The Worlds Most Expensive Audio System.

[MylesBAstor]

Yes you're right, the noise isn't alway there but BE PATIENT IT WILL COME and it's normal where there is friction there is noise, that's FACT.

So do skips and dropouts in CDs.

 

[MrAcoustat]

So do skips and dropouts in CDs.

Yes you're right once every 200 cd,s MAYBE but with vinyl it's every album.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Yes you're right once every 200 cd,s MAYBE but with vinyl it's every album.

Funny thing about that. I have albums that are 50 years old and perfect. Perhaps it's not the medium but the massage?

 

[kach22i]

Not with an FMA phono stage ..... .crack and pop a thing off the past ...

Wow, I didn't know this existed.

Have you seen this video?

FM 223
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0-AW6lZLcuA
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0-AW6lZLcuA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

First found here:
FM Acoustics FM 223 Phono Stage
http://www.ultrahighendreview.com/fm-acoustics-fm-223-phono-stage/

 

[mep]

People who hate vinyl hate vinyl. There is no convincing them of how good it sounds. For those that love RB CD, they have to stick with perfectly inferior sound forever because they have thrown the baby out with the bath water. If you love the digits, DSD is the bomb in the digital world. RB CD, not so much. If RB CD is the best you have to listen to, my condolences as RB CD is at the bottom of my personal audio source food chain.

 

[MylesBAstor]

People who hate vinyl hate vinyl. There is no convincing them of how good it sounds. For those that love RB CD, they have to stick with perfectly inferior sound forever because they have thrown the baby out with the bath water. If you love the digits, DSD is the bomb in the digital world. RB CD, not so much. If RB CD is the best you have to listen to, my condolences as RB CD is at the bottom of my personal audio source food chain.

It is interesting that you raise the question of RB CD. Are you referring to normal or upsampled playback? I will tell you it was a very different story when I heard redbook CD upsampled on the Vivaldi system. Sounded 1000X better than any of the high-rez digital material they were playing on the system.

 

[NorthStar]

-- Mark? :b

 

[A.wayne]

Wow, I didn't know this existed.

Have you seen this video?

FM 223
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0-AW6lZLcuA
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0-AW6lZLcuA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

First found here:
FM Acoustics FM 223 Phono Stage
http://www.ultrahighendreview.com/fm-acoustics-fm-223-phono-stage/

Yes great video , FMA , showing the way ...

 

[A.wayne]

It is interesting that you raise the question of RB CD. Are you referring to normal or upsampled playback? I will tell you it was a very different story when I heard redbook CD upsampled on the Vivaldi system. Sounded 1000X better than any of the high-rez digital material they were playing on the system.

Interesting as i find upsampling the worst way to go ...

 

[LL21]

People who hate vinyl hate vinyl. There is no convincing them of how good it sounds. For those that love RB CD, they have to stick with perfectly inferior sound forever because they have thrown the baby out with the bath water. If you love the digits, DSD is the bomb in the digital world. RB CD, not so much. If RB CD is the best you have to listen to, my condolences as RB CD is at the bottom of my personal audio source food chain.

The problem is in the digital world, there are not nearly the choices in DSD, or hi-res as compared with RBCD. So those of us who are digital only (mainly to be able to concentrate efforts and funds to optimize the quality of that one source)...are really RBCD if you are going to to have a big music collection.

 

[opus111]

I will tell you it was a very different story when I heard redbook CD upsampled on the Vivaldi system. Sounded 1000X better than any of the high-rez digital material they were playing on the system.

Sounds like the worst of both worlds to me - playing back RB CD upsampled through an S-D converter....

 

[FrantzM]

The problem is in the digital world, there are not nearly the choices in DSD, or hi-res as compared with RBCD. So those of us who are digital only (mainly to be able to concentrate efforts and funds to optimize the quality of that one source)...are really RBCD if you are going to to have a big music collection.

Hi

I'll take a shot at it...

Many who favor digital are almost apologetic about it (not you Mr Acoustat ) it shouldn't be so, it is a preference a subjective one. You like or you don't. Others prefer LP and hat is their prerogative. I no longer do. I believe early CD were abominations... I also do believe that present day digital systems are at a level that satisfy me and to me they are different but as good or better sounding as the best LP I have heard on the TTs I have heard ... I have heard a few highly-acclaimed TTs lately. I haven't heard enough tapes to make a determination nor DSD in which I do not truly believe I must say ...

