Going Digital!

[Kt77]

First, Big Guy!:

I rip everything DSD 128. That's just me. I have few files that aren't DSD 128...had them before I knew way around this medium.I have Micro configured to play my files in whatever form they are in...and 95% is DSD 128. I also would rather purchase CD's from Ebay rather than download unless entire album stinks, cept song I like.

Second:

this thing, the REGEN plugs into the usb port of your DAC, and your USB cable would come out the back side into your source. What it does is cut off the digital stream coming from the computer and regenerates it and gives you a better stream of digital into your DAC and out to preamp. I thought my friend had a darker back ground, but I really don't know as I don't hear his system day in and day out. He really didn't say much about it as we listen to music. But what I do know, if your computers digital stream from the computer is not great or average, the Regen will clean it up and give a better stream into your dac.

My Friend, I would say, really didn't hear to much of an improvement because he has a custom built fan-less computer that he built himself with quality parts in side. So he may not have as big an improvement if any at all.

Like said above, He may have had a darker back ground due to Regen also cleaning power. But I really don't know...but I do believe he has a few Paul Pang products like the CD Tray and USB ports in his custom computer, so I really don't know if the effect of the REGEN was night and day.....The Lampizator Big 7 is quality....but one never knows...next time I speak with him I will mention its performance in his system.

But I could use one as I have a HP computer,not custom, so I know I don't have the best digital signal. So the Regen will work for those who have a computer off shelf or those that don't have quality audiophile parts to begin with.

It would seem the iUSB power which does same thing in cutting off computers 5v dirty power and adding its own cleaner 5v would work great with the Regen in cleaning power. But those who have both have been removing one in favor of other. I've read a few accounts saying iUSB power's better and others the opposite. But seeing the job of iUSB is only to clean 5v, and Regen has 2 jobs...cleaning 5v as well as data signal, I would leave both in system.....unless its to much of a good thing, and in said case its really a bad thing.

Hey little Brotha,

Thank you as well for chiming in, as this was on the next page......., I initially missed it, but it seems that at some point I'll have to add the Regen Amber into the mix as well, especially taking into account that anything under $200 isn't going to force me to break open the piggyback quiet yet.

And seeming that I've been downloading files since 2010, and just got several a few nights ago from Native DSD as well as Opus 3 ( that lovely Cyndee Peters track titled " House Of The Rising Sun " ), I've to say I've grown quite accustomed to their overall fidelity, and the ripping CD thing is new to me, as I've been into LP's since 1966, and never really fell into the whole CD is more musical mindset.

And nice heads up on the iDAC 2 as well.

Once again, thanks to all of you for taking the time to educate me on the whole CA thingy, as it has become a very very very worthwhile venture.

Peace guys.

:tears:_o scar

 

[Kt77]

This thread is an inspiring read with a lot of information to take in. I can't lie, I haven't read it all but it has pushed me to venture further into the digital realm.

Where previously I had a small amount of HD tracks that I would play via flash drives I am now upping the anti using a MacBook Air with a 500 gig ssd. I'm using a USB to input to my oppo 105d and utilizing Audirvana Plus as my player.

Looking forward to the journey.

I've to say that I'm in total agreement with your slogan in regards to - it's about the music, not the system.........., I've been swearing on that very fact to close friends for over 23 years now.

Well put, I'd add.

 

[JP]

Thanks Billfort/JP,

It's nice to have assistance from you guys whom have spend time with these things enough to offer solid advise, to which I'm most grateful. I'll try both, as I've noticed that AIFF and WAV take up the exact same amount of MBs, so I guess it a matter of listening to each more carefully.

Apple and FLAC don't seem to be an option, unless I'm missing something?, which is why of late I've been converting my older files over to ALAC as opposed to the standard ACC format, as it sounds truer to my ears.

Once again, thanks guys.

AIFF and WAV are both PCM, just different containers. There's really no effective difference except there is a tagging standard for AIFF, which is why I chose to use it over WAV.

ALAC and FLAC are also PCM, but use data compression to reduce file size. Assuming the playback software is done right, there will be no difference as compared to AIFF and WAV. In a previous life I had to have my dev team do extensive testing with FLAC to prove just that to a customer.

AAC is lossy, though very good at higher bit rates, say 320K. For the context of this thread there's really no reason to use a lossy CODEC.

 

[Billfort]

In a previous life I had to have my dev team do extensive testing with FLAC to prove just that to a customer.

Interesting. Were these extensive listening tests on a high resolution system?

 

[Kt77]

AIFF and WAV are both PCM, just different containers. There's really no effective difference except there is a tagging standard for AIFF, which is why I chose to use it over WAV.

ALAC and FLAC are also PCM, but use data compression to reduce file size. Assuming the playback software is done right, there will be no difference as compared to AIFF and WAV. In a previous life I had to have my dev team do extensive testing with FLAC to prove just that to a customer.

