|
Post by pop on Apr 29, 2014 9:41:10 GMT -5
Received "Dark Side of The Moon" yesterday (SACD). It was the best recording I have heard to date, but I wasn't really floored with the 5.1 mix. Bass was coming in a little hot and vocals seemed sort of shrill. Stereo mix was very pleasant. I also received Norah Jones "Come Away With Me". I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. Excited about this one. DSOTM is really good but I prefer two channel, also, Nora will find the weak spot of your system if it has one. also, she will rip anyone's analog apart if it comes up short as she did on a couple of my lessor TT and cartridge set-ups. I didn't find the SACD shrill as you say, it was very pleasing to my ears in my room,,,,,you know the bit,,,,,he,,,,,he,,,,, Just to clarify it was 5.1 where the vocals sounded a bit shrill. "Breathe" was my strongest finding here. When I switched to stereo it sounded virtually perfect to my ears. I think I am just not a 5.1 music listener. I am noticing that vocals in the center channel kind of bother me for music. Also I have my center channel up a couple DBs as the in room response for movies is perfect. With 5.1 music I do cut the center down, but I still noticed a slight harshness in the vocals. I will check out Wish you were here.
|
|
|
Post by milsap195 on Apr 29, 2014 18:02:55 GMT -5
Received "Dark Side of The Moon" yesterday (SACD). It was the best recording I have heard to date, but I wasn't really floored with the 5.1 mix. Bass was coming in a little hot and vocals seemed sort of shrill. Stereo mix was very pleasant. I also received Norah Jones "Come Away With Me". I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. Excited about this one. I love the Dark Side sacd in two channel. Do you have the Come Away With Me Analog Productions sacd or the blue note sacd?
|
|
|
Post by drtrey3 on Apr 30, 2014 7:10:29 GMT -5
I listened to a little of Come Away With Me with the wife two nights ago. Man, that is a great recording! We were doing surround sound and made it next to this JVC sampler disc that had Lucky Man by ELP on it. That was outstanding!
Trey
|
|
|
Post by milsap195 on May 9, 2014 21:10:09 GMT -5
Has anybody tried the CCR sacd yet, I know they are out of print?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 10, 2014 20:56:37 GMT -5
I did not search to see if this was ever posted in here before but I found this to be an interesting read: people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.htmlI have been spending most of the past two days enjoying listening to 44.1/16 FLAC files from my audio collection through my XDA-2. I have been enjoying it immensely. I have found some of the "CDs" (via FLAC files) to sound extremely good and some not so good (even ones I thought I liked a lot when most of my music listening was though tiny ear headphones). I have yet to buy any higher resolution music formats yet. I attempted to today, but was thwarted by the exclusive downloaders from HDtracs and another website (I use Linux). I finally found a version of an OS that will work well as a dedicated music system on an older netbook I have. I just installed the lastest version of Open Elec, a Linux version of XBMC. It is a very lightweight installation (only about 150mb) and boots up in about 20 seconds (my netbook has an HDD not SSD, and a single core Atom processor). I can also control the player via another PC (my newest laptop), including turning it off and on remotely. Pretty cool. I know XBMC is not really setup for audiophiles (yet), but the latest version of XBMC (Gotham) had a major overhaul to the audio engine and should support the Hi-rez audio formats. It sounds good, and it just works. That is the main reason why I will use it for now. The audio quality with the XDA-2 as the DAC is very good. I need to reach the point of being able to do some equalization to get the best out of my speakers. One step at a time. I need to actually enjoy stop and "smell the music" before raising the game to another level. Now to the article I linked above. What I took out of the article is that the original CD audio format is pretty damn good and will give you excellent results if those who mix the master do their jobs well. I also took from the article that the original CD format really does cover what the human ear is capable of dealing with quite well, again, so long as the audio is mastered properly. I also took from the article that just because a recording has been released in one of the higher rez formats, it does not necessarily mean you will get a better experience. It could be worse, again, if it is nor properly mastered. What this means for me is that I will just need to stay open to a good recording is a good recording based on how it sounds. The article also made me realize partially why Vinyl is making a comeback. A good record player arrangement still has a dynamic range well above realistic human abilities (and the S/N ratio is still probably more than adequate for realistic human hearing ability on a well set-up modern system). I will say I can definitely hear the fact that the levels on newer CDs have been increasingly louder and louder. I bought the 2009 Beatles CD remasters in December, and I found the CDs to sound very good, and they were set at loud levels. My ears tell me that whoever remastered the CDs did a great job despite the excessive baseline DB levels. ----Joebba "Your Schiit smells like poo-doo" the Hut (just kidding).