Now let's go back to the best speaker a person has owned.

 

[LL21]

Hi

I'll take a shot at it...

Many who favor digital are almost apologetic about it (not you Mr Acoustat ) it shouldn't be so, it is a preference a subjective one. You like or you don't. Others prefer LP and hat is their prerogative. I no longer do. I believe early CD were abominations... I also do believe that present day digital systems are at a level that satisfy me and to me they are different but as good or better sounding as the best LP I have heard on the TTs I have heard ... I have heard a few highly-acclaimed TTs lately. I haven't heard enough tapes to make a determination nor DSD in which I do not truly believe I must say ...

Now let's go back to the best speaker a person has owned.

Well said...2 excellent points: 1) digital can be great and recently has started to press up against LP and 2) back to the best speakers a person has owned.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Sounds like the worst of both worlds to me - playing back RB CD upsampled through an S-D converter....

Theory is obviously in this case different than reality. (and I have no axe to grind or partiality-nor was I impressed with DCS gear--until I heard the Vivaldi set up.) I suggest you give a listen to the Vivaldi, then give your thoughts.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Interesting as i find upsampling the worst way to go ...

I wouldn't have necessarily have disagreed but a listen to the Vivaldi gear is a must for any digital user.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

First: that Gold B&O is a joke? Right? Is it a real product? I know that now you can find some B&O in gold finish (not the real metal) or other color for that matter

Second: Don't go too fast dismissing anything B&O their top of the line speaker the Beolab 5 (more of an integrated everything, it is a DAC , amp and active speaker)will give many High End system with speakers in the same price range a run for the money, a serious challenge ... B&O conduct serious research and the results have landed in more than one High End product ...

 

[JackD201]

It's a real product but not by B&O. Some guys dressed up the B&Os. Sort of like Vertu phones are dressed up old Nokias.

 

[microstrip]

(...) I also do believe that present day digital systems are at a level that satisfy me and to me they are different but as good or better sounding as the best LP I have heard on the TTs I have heard ... I have heard a few highly-acclaimed TTs lately. I haven't heard enough tapes to make a determination nor DSD in which I do not truly believe I must say ...

Now let's go back to the best speaker a person has owned.

Curiously, I found that the speaker ranking also depends on the format (vinyl, CD, music server) you are using. Can I ask you what you mean unambiguously by present day digital systems in your sentence? CD, HiRez, 16/41 in music servers, DSD, DSDx2 - which are are you aiming in your comparison?

 

[LL21]

Hi

First: that Gold B&O is a joke? Right? Is it a real product? I know that now you can find some B&O in gold finish (not the real metal) or other color for that matter

Second: Don't go too fast dismissing anything B&O their top of the line speaker the Beolab 5 (more of an integrated everything, it is a DAC , amp and active speaker)will give many High End system with speakers in the same price range a run for the money, a serious challenge ... B&O conduct serious research and the results have landed in more than one High End product ...

I have heard the same about the Beo 5 as well...i have briefly heard them...sounded great on the soundtrack but to be fair did not do super critical listening. I think for the money, one could do better...but it would not be as beautiful nor as user friendly...and again, the beo 5 did sound quite impressive.

 

[FrantzM]

Curiously, I found that the speaker ranking also depends on the format (vinyl, CD, music server) you are using. Can I ask you what you mean unambiguously by present day digital systems in your sentence? CD, HiRez, 16/41 in music servers, DSD, DSDx2 - which are are you aiming in your comparison?

The first part of your post is not my experience.

Present Day Digital Systems: What we audiophiles can get in our homes are IMO extremely good. Today's DAC are good to excellent They sound as good to better than LPs. To my ears. Yours are different and so might your opinion of them. Also in my book music servers do close the chapter on transport and CDP. I don't have any need for them .. A PC will serve you well if you're follow some instructions and may surpass most if not any transport or CDP. For those who don't have the inclination by all means buy Music servers, some interfaces such as the Soolos from Meridian are superb .. They are for the most part not as expensive as the best CDPs or transports the last time I looked.
My experience with DSD is scant and I have never heard the other variants in my own system. I have my doubts on the technology as I have stated.
I have no experience with studio ADC ( Analog to Digital Converters) but it seems that they also are making huge stride.


I am aiming at nothing in particular. nor am comparing anything Just an off topic opinion.