My system has changed in that I have made major upgrades to both my digital and analog. My CDs now reside on a Aurender N20 and my DAC is the Holo May KTE. All power cables are Shunyata Sigma NR and are plugged into the Everest 8000. A Shunyata Sigma Ethernet cable and AES/EBU are used on the Aurender’s input and output.
My scanned CDs sound now rivals my Qobuz hi res streaming and both approach my analog, which is an impressive step forward. I no longer see any need for a CD player and doubt that any, but the best can rival the Aurender’s ability to serve up ripped files. I’m absolutely certain that others have superior systems and a better listening space, but for now I’m pleased with what I have. A big thank you to Juan of @blisshififor directing me to the Aurender N20 and Audionet phono preamp.
I prefer CD. Sounds holographic. Kit is MSB Transport which can stream and plays cd. DAC IS MSB .My Aurender does streaming and has 6 TB hard drive of flac quality ripped off my CDs. My USB , Ethernet, Router and Uptone ether Regen is top notch. CD is still better
A good SACD player matched with the insanely wonderful Japanese single layer pressings ( and those 7" mini albums!!!) are just 2 very good reasons to still invest in that format.
Plus you will never get laid with a streamer... now a wonderful McCormack Universal player or an Opera Audio Tube SACD player with the wood Danish Modernist cabinet..... OMG
Thank You for the acknowledgement. The Accuphase DP-65v may be aged, but it is still a Reference CD player. I can only imagine the Aural playback of a newer model with newer technology. Superb.
What is your system? There is a place to show it under your ID. This is really helpful to see where you are coming from. What streamers have you tried?
As mentioned above, I've ripped all my CDs and put them on shuffle..just over 100 hours of material. I just received a Holo May DAC and wow..what an upgrade from my McIntosh MA12000 DAC. The ripped CDs sound so musical. Everything about the presentation is better. I'm streaming off iFi Zen Stream/ Roon Core i7 NUC/64TB Synology DS1522+ with dual SSD Cache.
I used to think that CD was better than using a streamer having a playback designs SCAD player and this was the case for some years. However I built a dedicated 2 box computer/streamer following the audiophilestyle forum for advice. It took a while and several builds to achieve a high quality result.
I play files from local storage on the computer which, from my experience, is of higher SQ than using streaming services although less convenient, having to rip CDs.
The eventual result easily equalled my vinyl set up (Kuzma XL, 4pt, Atlas, Ypsilon phono) sometimes surpassing it with modern digitally recorded music. The vinyl only raised the game with my 60s and 70s jazz albums and some older analogue recordings depending on their quality. Digitally recorded classical, especially hi-res, can sound stupendous.
I would say the steaming device is at least as important as the DAC used.
I know the PS Audio SACD transport let’s you listen to the full DFS stream if you use their DAC, but can you configure the Terminator’s I2S to make it work as well?
1. Easy to rip a Redbook CD to FLAC but not as easy to rip a SACD to as DSF format.
2. Many of the streaming services only have newer remastered versions that many times are brick walled or not as well mastered as what you may own in the CD format such as a Mobile Fidelity or DCC mastering.
3. If a friend comes over to listen to music they may be interested in hearing how their CD sounds on your system.
4. With a good CD transport, DAC and great mastering you can compare digital to analogue and hear how digital sounds just as good and maybe in certain aspects better than analogue.
5. Fun factor in going to your shelves looking over a collection of great music, picking one to listen, sliding it into the drawer, pushing play and sitting back to listen as you read the pamphlet and back cover along with enjoying the art work. I admit certainly not as nice as an album cover but if you don't have that recording in vinyl it gives you a miniature version of the experience.
I just purchased the PS Audio SACD transport. Primary reason was I had several hundred SACD discs that I could not play. I use a Terminator Plus with Gaia and MacMini. Very happy with purchase but agree with those who say it's an easy decision if you can afford the extra bucks. As to SQ in my system I will say my vinyl rig still produces best sound. Recording quality is key and does vary with media. Its fun to compare various playback options and sometimes CD's beat streaming. I will say rebook can hold its own with high res formats including DSD. Lots of fun to have various input options as mood dictates.
Streaming is no more of a theft to artists than record labels, or any other middle man between the artist and the consumer
Tom Petty has a line that sums it up when dealing with record labels, I'll get rich you'll get famous
John Fogerty had to fight in court that his solo material sounded too much like CCR and not a violation of a contract that he singed in his early 20s with the CCR label
There are too many Cadillac Record stories to count over the years
On Tidal I get a report each month that shows how much of my subscription was paid out to the artists that I specifically listened to that month
As a consumer I kind of prefer that model, artists are paid for the songs that I listen to not all the songs that are sold to me on a record or CD
Not the filler songs that are rushed and added to get an album to market to meet a contractual deadline, or holiday release schedule, or to support an upcoming tour, not a compilation of greatest greatest hits put out by the record company because the artist is no longer relevant
How many CDs or albums do you only listen to 3 or 4 songs, how many sit in your collection having only be listened to once or twice?
In my collection, while not vast though substantial, it's at least 50%
Once again in this hobby of ours, we all get to be right and there is no wrong answer because it's about personal preferences and each of our own interpretations of what sounds best to the ears and wallet of the beholder
I've rationalized that streaming is the best ROI and price performance route for my playback at this time and I'm enjoying the best SQ that I've reproduced in the 40+ years of building my system and collecting albums and CDs
When the same 40 year old songs sound better than they ever have, does the format matter?
