Gordan Rankin recommends having 2 firewire hard-drives, with one acting as backup. The control can also be with a remote that comes with the Mac mini, or Imac, if you use one of those as your control computer. Itunes can act as your archival/control software. It will organize your CD's, and fetch album art automatically. As to the sonics, I will know more in a week or two.
David |
Hatari-USB is limited to around 15 feet, but you can buy extenders that allow longer cables. I use an Opticis 30 meter fiber optic USB cable that converts USB to fiber optic and back again with no degredation in the signal. That way, I can keep the loud PC out of the room.
Personally, I use a 500 GB drive to hold ripped CDs and back it all up to another 500 GB drive in case of a drive failure. The drives are internal drives. Number/size/external/internal is up to you.
After the CDs are ripped to hard drive, there is no need to play them from a CD drive. The music software, like iTunes, reads the album from hard disk (or memory if you load the album into a ramdisk). So, internal/external CD drive is irrelevant in my opinion. CD drive heat during ripping shouldn't be an issue.
If someone brings over a CD to play, I recommend ripping it first to avoid jitter that is introduced from playing from the CD. |
Hi guys,
For those of you who bought the Cosecant or Crimson, did you do compare the copper and silver units? Is the sonic difference as substantial as the price. I realize that's a tough question to answer for some one else but would still welcome your opinion and some description of the differences. |
I park mine in the next room (quieter) and use a tablet PC as a wireless remote. Never have to leave the couch again to change CDs. |
Questions from an old school, open minded guy:
So how far a run of USB cable do you have. Is there a similar issue as with analogue cables as far as runs go? Do you run an equal cable of firewire to use a dedicated hard drive?
Assuming your CDs in lossless format don't fit on your laptop drive, do you then buy 2 external hard-drives? One for the data, the next for backup?
Do you get an external CD player too? Doesn't the internal one just heat up and make lots of noise when ripping or playing? If someone brings a CD over that you don't want to download, but you just want to play it.
Just curious... If I can control my music from my listening position and have it sound better than my CDP, and have all my collection at my fingertips... this becomes quite compelling.
Thanks - it's interesting to explore this. |
I park my laptop, a MacBook Pro, right next to me on the couch when I listen. |
Ok, do we now park our computers next to our preamps? Amps?
I'm still using CD player. |
I purchased an arcus DAR300 music server which features a 160GB Harddisk, a CD/DVD PLAYER/RECORDER and software rip to Flac and to pull music from outside devices through USB and Enet. It has USB, Ethernet, Scart, digital in and out and analog out. It connects to internet radio stations automatically, pull CD data from freedb (if connected to the web ) and has no fan.
I am ripping CD's to Flac on my computer using Exact Audio Copy and Accuraterip, and then transfering the files to the DAR300 through ethernet. The DAR300 has a remote and the sound is better than from my CD player (MCD205). Very convenient to use and easy to transport anywhere and take all you music along.
Anything better out there? And for a cost of about 1800 Euros. |
Congrats on your new purchase. I've been following your posts on getting into PC-based audio. Sounds like you found a winner. If more people experienced hard drive based audio done right, there would be a lot more converts. |
I just started trying this with an Apple TV 160GB. I ripped my library (again) in Apple Lossless onto a drive in my PowerMac then it sync's to the Apple TV over my wireless network. Any use of the library then is independent of the computer and the Apple TV doesn't have a fan. Comparing the sound of a CD through transport to a Genesis Digital Lens then a Theta CB II for DAC with the Apple TV to Digital lens and on reveals some very subtle loss of air but it is so damn convenient I've listened to more music in the week since I did this than in the last 2 months. I'll be looking for a better way at some point, but am pretty happy to appreciate the music and perhaps ignore a little of the sound. |
I sold my Reimyo CDP 777 and my Esoteric UX-1 after buying a Wavelength Cosecant. I never thought I would give up my CD player, but the Cosecant driven by my computer totally changed the way I listen to music. I now find myself listening to a wider variety of music since everything is so easily accessible. Also, The Cosecant sounded better than the Reimyo or the Esoteric.
David ordered a Wavelength Crimson USB DAC. I now own a Wavelength Silver Crimson USB DAC. It is a NOS DAC driven by an internal SLA rechargeable battery. The tubes are 71A triodes that are simply magical in their rendition of music. The Silver refers to silver wire wound transformers. This is not a euphonic "tube" sounding DAC. It is very neutral sounding with great detail and a wide deep soundstage.
Why should we listen to CDs in the same manner as we did in 1984? There are other options available today. The Crimson DAC is just one of many exciting new possibilities in high end audio. |
There is still a place for CD's and CD players. But when hard-drive playback is this good, and this conveient, Cd's are on their way out. Now we are on the same wavelength - I wholeheartedly agree about the added convenience of hard-drive playback. IMHO it sounds as good too so I don't dispute that a particular PC setup and high quality DAC can sound better than a specific CD player, Why waste time fiddling around with jewel cases and shuffling through shelves to find a CD!!! Progress is great! |
Hi def downloads are available from Music Giants, Linn Records, and soon to be Itrax. This is the future of audio, like it or not, CD's will be obsolete within 5-6 years time. No longer will you have a format that is flawed, unless they put the flaw there in the beginning. |
I can't wait for all those cds to start hitting ebay and amazon at fire sale prices! |
Yes, I had a nice collection. But, life being what it is, i never listened to them. I know that Mick will enjoy them far more than I will.
David |
Small world
Chicago can be like that.