AAC is lossy, though very good at higher bit rates, say 320K. For the context of this thread there's really no reason to use a lossy CODEC.

Good morning JP,

Once again, very insightful information here, as I now know that I've to go back and convert all of those ACC files with the quickest..........., thanks yet once again for chiming in on this topic on my behalf, as I do enjoy learning.

:scratch2:_oh

 

[JP]

Interesting. Were these extensive listening tests on a high resolution system?

No. The specific problem was that they didn't believe FLAC was lossless due to what they'd read on various fora. We had to prove, and then show, that the bitstream to the DAC for a given piece of content was identical whether it was stored as WAV or FLAC.

 

[for_p1]

No. The specific problem was that they didn't believe FLAC was lossless due to what they'd read on various fora. We had to prove, and then show, that the bitstream to the DAC for a given piece of content was identical whether it was stored as WAV or FLAC.

One can compress Word file with his resume into Flac. When uncompressed back, he won't find anything embarrassing added there.

 

[slippers-on]

This thread is an inspiring read with a lot of information to take in. I can't lie, I haven't read it all but it has pushed me to venture further into the digital realm.

Where previously I had a small amount of HD tracks that I would play via flash drives I am now upping the anti using a MacBook Air with a 500 gig ssd. I'm using a USB to input to my oppo 105d and utilizing Audirvana Plus as my player.

Looking forward to the journey.

Hey, my friend! Haven't seen you around in a while! Hows the Modright and the Salk treating you?

That makes me feel good knowing you're digging the thread! Keep checking back from time to time..and add your own experience if you have time.

_slippers-

 

[slippers-on]

Hey little Brotha,

Thank you as well for chiming in, as this was on the next page......., I initially missed it, but it seems that at some point I'll have to add the Regen Amber into the mix as well, especially taking into account that anything under $200 isn't going to force me to break open the piggyback quiet yet.

And seeming that I've been downloading files since 2010, and just got several a few nights ago from Native DSD as well as Opus 3 ( that lovely Cyndee Peters track titled " House Of The Rising Sun " ), I've to say I've grown quite accustomed to their overall fidelity, and the ripping CD thing is new to me, as I've been into LP's since 1966, and never really fell into the whole CD is more musical mindset.

And nice heads up on the iDAC 2 as well.

Once again, thanks to all of you for taking the time to educate me on the whole CA thingy, as it has become a very very very worthwhile venture.

Peace guys.

:tears:_o scar

Bro! That DSD got you sobbing it seems? No sweat, man. Good music done right can have that effect. The older we fellas get, seems its easier to get a little emotional over what we love....music that has romance, emotion and soul....Yeah, I can dig-it and sure you can as well. Be The Well , mi bro!

 

[lizard84]

Hey, my friend! Haven't seen you around in a while! Hows the Modright and the Salk treating you?

That makes me feel good knowing you're digging the thread! Keep checking back from time to time..and add your own experience if you have time.

_slippers-

Treating me well!

My own experience is short but I'm enjoying the learning curve.

I'm begun using dbpoweramp for my ripping, much better database on all fronts then iTunes. I tried XLD but it was locking up on the pregap.

As I said before I'm using Audirvana Plus as my player but with iTunes intergration switched on. That way I can enjoy the quality of the Audirvana player but control the music via an iPhone or iPad with apples remote app.

I have a lot of ripping to do and some usb cable experimentation is in the offing.

 

[Kt77]

Bro! That DSD got you sobbing it seems? No sweat, man. Good music done right can have that effect. The older we fellas get, seems its easier to get a little emotional over what we love....music that has romance, emotion and soul....Yeah, I can dig-it and sure you can as well. Be The Well , mi bro!

My apologizes for the late response, as I became somewhat caught up in downloading new music on a daily bases and missed your rely, but yes DSD has me going in more ways then one - it just connects with me on some many levels it's as if it's setting me directly in contact with the actual singers/musicians where I can feel their pains/joys/anticipation before going on stage or into the recording studio before the event occurs - now, I can't speak for others..........., but to me it offers a presentation that I find very intimate as emotional enhancing to my very core.

Yes..........., I'm digging it big time!.

Be thee well indeed, young Brotha.

 

[slippers-on]

Treating me well!

My own experience is short but I'm enjoying the learning curve.

I'm begun using dbpoweramp for my ripping, much better database on all fronts then iTunes. I tried XLD but it was locking up on the pregap.

As I said before I'm using Audirvana Plus as my player but with iTunes intergration switched on. That way I can enjoy the quality of the Audirvana player but control the music via an iPhone or iPad with apples remote app.

I have a lot of ripping to do and some usb cable experimentation is in the offing.

Great man! Just dive in! And i know all to well about the ripping. Aint got all of mine rippes as of yet, but when the need to hear a cut, not ripped.....I can rip and listen at the same time. So no biggie.

