Do You Still Play Compact Discs?

[rbbert]

As there are with digital replay setups.

Of course, although perhaps a bit less there. For example, I suspect few would argue for a better server than the Taiko, and MSB, Weiss or Lampi for the best DAC

 

[PeterA]

Of course, although perhaps a bit less there. For example, I suspect few would argue for a better server than the Taiko, and MSB, Weiss or Lampi for the best DAC

I see your point. It seems people usually have just one server and one DAC, but quite a few people have multiple turntables tonearms and cartridges.

 

[dcathro]

Of course, although perhaps a bit less there. For example, I suspect few would argue for a better server than the Taiko, and MSB, Weiss or Lampi for the best DAC

I have been told that the Audio Note "fifth element" is the best sounding DAC. My friend, Chris Bryant, was involved with the review for Hifi Critic.

 

[rbbert]

I have been told that the Audio Note "fifth element" is the best sounding DAC. My friend, Chris Bryant, was involved with the review for Hifi Critic.

Perhaps, although IME Audio Note products are a niche product with limited appeal. That is a marketplace opinion, not a comment on sound quality. The Fifth Element is certainly pricey enough to be considered the "best"

 

[Lampie519]

My CD player is still my prinary source as well (Chord Blu, dual mono SPdif outputs). I have not yet found any better source (analogue or digital). Maybe the new Hugo M Upscaler with a better transport (Esotheric etc.)

 

[microstrip]

Of course, although perhaps a bit less there. For example, I suspect few would argue for a better server than the Taiko, and MSB, Weiss or Lampi for the best DAC

I would immediately add the DCS Vivaldi , the WADAX Reference and the Metronome Kalista DAC and CD transport. I am sure that with some more thought I will be able to add a few more candidates.

 

[PeterA]

Will someone step forward to declare the “Beyond” DACs? Perhaps this target keeps moving.

 

[rbbert]

I would immediately add the DCS Vivaldi , the WADAX Reference and the Metronome Kalista DAC and CD transport. I am sure that with some more thought I will be able to add a few more candidates.

True, but still likely a smaller group than for highest level LP playback. However my knowledge base is not extensive enough to be sure of that

 

[Mark L]

Did you donate your compact discs to the Salvation Army or use them for target practice, or do you still have them on your shelf?

What are the advantages, if any, of playing compact discs, rather than streaming the exact same title and recording through a streamer + DAC?

If you still have and play compact discs, what CD transport do you use?

I think there are two important questions being asked here (omitting the query on disc transport for now), and one question that wasn’t asked.

1. Do you place value in owning physical media, or are you more comfortable renting your media via a streaming service? While I am aware of the various arguments for a streaming service (price, convenience, variety, etc) I personally am not a fan. First of all, a real concern of mine in the current world we live in - censorship. What if the powers that be that are censoring Dr Seuss (not interested in a political discussion here, just using the example for context…) turn their ire to, say, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith or Dire Straits? Those titles can disappear from streaming services in an instant when pressure is brought to bear, and there’s nothing the customer can do about it. You may be thinking “That will never happen” - I hope you’re right, but I will back-up (pun) my hope with physical media. Second, fidelity. What guarantee do we have that these streaming services won’t one day decide that plain old mp3 encoding is “good enough”? Seriously, if the vast majority of their subscribers are deemed to be earbud/Alexa/sound bar aficionados, why would they continue to waste bandwidth on lossless streaming? Third, price. I know these services offer a value now, but I also remember when Photobucket was a great value - right up until they demanded a $400 ransom to keep current with their services.

2. Does physical digital sound better than streaming. I have limited experience with streaming (a couple free trials), but I have no qualms with the current sound quality of the services I have tried. I may be branded a bit of a hypocrite here, because while I place great value in my physical media, I do rip it all to a hard drive in lossless FLAC to listen on my system(s). The convenience is undeniable, and I still own the physical media for future needs. I have also purchased a few albums from HD Tracks, and while not physical media per se, I do at least feel that I “own” the music, with my digital downloads/backups. As for the sound quality? I have never been able to discern a difference between FLAC (transferred correctly, of course) and the actual CD. The real wild card here is SACD/DVDA. The rips I have done, and others I have heard, have never matched the presentation of the actual disc - the discs in the high-res formats sound substantially better, to my ears.

The question that wasn’t asked - do CDs sound better than vinyl? Maybe someone can start a thread to discuss this issue, as I don’t think this question has ever come up before;-)

I‘m quite new here and I must say, you all have a nice forum—

 

[gilles13]

I think there are two important questions being asked here (omitting the query on disc transport for now), and one question that wasn’t asked.

1. Do you place value in owning physical media, or are you more comfortable renting your media via a streaming service? While I am aware of the various arguments for a streaming service (price, convenience, variety, etc) I personally am not a fan. First of all, a real concern of mine in the current world we live in - censorship. What if the powers that be that are censoring Dr Seuss (not interested in a political discussion here, just using the example for context…) turn their ire to, say, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith or Dire Straits? Those titles can disappear from streaming services in an instant when pressure is brought to bear, and there’s nothing the customer can do about it. You may be thinking “That will never happen” - I hope you’re right, but I will back-up (pun) my hope with physical media. Second, fidelity. What guarantee do we have that these streaming services won’t one day decide that plain old mp3 encoding is “good enough”? Seriously, if the vast majority of their subscribers are deemed to be earbud/Alexa/sound bar aficionados, why would they continue to waste bandwidth on lossless streaming? Third, price. I know these services offer a value now, but I also remember when Photobucket was a great value - right up until they demanded a $400 ransom to keep current with their services.

