays make others happy and it will bring happiness to you more than a CD Player. To all that educated me I thank you. For all that answered my questions have a great holiday - best time to stop and think --- who could I bring a little joy to during these Holidays.
Smerk
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@smerk I'm happy that you found what you needed to enjoy what you have. I'm kind of in the same boat in realizing what I actually need to be happy and wish I arrived at this moment some time ago. Have the happiest of holidays, you and your wife.
All the best,
Nonoise
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Smerk
What surprising and refreshing insight you have written here. I am in agreement with you. Happy listening. BTW you are right, try to bring joy to others this season ( like your wife). That is what Christmas is all about.
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I would go for the Rega Saturn MkIII, it has all the qualities a good CD player should possess: quality, sound and features… Oh and looks in my opinion.
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Find a used Oppo in mint condition on ebay with remote included. You can get a model 103 for under 300.00.
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Any love for the Hegel Viking?
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@smerk
Good for you OP!
Some common sense decency and graciousness, exactly what this forum needs more of.
Peace and a blessing.
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UPDATE:
So i sent my EMOTIVA back - reason for the return - no gapless playback. With all the technology in today's world and the item lacks gapless playback. What was awesome was that EMOTIVA without hesitation sent me an RMA. AND fully understood. Awesome customer service. Also, in their return section they stated that shipping is to be paid by the customer for a return. They sent me an RMA with insurance and return shipping for less than I would have paid on my own. Again, great customer service. So, I do believe in Santa Claus. Merry Christmas to all on Audiogon - Ho Ho Ho.....
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OP- great news! Nice when that happens.
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