Vagn Holmboe (1909-1996)

[Spotted Horses]

I have taken to purchasing most of my albums via download this past year. I then copy them into an Apple Music (f.k.a. iTunes) playlist and burn the playlist to CD. It works fairly well and is less expensive - the only negative is that some transitions between tracks are meant to play without a break, and would be seamless on a professionally engineered CD. But on downloaded albums the audio on the track that's ending often cuts off abruptly, leaving a loud click.

I've yet to download the Holmboe album from PrestoMusic; most of my downloading experience so far has been with Hyperion.

Why not get a DAC so you can just stream purchased downloads from your computer?

I found it distracting to listen to some tracks from CD and some tracks streamed from the computer, but I did the opposite, ripped my CDs to audio files and listened to everything from a computer.

[Madiel]

I have taken to purchasing most of my albums via download this past year. I then copy them into an Apple Music (f.k.a. iTunes) playlist and burn the playlist to CD. It works fairly well and is less expensive - the only negative is that some transitions between tracks are meant to play without a break, and would be seamless on a professionally engineered CD. But on downloaded albums the audio on the track that's ending often cuts off abruptly, leaving a loud click.

I've yet to download the Holmboe album from PrestoMusic; most of my downloading experience so far has been with Hyperion.

Software settings should be able to ensure that you get something hapless if it's meant to be gapless.

I personally wouldn't bother burning a CD for something that only comes as a download. But I still like CDs.

[krummholz]

Why not get a DAC so you can just stream purchased downloads from your computer?

I found it distracting to listen to some tracks from CD and some tracks streamed from the computer, but I did the opposite, ripped my CDs to audio files and listened to everything from a computer.

Stream downloads from my computer? To what and how? My audiophile system is over 40 years old and as far as I can tell, is incompatible with any and all modern equipment, including a DAC. (It's also in a different room from the computer, due to space limitations.) I could listen directly over the computer with headphones, but the only headphones I have for use with the computer are poor quality audio. I listened that way to a download today, but the audio distortion was very evident. Burning a CD to then listen on the audiophile system seems a better solution.

[Spotted Horses]

Stream downloads from my computer? To what and how? My audiophile system is over 40 years old and as far as I can tell, is incompatible with any and all modern equipment, including a DAC. (It's also in a different room from the computer, due to space limitations.) I could listen directly over the computer with headphones, but the only headphones I have for use with the computer are poor quality audio. I listened that way to a download today, but the audio distortion was very evident. Burning a CD to then listen on the audiophile system seems a better solution.

For something in the neighborhood of $100 you can get a unit which connects to your computer by a USB cable and has phono plug outputs, just like a CD player. I have the Schiit Audio Modi 5. The fact that your computer is in a different room would be a barrier to using it with your stereo.

https://www.schiit.com/products/modi-5

But you can pair it with a headphone amp and it will provide very good audio for conventional headphones. I have the Schiit Audio Magni

https://www.schiit.com/products/magni-unity

You can also get a unit which combines a DAC with a headphone amp, so that all you have to do is connect it to a computer by USB and plug your headphones in. One well regarded unit is the FIIO K5PRO (which I don't have, so I can't personally recommend it).

https://www.fiio.com/k5pro

You would play audio on your computer as usual, but depending on your operating system there you can direct audio to the DAC rather than the built in speakers or headphone jack.

I use mine with Apple Music for streaming and a third party program (foobar2000 or Swimsian) for playing audio files, because Apple doesn't support FLAC file format.

An issue with my setup is you have to start the program from the computer, which is not a replacement for sitting in your favorite chair and starting the program on your CD player with a remote. But in my case I am always sitting in front my computer listening with headphones, so it is not an issue for me.

[krummholz]

For something in the neighborhood of $100 you can get a unit which connects to your computer by a USB cable and has phono plug outputs, just like a CD player. I have the Schiit Audio Modi 5. The fact that your computer is in a different room would be a barrier to using it with your stereo.

https://www.schiit.com/products/modi-5

But you can pair it with a headphone amp and it will provide very good audio for conventional headphones. I have the Schiit Audio Magni

https://www.schiit.com/products/magni-unity

You can also get a unit which combines a DAC with a headphone amp, so that all you have to do is connect it to a computer by USB and plug your headphones in. One well regarded unit is the FIIO K5PRO (which I don't have, so I can't personally recommend it).

https://www.fiio.com/k5pro

You would play audio on your computer as usual, but depending on your operating system there you can direct audio to the DAC rather than the built in speakers or headphone jack.