You sold that Vinyl Junkie all your old albums ?.
Good for you.
I am to lazy for vinyl myself, to much maintainence and storage considerations.
I have over 4k cds and have problems keeping track of them.
I also like to skip past certain tracks to what I will enjoy at the moment.
This is a good thing, computers and DACs.
Make sure you backup all your work on another hardrive.
They do fail once in a while
Future looks bright, where are my sunglasses ?. |
I heard the system at Mick's store. In fact, I just sold him all my LP's. We listened to the system for quite a while, Mick myself, and 2 of his friends. We were all blown away.
David |
Oh, one other thought.
Who is Gordon Rankin ??????.
I suggest you find out.
The man is one hell of a designer and knows his stuff.
I have always respected his work.
The guy is a long time player in the industry.
Show a little respect. |
My good friend Mick at Quintessence Audio in Morton Grove, Il has such a system right now on display. Give him a call and listen for yourself.
I think you will be impressed.
One of the big things about this effort is the error correction done by the iTunes software. Click the box: Use error correction when reading Audio CDs.
This is key.
I do think this is the future.
I am in the process of setting up a MacBook Pro to act as my music server jukebox.
It is a lot of fun.
And I have been wondering what to do with all the cds I have. Sometimes I overlook music because my library storage system sucks {shelves and leather boxes}. It's easier to scroll down a screen and find the album, than look through a room full of shelves. Espescially if it sounds as good or better than the world class CD player I now own. Now I can be really lazy and never have to get up from my chair and change a disc. Drink red wine and be happy. |
No, you understood me the first time. There is still a place for CD's and CD players. But when hard-drive playback is this good, and this conveient, Cd's are on their way out. The only thing missing now is high resolution downloads, then CD's will be no longer. The issue of how much I liked the sound, euphonic or not , is secondary to the utter convenience of this setup. The excellent sonics of this source, to my ears, is icing on the cake. If it had only been as good, I still would have made this post.
David |
As to the sound, if you think that it was euphonic, take it up with Gordan Rankin, the designer. Huh? I was just offering an explanation for the very different sound that you heard - that's all. I suggest is unlikely to be caused by using a PC and most likely an effect from the DAC. No criticism was intended at all. I have no axe to grind with Gordan Rankin, whoever he may be... Since you heard a big difference it seems there might be an explanation no? Sorry but I thought your statement "Game-Over" rather implied the end of CD players as a decent source. Naturally I think this is a slight exaggeration....and believe you found a sound that you personally like rather than a new paradigm in audio... |
Hi All,
Just to clarify. Wavelength Audio makes several different USB DACs, designed to take the feed from a hard drive via a USB cable. The Cosecant is the middle range DAC and the Crimson is higher up the food chain. We weren't using an Ipod. We were using an Imac computer running I-tunes as the archival/control software. Regular Redbook CD's were burned to the HD of the I mac computer via Apple Lossless, a rippping scheme designed to preserve all the information on the CD. The computer was acting as the transport for the DAC. The output of the DAC was then run into the preamp, exactly as you would a regular CD player.
As to the sound, if you think that it was euphonic, take it up with Gordan Rankin, the designer. I only know that I really liked it. I've had the SCD-1, the Accuphase DP-85, the EMM Labs DAC6/CDSD (not sig) and the Esoteric X-01 Limited, so i have a fair idea of what I like and dislike.
David |
David,
How did you connect the Wavelength Audio Cosecant DAC to the iMac? Do the new iMac's have digital out? If so how is this done- Toslink, BNC or RCA (doubt it). Anyway a very interesting thread.
LM |
I have slowly been tring to get a computer based system up and running...the process has been adding one piece at a time. I have been ripping my CD's in lossless for some time now, and I recently added an external network hard drive...250GB...and now I am looking either at a good usb device that will change into a digital signal, or a good USB dac. I have also added a computer to my system, but the fan noise from that PC is just a little too loud for critical listening...although it has optical digital out...well I guess sometime I will get it right. |
Hi David. Our collective systems have greatly evolved since we shared the same X-600.
I had independently discovered the serious advantages offered by a good NOS player. The difference between NOS and OS is just as you describe. That wont be so evident on a less revealing system. This one will be fun to audition. Thanks for the Tip.
Vince |
Hi there, can you clarify some things as I am confused about your post. 1) What is a Crimson? 2) Am I reading this right to say you compared an Ipod into a Wavelenght DAC vs. an Ipod burned on a CD listening through a Levinson CDP? Would it make more sense to compare a stock (not burned, and not burned from an Ipod) redbook CD on a Levinson CDP to the full Ipod/DAC setup? Thanks |
A CD player is a transport that reads digital data from the disc (like a hard drive) and a DAC chip (with software/firmware) that converts the digital data to analog.
A PC audio system reads data from a hard drive (like a transport) and then feeds the digital data to a DAC.
Sounds similar? Fundamentally there is no real difference between the two implementations. In practice, timing and clocking may be implemented in a slightly different manner -slave and master clock and synchronization might be a factor.
Most likely the difference in presentation may be due to the DAC rather than where the data came from. The Cosecant DAC uses a tube output and therefore might be more "euphonic" than an SS design.
Did you try feeding the digital output from Levinson into the Cosecant DAC...this would likely highlight that it is the DAC output stage design that is most influencing what you prefer to hear. |
Your message is confusing. You mention Cosecant and Levinson and order Crimson. I have no idea what you are taling about or the purpuse of your post. |
