NOT HAPPY with my mid-range hifi system

I am using myself digital files to hear music a and it's OK as a compromise (my cds only via my CDP ! )  but to hear that pepole take a good original cds and rip them

to a hard disk that seems to me total bul*** . a total waste of time . 

MajorFubar I agree that only hi-ress files playing through a high end computer/streamer /DAC based system can be superior than CDP .

I am afraid I couldnt disagree more. I use a linn majik DS streamer to access my lossless files. I can set up a playlist, or listen to whole albums, and scroll through my entire collection easily. I have thousands of CDs worth of music at my fingertips. I never have to worry that i may have put the CD back in the wrong box, or leant it to a friend.

The sound quality of lossless files through my Linn beats any CD player I have heard in my system, and indeed any CD player I have heard that costs less than several thousand pounds more than I would even spend on a CD player. Thats before you even get to HiRes files 

I wouldnt go back to a CD player if you paid me. 

Good grief. You are not agreeing with MajorFubar, he has stated no such thing - you are once again stating spectacularly uninformed opinion as fact. Do you know anything about this subject at all?

 

wooooosh, somebody who blatently doesn't understand anything they are talking about  

indeed, probably never heard of WAV, AIFF

I'm with you there, I see no need for a CDP - the only reason might be for the convenience, but it's easier to look up tracks on my phone than searching through racks of CDs. A CDP doesn't give you the option to create playlists, burning compilation CDs for the car, being able to play hi res, CD, even mp3 all out of one device.
I suspect that ISAC69 simply hasn't heard a properly set up PC Media Player, which is why a CA 640 sounds better to him.

I'd tentatively suggest that file playing, either by streaming or via hard disc players will become the norm.

At the moment, to achieve CD levels of SQ you need a decent streamer coupled with a reasonable DAC and a storage medium.

That will change as 'one box ' data storing/transport/DAC become less expensive and more available.

Once SQ from playing data files is comparable to CD then what not to like? Control of library functions from phones/tablets/remotes, no mechanical parts to wear out ( once large volume ssd storage is cheap enough ), instant access, Internet broadcasting functions. 

Look at the demise of the lp and cassette, of course there are fans of both these formats still, but in the main they lost out to the more convenient, and for most, the more useable  CD format, which gave better SQ at less cost. 

What works for the masses is primarily cost and ease of use, decent SQ is a bonus.

Of course, users on such an esteemed forum such as this, with esoteric kit and a primary goal of SQ are a different proposition in regard to the SQ/cost equation, but now 'high end' manufacturers are getting products out there, the future of 'hifi' is the data file.

It might be a waste of time for you, but not for others, because everyone's requirements are different. That's absolutely fine. But get it out of your head that people who rip their CDs to a computer or streamer are all sacrificing sound quality for convenience. There's some absolutely incredible streamers and DACs out there that are easily as good as CD players.

A CD player is nothing but a simple streamer with a user-replaceable hard disc which is read optically by a laser. There is nothing about it which makes it inherrently superior to a streamer or a computer for playing audio. And that's not just my opinion, it's indisputable fact.

In fact, it's inherently less accurate than streaming from a file saved on a hard drive or RAM. CD players employ a fair bit of error correction, though as ever, does it really make an audible difference (assuming the disc isn't damaged, when it clearly is audible)

Hi Steve ,

 

 I  enjoy listening  to looselless fies  via my computer / DAC and it's OK but I found out that Classic music and jazz are lack of depth and exitement once I play classic and jazz cds on my CDP  it sounds great : full of details , vivid and punchy .    

 

Right, so you're not using a streamer at all, you're using your computer, which probably means you don't have it configured correctly.

Hya ISAC. So many have told us that CD can't be 'better' than a digital copy yet you continually disagree. I suggest that you tell us how you produce and play your digi files. Maybe suggestions will help you to improve the sq? We should accept that the error correction element of a computer copy makes it 'better' than a cdp but obviously the final sq depends on the rest of the system. Hope this helps to differentiate between the facts of digital storage and the opinions and evaluations of particular playback equipment.

As above, tell us what you use and perhaps we can help you make it sound better.  One thing that is absolultely certain, music won't sound worse just because it's stored on a computer hard drive and not a CD, so the problem lies elsewhere.

I really think ISAC69 must be doing something wrong with his PC playback, (assuming he is using proper lossless files?)

I use AIFF files both normal and Hi-Res on a Mac Mini with Itunes and Pure Music into a M2Tech Young DAC and haven't heard a CD player under many thousands come anywhere near the sound...

On top of this as already mentioned i have instant access to thousands of tracks and playlists with artwork all included... even remotely if required.. no brainer?

Rips @ 256 VBR through iTunes on my Mac mini, sound no different to the ALAC files on my NAS through same system, which in turn sound no different to the orignal CDs played on the same system again.

It all sounds good from where I'm listening.