Should Sound Quality of Computer Audio be improved

Pettyofficer,

I understand, a bit more clearly now after your last post, that your main concern is the pace of music releases available as digital downloads being too slow. Your perception is that the transition from LP and CD to digital downloading needs to be better managed and quicker.

IMO, these are legitimate concerns. I'm a new convert to digital audio and I'm learning more every day. I just downloaded the JRiver app, on a free 30 day trial basis, and have only ripped about 5 of my cds to my laptop. I still need to purchase a good inexpensive DAC( to start at least) and am looking into the best method for incorporating my laptop into my main home system. I'll probably be sharing your concerns, once I begin downloading music in earnest, soon enough.

Although I 'm a newbee to computer audio, I am definitely not a newbee to home audio. When I bought my first system about 40 yrs ago, LPs were the preferred source and you needed a good turntable and cartridge. The main topics of discussion then were whether you should use a direct-drive or belt-drive turntable and should you get a moving magnet or moving coil cartridge.

In the 1980s, CDs came out promising 'perfect sound forever'. I remember this transition well. Most of us were curious and gave it a try. Eliminating the clicks, pops. warps, groove wear & tear and static of LPs seemed like a dream come true. The big issue became which sounded better and whether you were going to buy your next new music on LP or CD. Music was readily available on both formats, even cassette tape, for several years until CDs predominated and the older technologies passed the torch to them.

As I recall, there were many complaints of the "digititis" of the CD sound, which usually meant overly bright, with hard edges, and less smoothness and less natural/organic sounding when compared to LPs. This led to a resurgence in the LP format that has lasted to this day.

My point is that format transitions are not new to home audio. I haven't even described the transitions of 78 rpm records to 33 1/3rd rpm albums, mono to stereo and many others.

The best response for your concerns I can offer is to be patient. I know this response will not be satisfying or sufficient for you. You feel that you have committed to digital audio and downloading content but the 'powers that be' have not made a similar commitment to this new format, or at least not quickly enough. By being patient I mean, although you may not realize it or think they are moving too slowly, the 'powers that be' are paying attention and are determining which format they should invest their money into.

The beauty of capitalism is that it actually works. Those of us who are music lovers and believe in computer audio and downloaded high-rez music files are not powerless. We vote constantly with our money on what hardware and software we prefer. Suppliers, whether we're aware of it or not, are paying close attention.

Now for the important questions: what inexpensive ($300 or less) dac should I buy, what's the best way to hook it up to my preamp and what type of file/resolution should I use to download?

Rhetorical questions, I'm sure there are plenty of discussions and threads to read for answers to my questions.

Enjoy,

Tim

Chadeffect,

Great reference. I remember that Monty Python skit well and it's an apt analogy to this thread.

I wish Pettyofficer well but I can't help thinking that something beyond computer downloading is upsetting him. Wife/girlfriend left him?.....Dog died? I'm not sure but it may be something like that. But it's none of my business, of course, so I'll just wish him well.

Tim

Pettyofficer,

Just wanted to add on to what Mapman said and your concern over the 10,000 out of print cds. If downloads are the future, I would think the copy rights owners of those 10,000 cds would be very tempted to rerelease many of these as downloads if there is enough demand. And these downloads may be higher resolution than the original cds depending on how the master was recorded. I'm not saying this will definitely happen but I think the financial incentive may be too strong to resist in many cases.

Hope this eases some of your concerns

News Alert:

CNN just reported that Thomas Pettyofficer was arrested by a SWAT team after a rescue raid at his home Tuesday night. The video showed him being wheeled out of his house on a gurney in a straight jacket and strapped down with several very thick chains locked with large padlocks. I couldn't make out exactly what he was yelling, because there were too many 'bleeps' in between words, but I clearly heard him say the following words: "operating systems", "death of the format", "they don't care about high resolution audio", "new music only available through downloads" and "give us some direction here".

The reporter on the scene stated that Mr. Pettyofficer had kidnapped Bill Gates and several Apple executives earlier in the day and had been holding the men captive until the SWAT team rescued them 8 hours later. All the hostages said that Pettyofficer was mocking, berating and lecturing them on his perceived deficiencies in their companies' operating systems, especially their lack of attention to high resolution audio capabilities.

After a thorough search of the premises, police discovered several audio engineers from Sony and Phillips locked in the basement. They claimed they were abducted in the 1980's. Pettyofficer alledgedly told them: "You jerks can all go home as soon as you brainiacs make my cd player sound just like my turntable and vinyl, but better and forever." All of these older captives claimed they were also subjected to berating and lecturing by Pettyofficer for supposed design failings constantly during their 30 year captivity.
One of these engineers, ironically, said he had so much time on his hands that he created a new operating system that ideally supports the playing and downloading of high resolution audio formats. He said, since it works on both mac and pc computers, the price may need to be increased to up to $10.

All hostages were released unharmed, with only minor bruises to their egos.

Just thought you guys/gals would want to know about these less than surprising developments.

Tim

Pettyofficer,

Relax. My report on your despicable behavior was just my lame attempt at infusing a little humor in this long and dour thread. I was just having a little fun and meant no offense.