 

[slippers-on]

My apologizes for the late response, as I became somewhat caught up in downloading new music on a daily bases and missed your rely, but yes DSD has me going in more ways then one - it just connects with me on some many levels it's as if it's setting me directly in contact with the actual singers/musicians where I can feel their pains/joys/anticipation before going on stage or into the recording studio before the event occurs - now, I can't speak for others..........., but to me it offers a presentation that I find very intimate as emotional enhancing to my very core.

Yes..........., I'm digging it big time!.

Be thee well indeed, young Brotha.

man....sitting hear with my Jamaica Me Crazy, listening to Autumn Leaves album on vinyl. As great as DSD 128 is, its missing that little last bit of naturalness that I'm hearing now on vinyl. THe music seems to appear from a darker background. Its hard to explain but for those who have a trained ear, you will notice it. So yes....im a vinyl man first, DSD 128 man second! And when I decide to spend some loot on a new phono amp and perhaps TT im about done with gear! :thmbsp:.....DAVIDRO.....did you hear that! Man dont let me down....I Know Billfort and Oscar know what im try to say....what about you?

 

[Billfort]

Oh, love that album! Whenever I'm feeling like digital is maybe there for me and I can forget the TT, I'll put Somethin' Else on (or a few others) to remind me what is possible from that old nail dragged through a groove technology.

 

[BeerCan]

man....sitting hear with my Jamaica Me Crazy, listening to Autumn Leaves album on vinyl. As great as DSD 128 is, its missing that little last bit of naturalness that I'm hearing now on vinyl. THe music seems to appear from a darker background. Its hard to explain but for those who have a trained ear, you will notice it. So yes....im a vinyl man first, DSD 128 man second! And when I decide to spend some loot on a new phono amp and perhaps TT im about done with gear! :thmbsp:.....DAVIDRO.....did you hear that! Man dont let me down....I Know Billfort and Oscar know what im try to say....what about you?

Do you think some of these albums lose their magic because they were mastered with vinyl in mind? Just curious, no flame. I only ask because some albums from later era's, the digital and vinyl sounds the same to me.

 

[slippers-on]

Oh, love that album! Whenever I'm feeling like digital is maybe there for me and I can forget the TT, I'll put Somethin' Else on (or a few others) to remind me what is possible from that old nail dragged through a groove technology.

I knew youd understand!:yes:

 

[slippers-on]

Do you think some of these albums lose their magic because they were mastered with vinyl in mind? Just curious, no flame. I only ask because some albums from later era's, the digital and vinyl sounds the same to me.

Some of the older albums aren't as dynamic as some of the later era albums. There is still a lot of naturalness that digital, converted still can't convey, at least in my book. If you have an very old album in great condition, you may hear some hiss in the back ground....and its not as dynamic and transparent all the time. But there is a greater naturalness to the sound of the instruments I can hear. As an example. Right now Im listening to the following album by Artie Shaw and is Orchestra. Its a bunch of recording from 1938-1941.They where first released in 1971. The album I have is Mono...RCA, RCA VPM-6039, Canada 1971 and its mint! There is a certain darkness that the music is coming from. It seems to just appear from nothingness. The tone of each instrument is so natural sounding that not even DSD can capture it. The beat of the stand up bass is so natural, its remarkable. This is the last 5% im always saying DSD cant capture. Took me a while to figure out what was missing but thats what I'm hearing with vinyl and not hearing with DSD as great as it is.

Oh, and btw.....This recording has Billie Holiday with Shaw in 1938, her pre drug/booze days when her voice was clear, and that distinguished singing of hers behind the beat....Lena Horn with Shaw in 1941 and Helen Forrest with Shaw in 1939. From the Ochestra you may recognise the names Benny Carter on Sax and Buddy Rich on Drums....this is a great album for those who love big band music from that era...I love it!

Also, some of the later albums are recorded from digital tape and even CD's...they can have a digital sound. No good in my book.

 

[RH67]

man....sitting hear with my Jamaica Me Crazy, listening to Autumn Leaves album on vinyl. As great as DSD 128 is, its missing that little last bit of naturalness that I'm hearing now on vinyl. THe music seems to appear from a darker background. Its hard to explain but for those who have a trained ear, you will notice it. So yes....im a vinyl man first, DSD 128 man second! And when I decide to spend some loot on a new phono amp and perhaps TT im about done with gear! :thmbsp:.....DAVIDRO.....did you hear that! Man dont let me down....I Know Billfort and Oscar know what im try to say....what about you?

You hit the nail on the head. I think that i was a little let down upon hearing DSD 128 as i expected the sound to be a duplicate of vinyl. While DSD sounds very good, once i listen to vinyl i realize what i`m missing with DSD.

Having said the above, if you do not have a direct comparison at hand your really not going to know what your missing.

 

[slippers-on]

Nice to see you back, Dave!

 

[RH67]

Nice to see you back, Dave!

Thanks.