Questions for anyone who prefer Computer digital playback than Naim CDS2 cd player
Posted by: kent on 03 January 2010
Hi guys,
It is my goal to set up a PC or Mac based digital set up to achive the sound quality of CDS2.
I would love to learn from you who has done just that. So my questions are as below.
1) What is your ripping software?
2) What is your file format? Is wav format ok?
3) What media player do you use? I use Monkey Media currently. I have compared it to JRiver. They sound different but not better than each other.
4) I notice a few has chosen Mac mini. Have you compare it to Macbook Pro/Macbook/Imac?
5) What is being used between the computer and Dac? Firewire? Hiface? I am using an Empirical Audio USB convertor. In US, it is reputably better than Lynx card and a lot of built in USB convertor in various dac.
6) What is the storage method for the digital files? I used 2 tb internal harddisk in my silent PC.
Thanks and I am looking forward to learn from you all.
It is my goal to set up a PC or Mac based digital set up to achive the sound quality of CDS2.
I would love to learn from you who has done just that. So my questions are as below.
1) What is your ripping software?
2) What is your file format? Is wav format ok?
3) What media player do you use? I use Monkey Media currently. I have compared it to JRiver. They sound different but not better than each other.
4) I notice a few has chosen Mac mini. Have you compare it to Macbook Pro/Macbook/Imac?
5) What is being used between the computer and Dac? Firewire? Hiface? I am using an Empirical Audio USB convertor. In US, it is reputably better than Lynx card and a lot of built in USB convertor in various dac.
6) What is the storage method for the digital files? I used 2 tb internal harddisk in my silent PC.
Thanks and I am looking forward to learn from you all.
1) EAC. Free and excellent.
2) FLAC. No SQ loss and it supports tags. Waves are pointless, and without tags you may find yourself in a tight spot if your collection is large and you loose your metainfo file (like iTunes makes).
3) XXHighEnd. Best player SQ wise hands down, but the GUI is not the smoothest, if that is important. f2k if you want a configurable GUI and good sounding WASAPI player.
4) Personally, I would build a PC from scratch every time, but I know many prefer getting a Mini for convenience. One can easily build a PC that looks the same and has better hardware for less money, but you would still have to build it.
5) Part of the reason I like a HTPC is that I can use a PCI sound card. Good ones have excellent S/PDIF outs for running into an external DAC. Check out John Atkinson's measurements of the Asus cards' digital outs in the current issue of Stereophile. Moreover, a few PCI cards sound fantastic via their analogue outs (for the money, quite mindbogglingly good. My card sounds way better than a CD5i, and noticeably better than the CD5x). For CDX2 performance and above, get an external DAC (you know which one
) and run the card into that. Also, the analogue outs of an internal sound card can sound different on various mainboards. A good one with nice parts and good power reg. is important. I like the newer Gigabyte boards, but I am sure most new boards are fine, if one avoids the cheapest ones. "Enthusiast" boards meant for overclocking often have better parts and better construction power-wise, so one of these may be a good investment.
6) Yeah, that is what I do. Two drives, one with the library and one for backup. They don't have to be dedicated drives, but a backup of the library is of course a must.
Just my opinions and experience, good luck and have fun
2) FLAC. No SQ loss and it supports tags. Waves are pointless, and without tags you may find yourself in a tight spot if your collection is large and you loose your metainfo file (like iTunes makes).
3) XXHighEnd. Best player SQ wise hands down, but the GUI is not the smoothest, if that is important. f2k if you want a configurable GUI and good sounding WASAPI player.
4) Personally, I would build a PC from scratch every time, but I know many prefer getting a Mini for convenience. One can easily build a PC that looks the same and has better hardware for less money, but you would still have to build it.
5) Part of the reason I like a HTPC is that I can use a PCI sound card. Good ones have excellent S/PDIF outs for running into an external DAC. Check out John Atkinson's measurements of the Asus cards' digital outs in the current issue of Stereophile. Moreover, a few PCI cards sound fantastic via their analogue outs (for the money, quite mindbogglingly good. My card sounds way better than a CD5i, and noticeably better than the CD5x). For CDX2 performance and above, get an external DAC (you know which one
) and run the card into that. Also, the analogue outs of an internal sound card can sound different on various mainboards. A good one with nice parts and good power reg. is important. I like the newer Gigabyte boards, but I am sure most new boards are fine, if one avoids the cheapest ones. "Enthusiast" boards meant for overclocking often have better parts and better construction power-wise, so one of these may be a good investment.6) Yeah, that is what I do. Two drives, one with the library and one for backup. They don't have to be dedicated drives, but a backup of the library is of course a must.
Just my opinions and experience, good luck and have fun
There is so much more to it. Though the dedicated system may sound better, I much prefer a lenovo run off the power supply when using an outboard interface. Same with a Dell and Sony so not universal perhaps but consistant where tried. I assumed battery would be better before I tried. It's interesting how outboard USB2 drives can work really well in these systems.quote:Originally posted by kent:
Thanks James.
I have a lenovo laptop which I used exclusively before I built a silent PC. The system has a much lower noise flood and better overall sound when the laptop run on battery. Therefore, I seek people with experience comparing the Mac mini and Macbook Pro. You are right, the Mac mini look a lot better on the rack.
I can hear lossless every time I've tried it though found good results in less than top systems and never heard a pc card compete with things I like. Lets call it preference.