But I do think I may have some insight into why computer audio is causing you so much grief and frustration. My thought is that you are looking for structure, set guidelines and an established roadmap of future developments amongst the current confusion and uncertainty of computer audio.

Unfortunately for you and probably many others, the entire computer audio industry and technology is currently in its relatve infancy, especially when compared to the more established audio technologies such as vinyl and cds. Vinyl, in my view, is like the wise older gentleman who's been around the block a few times and has it mainly all figured out. CD is like a young college student who has just begun to figure things out and has a ways to go until this is done completely. Computer audio is like a child just beginning to develop and mature.

You seem to be seeking clarity and order amid the chaos and confusion that is the current state of computer audio. Too many issues remain unsettled; such as the optimum recording and playback bit depth and sample rate. Is 24/192 really audibly better than 24/96? How does DSD fit into the picture and is it really superior to PCM?

And then, of course, there's the biggest question of all that everyone's been asking themselves lately: How in the heck did you get out of jail so quickly?

My suggestion is to relax, sit back and let things progress and shake out a bit. Eventually, the best methods of attaining great sound via computers will emerge and become more established. The roadmap will become clear. Attempts to speed up its progression or influence its direction are probably futile.

In the meantime, you may want to do the following:

1. Concentrate your thoughts and efforts on those things you can control.

2. Don't waste your time and energy on those things you cannot control.

3. Develop the wisdom and ability to know the difference.

Wishing you the best,

Tim

06-28-13: Danoroo
"@ Noble100....you mentioned in an earlier post that you were looking for a DAC. I recently bought a new Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 100 on ebay for $315. It has 3 different types of digital inputs and sounds pretty good. It's not the last word in digital to analog conversion, but it isn't bad for the money."
Danoroo (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

Danoroo,

After reading Pettyofficer's consistent reminders about the lack of downloadable music, I've decided to give up on this passing fad of computer audio and dacs. What good are all these old fashioned and ancient hardware devices going to be when there's never going to be much downloadable music software to use with them? I am so glad that Pettyofficer convinced me, and probably most others who have followed this thread for the past year, in the futility of buying into this new fangled computer audio balogne. I think I'm going to wait until music can be bought as large plastic cartridges that contains an album's worth of music stored on magnetic tape. I bet, with the current sophisticated level of technology and given a few major scientific breakthroughs, some genius could even invent a method that would switch tracks with the push of a button. I know I'm dreaming now, but could it be possible to have 8-tracks?

On the other hand, maybe this computer audio with downloadable music files really does have a bright future. I guess there are always dissenters and naysayers with the introduction of any new technology. Some people just don't adapt well to change. I'm sure we all remember from history classes how the other cavemen laughed at that egg-headed caveman, with the nerdy glasses, when he suggested replacing those square wheels with round ones.

Anyway, thanks Donoroo for the heads up on the Cambridge dac. I'll check it out if I can. I'm also looking at a few more expensive dacs: the Centrance models and the new Wadia dac (that had a good review in the latest Stereophile).

Pettyofficer,

To be fair, you have a good point about the viability of computer audio if the supply of music downloads is limited. Hopefully, this will be rectified in the near future. I would think that the supply of downloadable music titles would increase going forward due to economics. Creating a digital master, and distributing it on demand to customers via the internet, has to be more economical and profitable than replicating thousands or even millions of cds, storing them, distributing them in the much less economical and less profitable traditional method and then hoping their sales at least roughly match their production numbers.

Hope you don't give up on the future just yet,

Tim

Nonoise,

Having recntly retired myself, I like your idea of syndication and royalties.

Unfortunately, I think we may need to be the ones paying readers to slog through this exceedingly long and redundant thread.

I'm going to switch my efforts to how to best connect my pc, with JRiver media center now added, via a usb dac to my preamp. It'd be nice if a wireless solution would give me the fidelity I strive for.

Have fun,
Tim

Pettyofficer,

In my last post, I conceded that you have a point : the availability of quality downloads needs to increase dramatically, and quickly, for the future of computer audio to be successfull. Enough said?

Now, can we all agree that we've all beaten the sh!# out of this poor dead horse?

Please, don't make me alert those sticklers at the Dead Horse Anti-Cruelty Society.

Thanks,
Tim

Mapman,

Well said and ditto.

I'm older,too, and I'll be using downloads and ripped cds until something better comes along. Another benefit of computer audio is the ability to record not only your own cds, but your friends' and acquantances' cds and files ,too, without cost.

Thanks,
Tim

Pettyofficer,

No need for apologies as far as I'm concerned. You raised a valid point concerning the availability of all music genres and artists on high resolution downloads. I'm a new convert to computer audio and, after recently searching for my favorite artist's songs on high resolution downloads and often coming up empty, I have a better understanding of your frustrations. I've ripped all my CDs to my hard drive but I consider this 'standard resolution' and would like to compare these to atleast 24 bit/96khz , and ideally even higher, resolution. I hope I was right when I said free market forces, namely supply and demand, will likely solve this shortage. These forces sure are taking their time on this commodity, right?
No worries....maybe,
Tim