The Audiophile Debate

[drogulus]

I refuse to believe that you have no reaction whatsoever when listening to classical music that cannot be put into words.

    I don't either whatsoever believe that thing you said.

    Are we connecting yet?? It feels almost like it. 

[Henk]

I like cds. I just bought one and posted about it. Over the years I've devoted much time and energy researching the best CD editions to add to my collection.

    Turning cds into lossless files doesn't denigrate the discs at all, it's just a very convenient way of searching for and playing music almost instantaneously. Nothing is ever lost, or under the sofa or in a box in the closet because I ran out of shelf space. It doesn't matter where the disc is, it matters where the music is.

I understand. I appreciate how you organize it, but I tried and for me it doesn't work.

[DavidW]

Are we connecting yet?? It feels almost like it. 

[drogulus]

I understand. I appreciate how you organize it, but I tried and for me it doesn't work.

    I think you have to be a prophet. I'll look into it.

    The tradeoff I faced was I had to separate all of the classical (with a few exceptions) into Composer folders with each work into a subfolder. But that wasn't really a barrier since it's the work and performance I want to hear, not the contents of a disc. If I had started my project by keeping cds together I don't think I would have got very far.

[Henk]

I think you have to be a prophet. I'll look into it.

    The tradeoff I faced was I had to separate all of the classical (with a few exceptions) into Composer folders with each work into a subfolder. But that wasn't really a barrier since it's the work and performance I want to hear, not the contents of a disc. If I had started my project by keeping cds together I don't think I would have got very far.

It doesn't work for me, because I don't like the 'sterility' that comes with the approach. I like the packages with which the cds come, I like the fuzzyness of picking cds from my shelves, I like the messiness of the piling up cds and I like to create order when the mess becomes hard to bear.

[Henk]

The tradeoff I faced was I had to separate all of the classical (with a few exceptions) into Composer folders with each work into a subfolder. But that wasn't really a barrier since it's the work and performance I want to hear, not the contents of a disc. If I had started my project by keeping cds together I don't think I would have got very far.

I understand. It's nice. Maybe you get followers, but not me.

[Henk]

I like cds. I just bought one and posted about it. Over the years I've devoted much time and energy researching the best CD editions to add to my collection.

    Turning cds into lossless files doesn't denigrate the discs at all, it's just a very convenient way of searching for and playing music almost instantaneously. Nothing is ever lost, or under the sofa or in a box in the closet because I ran out of shelf space. It doesn't matter where the disc is, it matters where the music is.

Ok, I get it now. But I just choose to spin the disc.

[drogulus]

     I'm too paranoid for followers.

[AnotherSpin]

@drogulus I don't mind you're being around here. If it make sense to you fine, but maybe you can try to connect more.

Why prophetizing about a world without cds? Is that so important to you? Can't you see there's something to like about cds? I'm alright with your personal choice, but accept being an exception. Don't try to become rule. Nietzsche already warned for that.

I don't listen to СDs. It's been years, I can't remember how many, since the last time I did it.

[Valentino]

It doesn't work for me, because I don't like the 'sterility' that comes with the approach. I like the packages with which the cds come, I like the fuzzyness of picking cds from my shelves, I like the messiness of the piling up cds and I like to drocreate order when the mess becomes hard to bear.

I've organised my classical CD rips the way @drogulus has, but mine are still not packed away which can bring some nice surprises.

But for tactility and inconvenience nothing beats the ultimate audiophile (or audiophool, mea culpa) format the LP, like the direct cut limited edition numbered AAA transfers in the Deutsche Grammophon The Original Source series.



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@Pohjolas Daughter Here's my system flow chart (and a flash course in Norwegian). You can see the Cambridge Alva Duo phono amplifier feeding the Yamaha WXC-50 preamplifier which digitizes the analog input to 24/96 before volume control and output to the MiniDSP Flex eight DSP/crossover unit.

[drogulus]

    Beyma!! They make a quasi-clone of the JBL E120 musical instrument speaker.

[DavidW]

@Valentino Your flow chart makes me feel better about my overly complicated stereo.  I have a cd player and a streamer that feeds into a dac that then feeds into a preamp that finally goes to the amp and then out to the speakers.

[Valentino]

The others in the household use Spotify Connect only with it so for them it's totally transparent.
Making a 3 way dipole system plus subwoofers and integrating it all with the room is complex. The MiniDSP Flex Eight is much easier to work with (and better) than the PC with PLparEQ on Console and RME Fireface UC sound card I used before.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I've organised my classical CD rips the way @drogulus has, but mine are still not packed away which can bring some nice surprises.

But for tactility and inconvenience nothing beats the ultimate audiophile (or audiophool, mea culpa) format the LP, like the direct cut limited edition numbered AAA transfers in the Deutsche Grammophon The Original Source series.



---

@Pohjolas Daughter Here's my system flow chart (and a flash course in Norwegian). You can see the Cambridge Alva Duo phono amplifier feeding the Yamaha WXC-50 preamplifier which digitizes the analog input to 24/96 before volume control and output to the MiniDSP Flex eight DSP/crossover unit.

It took me awhile (between googling) to figure out your setup (lol).  As long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters--truly!  By the way, what is the Tangen design?  I know that you created your own speakers...is that part of it?

PD

[Valentino]

A friend of mine had a small audio business at the time of construction, hence the name of the active speaker system. We collaborated, but it's mainly his construction. I did the optics and used my ears and money.

[drogulus]

@drogulus I don't mind you're being around here.

    Why not? 

[drogulus]

     I have managed to obtain a few classical SACD ISOs (Shosta/Gergiev and Mahler/Abbado).

     Here's what I do. While I can play SACD ISOs direct with Foobar no real or imaginary Oppo will. So I have to unpack the ISO to dsf/dff files and then either just put them into the SACD folders or also make hi rez files anyone can play. I'll flac them with dBpoweramp to 24/96. Really it's just a hobby. I do it because I can.

     

[Valentino]

And I had to look up SACD ISO. Nice that it's possible to extract the music these days. I Se that the Lyrion Music Server now does a native conversion to FLAC of rips.

No comments on my Designed for Bach Cantatas - Kraftwerk Capable logo? You guys...

[Henk]

Why not? 

I tried to say that it's cool you're around here. 🙂

[drogulus]

I tried to say that it's cool you're around here. 🙂

     I agree.