I would submit to you, for the layman listener that 90% of what I'm streaming is the best version of the song that they've ever heard, and not by a small (only stuff dogs can hear) margin
I have had very close relationships with three dealers over the last fifty years.
My current dealer has been my friend for twenty years. I consider my current system a collaborative effort. We both love my system. He has brought over equipment (like $20K+ components) to see how they sound to evaluate if he wants to carry the line. We have very much the same musical values although he sells to many people with different values.
He has lent me a pair of Audio Research 160m mono-blocks ($32K)… for the last eight months, so far (I own a Audio Research 160s) for me to enjoy. He comes over for an afternoon every couple months to take the afternoon off. He has instructions to sell my system and give the proceeds to my partner when I die.
While I have spent thousands of hours researching and doing comparisons of equipment… components, cables, power cords… this got me up to speed to talk with my dealer… who lives this stuff day and night… for decades. We can talk as equals and learn from each other… fantastic to talk to someone with such in depth knowledge…
For most of us the "this or that" approach is due to financial limitations. The total system cost might be $1000.00, or $100,000.00, where the limitations exist, but the components considered are very different. It all has to do with maximizing results with limited funds. All of your posts help those of us that are operating at the upper edge of our financial envelope where trying and selling are not financially efficient. Many of you have amazing systems that you assembled through A/B comparisons. How did you setup such trials? Do you have a special relationship with a dealer, or buy used and sell used, or just don’t have financial limits? So far for me, speakers and my Integrated amp were my only main components that I heard before purchasing. I’ve been able to listen to some cables and trade up with my dealer. Currently looking to trade up with my Sutherland 20/20 phono preamp..but one dealer comes with limitations..my only real trade up option is the Esoteric E-02 Balanced and the next batch isn't scheduled for a couple of months..assuming that the components are available.
+10! You made numerous fine points. Can’t we all just enjoy the music we love regardless of what format we have chosen to listen to. None of them are mutually exclusive, one doesn’t invalidate the others.
I happen to prefer CD listening and it’s fabulous via my Pro-Ject RS2T transport. I do not doubt for a moment that others derive as much listening enjoyment with streaming or playing vinyl records. It’s all good.
Bill , @grannyringI know that you stream and really love it. I appreciate however you aren’t beating others on the head in evangelist fashion trying to convert them to what “you” do. I like that you can acknowledge that @factenis obviously enjoying great sound quality via his Neodio CD player spinning discs.There are many ways to engage with and appreciate the “gift” of music.
LP’s , cd, cassettes, I only,spend money on actual product,have the McCormack UDP-1, pioneer elite dv-58av,..dv-48av, dv-79-avi, and an elder 5cd Sherwood carousel which still sounds great after 20+ years,.each has their own signature tone,
evenings, I will plug in my iPod on shuffle at medium volume for background tunes when my cousin comes over for no other reason than to get so,e of my 25 year single malt
everyone does it different, I enjoy getting off my fat ass to flip the lip, and put in another cd, gives me effort to grab another beer, or pour so,e scotch in my glass.
Thank You for the follow up. I head to Memphis next month for work. In the Summer of 2020 I worked in Memphis -downtown. Of course, the city was on lock-down status. I do not believe that there are any Audio shop(s) ?
I will reach out and touch Colin and Constatine regarding Cabling to complete my system which can be viewed in Virtual Systems here.
Ripped to uncompressed FLAC, but only 150 or so CDs and 30 were purchased recently .. without having anything to play them on. Only 20 SACD, so not missing much there.
I still can’t listen to them in that the DAC in my New McIntosh MA12000 stopped working and the DAC that I ordered is still at least 2-3 weeks from delivery. So, 100% vinyl for now.
You ripped all your CDs in two days? Either you only have a few, or you may have inadvertently ripped them to a compressed low resolution format. I don’t remember how long it takes… but I generally have high performance equipment and it takes forever.
@jafant- I live in a suburb just outside of Memphis.
Aside from the Neodio I have also purchased 3 sets of Tchernov cables from Gestalt.
I have made a few purchases from Atlelier 13 , an Aqua Dac that I no longer have, Takek supertweeters, LessLoss Firewalls for speakers.. Constantine is like Colin, knowledgeable and easy to speak to.
I don’t think an audio club exists, but I may be wrong? I have not heard of one.
Two other high end audio shops in Nashville now. Hifi Buys is one. They sell the well known brands such as Focal and McIntosh. Atelier Audio 13 is small, but Constantine has some interesting lines. He is by appointment only and operates out of his home with a room of gear. I have not been in his home /room.
Colin of Gestalt Audio Design is rather special based on my experience with dealers over the years. Here are the reasons I think this way:
- He possesses great listening skills and has actually helped me improve my listening skills. He has raised the level of music enjoyment and emotional connection to it for me and my wife in our home Hifi system.
- He imports and represents manufactures that share his love for purity of tone and sonic realism in the pieces they build. All the gear he sells sounds so magnificent. Yes, some of it is just out of my budget, but many other pieces are more approachable financially.
- He is honest, passionate about music playback, most likable and a calm mannered gentleman. He is just so easy to work with.
I have now purchased my Circle Labs integrated, Tron dac plus Hijiri and Tchernov cables from him. I hope to soon be buying speakers from Colin.
Well, I ripped all of my CDs in two days. The fact that it took so little time is another red flag...meaning that I don't own many CDs. Holo Dac DTE, Timber Nation Tiger Maple equipment rack and NAS should be here by 9/7..so we will see..
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