I use mine with Apple Music for streaming and a third party program (foobar2000 or Swimsian) for playing audio files, because Apple doesn't support FLAC file format.

An issue with my setup is you have to start the program from the computer, which is not a replacement for sitting in your favorite chair and starting the program on your CD player with a remote. But in my case I am always sitting in front my computer listening with headphones, so it is not an issue for me.

Thanks for the suggestions - you've given me a few ideas. I have heard of Schitt and looked at some of their products in the past but have never been certain of their quality - and in any case, my objective at the time was to replace my stereo amplifier (in the other room from the computer, a MacBook Pro) which has severe distortion for several minutes on startup and has to be kept on permanently to avoid that problem - though unfortunately, we have frequent power outages here in VT and so I have to deal with that issue frequently. Purchasing anything that takes up space to connect to the computer is a bit fraught though, as my computer desk is pretty full already. That's why I've never bought a MIDI keyboard, though it would be a huge help in my composing.

Connecting to the computer via USB could also pose problems - the newer MBP that I have has only 3 USB ports, two of which are occupied (external disks), requiring a dongle. And if the accessory needs to get its power from the computer, then all bets are off - even Apple's Superdrive doesn't work through any kind of dongle but has to be plugged directly into one of the MBP's USB ports.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas (a little off-topic given the thread is about Holmboe, apologies to readers).

[Spotted Horses]

Thanks for the suggestions - you've given me a few ideas. I have heard of Schitt and looked at some of their products in the past but have never been certain of their quality - and in any case, my objective at the time was to replace my stereo amplifier (in the other room from the computer, a MacBook Pro) which has severe distortion for several minutes on startup and has to be kept on permanently to avoid that problem - though unfortunately, we have frequent power outages here in VT and so I have to deal with that issue frequently. Purchasing anything that takes up space to connect to the computer is a bit fraught though, as my computer desk is pretty full already. That's why I've never bought a MIDI keyboard, though it would be a huge help in my composing.

Connecting to the computer via USB could also pose problems - the newer MBP that I have has only 3 USB ports, two of which are occupied (external disks), requiring a dongle. And if the accessory needs to get its power from the computer, then all bets are off - even Apple's Superdrive doesn't work through any kind of dongle but has to be plugged directly into one of the MBP's USB ports.

Anyway, thanks for the ideas (a little off-topic given the thread is about Holmboe, apologies to readers).

I can relate to the port limitations, and the fact that it is necessary to connect a drive directly to a computer port to avoid flakiness. I have similar limitations, but fortunately the DACs I've had have always worked fine connected through a USB hub, and I only use ones which have external (wall-wart) power supplies. I run my DAC off a USB hub which also handles miscellaneous accessories, such as a scanner, DVD or BRD drive, flash card reader, etc.

But, of course, it is a matter of personal preference. When I switched to ripping my CDs and playback through  a computer there was an awkward period, lasting years, where some of my collection had been ripped and other parts hadn't, so I had to go back and forth between the two methods depending on what I was listening to.

[krummholz]

I can relate to the port limitations, and the fact that it is necessary to connect a drive directly to a computer port to avoid flakiness. I have similar limitations, but fortunately the DACs I've had have always worked fine connected through a USB hub, and I only use ones which have external (wall-wart) power supplies. I run my DAC off a USB hub which also handles miscellaneous accessories, such as a scanner, DVD or BRD drive, flash card reader, etc.

But, of course, it is a matter of personal preference. When I switched to ripping my CDs and playback through  a computer there was an awkward period, lasting years, where some of my collection had been ripped and other parts hadn't, so I had to go back and forth between the two methods depending on what I was listening to.

I assume by ripping your CDs you mean downloading them to the computer for playback? If so, I can't imagine doing that for my entire collection! (I think my Holmboe collection alone would probably fill all of the available space on my disks! - there, back on topic... )

[Spotted Horses]

I assume by ripping your CDs you mean downloading them to the computer for playback? If so, I can't imagine doing that for my entire collection! (I think my Holmboe collection alone would probably fill all of the available space on my disks! - there, back on topic... )

Yes, and alas it would require another external hard drive. I have about 2 TB of audio files in FLAC format. It took years (I even scanned the booklets).