Let's Talk Computer Audio

[Andre Marc]

Speaking of a budget. The computer I just set up for Newport is a white $400 MacBook. Plays PCM and DSD perfectly!

Used? I would not touch a used computer with a ten foot pole.

 

[Vincent Kars]

I've been fooling around with Foobar, but really don't like it. I know people rave about it, but it's not for me.

Have tried Foobar too but I do not like the interface.
I like the JRiver interface. It is very flexible.
A nice lightweight player is MusicBee, excellent freeware.

 

[Andre Marc]

Have tried Foobar too but I do not like the interface.
I like the JRiver interface. It is very flexible.
A nice lightweight player is MusicBee, excellent freeware.

No kidding, I am not familiar with MusicBee. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Bruce B]

Used? I would not touch a used computer with a ten foot pole.

Except for my Mac Pro and the laptop, I built every computer I have in the studio, so I'm well adept at troubleshooting hardware.

 

[Andre Marc]

Except for my Mac Pro and the laptop, I built every computer I have in the studio, so I'm well adept at troubleshooting hardware.

I know two people who bought used computers and regretted it. One was used in a cyber crime and they had to hire a lawyer who eventually
proved the computer was bought used. The second person unknowingly bought a stolen computer. Both were out their initial investment and
a helluva lot of aggravation.

Plus the hygiene factor for me would make it a no go.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

Have tried Foobar too but I do not like the interface.
I like the JRiver interface. It is very flexible.
A nice lightweight player is MusicBee, excellent freeware.

I use that as well. It's nice to have a change at times.

 

[Vincent Kars]

No kidding, I am not familiar with MusicBee. Thanks for the tip.

A little bit MusicBee: http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Players/MusicBee/MusicBee.htm

 

[Andre Marc]

A little bit MusicBee: http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Players/MusicBee/MusicBee.htm

Great, I have to read this. I plan on downloading later and giving it a go. I have a few USB DACs coming in for review.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

A little bit MusicBee: http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Players/MusicBee/MusicBee.htm

Any reason as to why you don't have MediaMonkey listed? Does it, in your opinion, have some issues?

 

[Vincent Kars]

When I started hanging around on a couple of forums I tried the ones often mentioned.
MediaMonkey was simply not one of them

 

[Julf]

And I don't see where I'm forcing my choice of anything.

And I wasn't saying you were. I was just agreeing with your statement, and extending it beyond just music collections.

I do have to say that "I keep hearing those reports that .." per definition qualifies as hearsay, unless you have a very different definition for it.

Do you have any, btw? What players have you tested, in what hardware? What can you contribute to this thread?

I have owned and tested quite a bunch of standalone streamers, starting with the original slimp3. I have tested a lot of player programs on linux, but as I stated from the start, my experiences are mostly Linux-based, so I can't really comment on mac-based player programs.

 

[JackD201]

When I'm lazy with digital which is most of the time I use Bitperfect. It is an 8 or 9 buck program by Canadian developers. I like it with iTunes because it just stays out of the way for the most part. I don't need to go into the AudioMIDI set up because it will play every file at its native sampling rate automatically. I don't know what they did with the latest update but to me ver 6 sounded more alive than the ver 4 I had installed. More bloom. Hmmmm. I could be just imagining things. It could also be that new album by Elaine Elias which is pretty neat. As of now it does not support DSD. I use PureMusic for that. Since I have a pitiful number of DSD files, you can guess I don't use PureMusic too often. Hard to go wrong for 8 bucks. I've spent a lot more on Candy Crush IAPs. Grrrrrrrrrr!

 

[prerich]

I for one endorse PC/Mac audio. I've recently converted my PC into my prepro/single source/and EQ processor. I'm a JRiver user. I've also used mediamonkey before - and for audio its not bad at all.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

It is possible that it can bettered sound wise but you will have to look hard to beat it if you output the sound thru a Meridian 808v3 or v5 endpoint DAC.

Don't confuse music lovers with recording collectors. I've know brilliant musicians with far less then 300 cds and absolutely no "high-end" equipment to play it on.