2. Does physical digital sound better than streaming. I have limited experience with streaming (a couple free trials), but I have no qualms with the current sound quality of the services I have tried. I may be branded a bit of a hypocrite here, because while I place great value in my physical media, I do rip it all to a hard drive in lossless FLAC to listen on my system(s). The convenience is undeniable, and I still own the physical media for future needs. I have also purchased a few albums from HD Tracks, and while not physical media per se, I do at least feel that I “own” the music, with my digital downloads/backups. As for the sound quality? I have never been able to discern a difference between FLAC (transferred correctly, of course) and the actual CD. The real wild card here is SACD/DVDA. The rips I have done, and others I have heard, have never matched the presentation of the actual disc - the discs in the high-res formats sound substantially better, to my ears.

The question that wasn’t asked - do CDs sound better than vinyl? Maybe someone can start a thread to discuss this issue, as I don’t think this question has ever come up before

I‘m quite new here and I must say, you all have a nice forum -

I agree with this post and I must add than artists earn nothing with streaming (I speak about classical music ) and it's s a big problem for the future of music.

 

[Lampie519]

I think there needs to be made a difference between a new "copy" (may that be a file or a CD or record) and a already purchased copy in the past. Lot's of music we stream or listen to we have already on records or tape or whatever format. Why pay for these copy rights again? Naturally we pay for the streaming service and the "hardware" but not for copy rights (again and again). Sure , if there is a new release of a "record" then we should pay the artist for his work. Many artist/recording studios now offer their music directly on their website already as HQ audio files (example: https://trptk.com) .

To answer the question if CD sounds better then vinyl we should open a new thread as this will start a big discussion.

 

[Al M.]

To answer the question if CD sounds better then vinyl we should open a new thread as this will start a big discussion.

Or perhaps not anymore. Lately the digital vs. vinyl debate did not seem to draw the same passions as it used to in the past.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Or perhaps not anymore. Lately the digital vs. vinyl debate did not seem to draw the same passions as it used to in the past.

Nice observation Al.

Not sure if it’s evidence of some growing maturation and acceptance of a growing more respectful take on the world of differences between us (and or our wisdom in just letting a few of the sleeping dogs lay) or if it’s just of a group tiring of another inevitable groundhog’s day scenario of subjective thoughts and the repetitive senseless wordy brutality of it all ... perhaps there are just some questions that we should not pose ourselves or indeed ask of others

 

[Lagonda]

Or perhaps not anymore. Lately the digital vs. vinyl debate did not seem to draw the same passions as it used to in the past.

Nice observation Al.

Not sure if it’s evidence of some growing maturation and acceptance of a growing more respectful take on the world of differences between us (and or our wisdom in just letting a few of the sleeping dogs lay) or if it’s just of a group tiring of another inevitable groundhog’s day scenario of subjective thoughts and the repetitive senseless wordy brutality of it all ... perhaps there are just some questions that we should not pose ourselves or indeed ask of others

Al, i know what you are going to say about the subject, you know what i am going to say, we all know what David and Peter think, and Francisco will finish his argument with a quote from a book by F.Toole ! Why even dance the old dance again !

 

[Al M.]

Al, i know what you are going to say about the subject, you know what i am going to say, we all know what David and Peter think, and Francisco will finish his argument with a quote from a book by F.Toole ! Why even dance the old dance again !

Hehe sure, Milan, but it's not just the current crop of WBF audiophiles now vs then, but I made my observation also taking into account older discussions on WBF and on other forums, maybe with other participants as well. Ten or even five years ago the analog vs digital debate was able to stir up much more heat than it does now.

Perhaps it's also the fact that digital has gotten better. In the view of analog lovers possibly still not as good as they would like, but good enough to not elicit instant hate anymore -- and good enough even to be used by some of them as an indispensable secondary medium.

 

[Mark L]

If I overstepped with my tongue-in-cheek comment about vinyl vs. CD, I sincerely apologize. I was only poking fun because the debate crept in to at least 20 posts in this thread, and it seems to be an ongoing (almost comical) debate at this point.

Carry on…

 

[the sound of Tao]

Al, i know what you are going to say about the subject, you know what i am going to say, we all know what David and Peter think, and Francisco will finish his argument with a quote from a book by F.Toole ! Why even dance the old dance again !

Lol

 

[rando]

Will someone step forward to declare the “Beyond” DACs? Perhaps this target keeps moving.

Will the mask slip any further, revealing a digital rictus?

Etiam capillus unus habet umbram

 

[jeromelang]

... you got tricks for making computers sound good too?

Sure does.

The memory retention problem that degrade sound quality affects also file playback with computers, media players and streamers.

 

[dcathro]

Sure does.

The memory retention problem that degrade sound quality affects also file playback with computers, media players and streamers.

What about vintage CD players with no memory?