Massive computer meltdown sends audiophile back to the 1970’s and better sounding LP’s!


After installing drivers for a Wacom tablet, my Mac Pro (the engine of my video Post production system as well as music sever) has become completely disabled. I’m learning the Terminal window and some Unix in an attempt to remove the offending divers, so I can at least safe boot. In the meantime I have no access to JRiver and my several terabytes of Hires music (some converted to WAV which I’ve found to sound much better)

After playing an LP or two I decided to turn off my DS and EtherRegen, since I wouldn’t be needing them until my OS problems are solved or reinstalled.

Turning them off In the middle of a song, I heard a definite shift of perspective from in front of the speakers to behind. The soundstage sounded a little narrower but definitely deeper and more relaxed, an effect I’ve always associated with less distortion.

The DS and EtherRegen are plugged into the digital bank of my Niagara 7000, with the rest of the system in their own banks for amps and sources.

I definitely feel thrust back into the 70’s before the digital era, when LP was my best sounding source, and am realizing the sonic benefits.

As I listen to a great but not talked about LP, Dave Brubeck A-la-Mode, I had the distinctive reach out and touch experience of handling my friend’s upright bass. There was an intimacy and delicacy I don’t recall ever hearing on this LP before. Similarly cymbals had a quality I can’t remember hearing previously on any format.

Many years ago I used to turn off digital gear when listening to LP’s, since the digital was a secondary source and I didn’t care that it took time to warm up to sound best, if ever.

Since like many, digital is my main source of music these days, and I’m not sure how I’ll handle things once my Mac Pro (and livelihood) are back online.

Has anyone else noticed added analog creamy goodness after disabling your digital playback?


emailists
Best practice is to turn off all unnecessary (not in use) components during playback.  This is fairly well known among audio enthusiasts.   For maximum effect don’t stop there though. Turn off lights refrigerators, air conditioner etc.   Similar to listening at night when electricity usage is mostly down.   Also run separate power lines to digital and analog system.
I do none of this.
Good for you flatblackround. All you have to do is turn out the lights. You will never hear anything that is 40 dB or more below the music (probably more like 20dB.) Turntables sound better because they look like they should sound better. Digital playback is too mysterious and incomprehensible which is why you hear so much BS about it. I have a turntable only because I have thousands of records and I am a traditionalist. I have been flipping vinyl since I was 4 years old and I like doing it. Sound better? Depends entirely on the way the music was mastered. 
It’s not digital per se as much as Apple Crapple.
Get a single board network player built for the job. Then the only blow ups will be the inevitably worn out hard drives. Go RAID 1 if you don’t back up.  

@flatblackround
Good advice for others.