Tim

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

When I'm lazy with digital which is most of the time I use Bitperfect. It is an 8 or 9 buck program by Canadian developers. I like it with iTunes because it just stays out of the way for the most part. I don't need to go into the AudioMIDI set up because it will play every file at its native sampling rate automatically. I don't know what they did with the latest update but to me ver 6 sounded more alive than the ver 4 I had installed. More bloom. Hmmmm. I could be just imagining things. It could also be that new album by Elaine Elias which is pretty neat. As of now it does not support DSD. I use PureMusic for that. Since I have a pitiful number of DSD files, you can guess I don't use PureMusic too often. Hard to go wrong for 8 bucks. I've spent a lot more on Candy Crush IAPs. Grrrrrrrrrr!

Yes, you could. IMHO, this subject is being grossly over-complicated in this thread, but that's what we do; there's just not that much hobby if all we have to do is listen. But I'm convinced that is pretty much it. If you're on the Mac platform, use iTunes, with something like Bitperfect or Pure Music to play hires files at native sampling rates. Run USB or optical out of your computer into the DAC of choice, into your pre. You're done, more or less. May want to get the hard drive out of your listening space if it is loud or you listen at very low levels. This, after all, is a complete computer audio system:



Is it the best? No, but plug a really good pair of IEMs in and it's damned good. It's not that complicated.

Tim

 

[Andre Marc]

Yes, you could. IMHO, this subject is being grossly over-complicated in this thread, but that's what we do; there's just not that much hobby if all we have to do is listen. But I'm convinced that is pretty much it. If you're on the Mac platform, use iTunes, with something like Bitperfect or Pure Music to play hires files at native sampling rates. Run USB or optical out of your computer into the DAC of choice, into your pre. You're done, more or less. May want to get the hard drive out of your listening space if it is loud or you listen at very low levels. This, after all, is a complete computer audio system:

View attachment 10022



Is it the best? No, but plug a really good pair of IEMs in and it's damned good. It's not that complicated.

Tim

Tim, when this threaded started, I predicted it would turn into an endless spider web, like every single computer audio thread I have ever seen going back
ten years.

The problem is this..everyone wants to make their PREFERENCE the definitive case study.

I like FLAC, I like using a network, I like being platform and O/S neutral..that is good for ME..somebody else
may like something else..great..

These threads go from pointing someone in the right direction to flame wars and one upsmanship and I'm smarter than you,
you have no idea what you are talking about, this USB cable is the best type scenarios.

 

[JackD201]

Yes, you could. IMHO, this subject is being grossly over-complicated in this thread, but that's what we do; there's just not that much hobby if all we have to do is listen. But I'm convinced that is pretty much it. If you're on the Mac platform, use iTunes, with something like Bitperfect or Pure Music to play hires files at native sampling rates. Run USB or optical out of your computer into the DAC of choice, into your pre. You're done, more or less. May want to get the hard drive out of your listening space if it is loud or you listen at very low levels. This, after all, is a complete computer audio system:

Is it the best? No, but plug a really good pair of IEMs in and it's damned good. It's not that complicated.

Tim

Actually, I don't think it's complicated at all much less being made more so. It is a case about having lots of different ways to skin a cat.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

I think it's both. CA is completely different from analog. Change carts and you change the sound. Change tubes and you change the sound. Are there a thousand ways to do CA? Sure. Can you compare your rip against a database of rips, and spend a lot of time and money sweating over USB vs coax vs optical? You bet. But in the end, what hits the DAC will be functionally identical and so, then, are overcomplicated and many ways to skin the cat.

Tim

 

[Vincent Kars]

It is a case about having lots of different ways to skin a cat.

Yeah but the cat I skinned is of noble breed and yours is an ordinary ally cat

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Phelonious touches an important point CA is not that complicated and the differences between the "ways to skin" the proverbial cat do not produce grossly different outcomes the way changing tubes or cartridges do in the analog world... Iow the differences between foobar and media monkey or iTunes range from slim to non-existent

Ripping cd with dbpoweramp is uncomplicated and accurate... The best deal is to use an asynchronous USB to SPDIF converter and just play music from a PC or Mac to your dac ... simple and effective... Should not take 3 hours ...later after njoying the music one can delve in the arcana and ocd stuff we so enjoy..you know bit perfects hires etc