|
|
|
Post by audiofile on May 10, 2014 22:09:21 GMT -5
I had downloaded the Audiogon Open Your Ears sampler and then promptly forgot about it! Anyway, I got a chance to listen to it tonight and really enjoyed it. Google Peter Bosack Music and checkout some of his work. You can get a couple of albums plus one track for a great price.
|
|
|
Post by pop on May 10, 2014 23:08:54 GMT -5
Just got in Beatles Love DVD-A. I will report back when I get the time to listen. Anyone have experience with this disc?
|
|
|
Post by jmilton on May 11, 2014 7:11:23 GMT -5
Just got in Beatles Love DVD-A. I will report back when I get the time to listen. Anyone have experience with this disc? Yes at first I was Leary of them messing with anything Beatles. Now it is one of my fav surround sound experiences. My fav part is Harrison's plaintive "While my Guitar Gently Weeps".
|
|
|
Post by drtrey3 on May 11, 2014 19:43:07 GMT -5
Joebba, a huge problem is that the cd mastering so often sucks. Look up the loudness wars. The music is typically compressed to within an inch of it's life so that it will sound loud through the cd. Loud is not good if dynamic range, the differences between the loudest and quieter sections of the music, it tortured or cut off to make the whole thing sound loud.
I rip vinyl, and get to look at the wave forms of this old format. There are good dynamics and the wave forms are not truncated because I record them. They have greater impact than modern cds because of that. Many, nay MOST of the high res downloads I have bought have excellent dynamic range when that was recorded in the first place. The other's benefit from being 24 bit which is hard for me to express other than the instruments sound more round and less flat and digital than 16 bit recordings.
Now cds can sound really wonderful. But most do not. And most of the high res files I have purchased sound great and I am happy to have purchased them. So buy a high res recording, then listen to it and get back to us. If you do not hear it as better, think of the money you will save! If like most of us, you hear the difference, welcome to the world of high def digital!
Oh, and the Nyquist theorem is 100 years old.
Trey
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 11, 2014 19:55:54 GMT -5
Well, I have finally obtained my 1st higher resolution recording. I chose the Moody Blues "Days of Future Passed" in 96/24 FLAC format. I am not necessarily a big Moody Blues Fan, but this is a really great album. I have not yet been able to do a full sit down critical listen (and comparison vs. a 16 bit recording I have of this album). I have done a few snippets from both the 16 bit version and the 98/24 version. I was immediately pleased by the 96/24 version. My initial impressions are that the dynamics are much more "present" (especially the quieter dynamics), smoother, cleaner, open and fuller sounding. I am really looking forward to a full critical listen with a "fuller" review.
|
|
|
Post by drtrey3 on May 12, 2014 8:56:46 GMT -5
Joebb, I have that as a DTS surround. Just cd quality, but I really enjoy it a lot! I look forward to your thoughts and welcome to the club!
Trey
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 12, 2014 20:14:12 GMT -5
My review of the Moody Blues album “Days of Future Passed” 44.1kHZ/16bit FLAC vs 96/kHZ/24bit FLAC.I realize that I may not be comparing apples to apples because the master for the 16bit CD that was the source for my 16bit FLAC version is likely much different than master for the 96/24 FLAC version. The overall db level for both recordings are likely different, which could present an issue for a fair comparison, and I may fall prey to confirmation bias. I listened to both versions of the albums twice, 44.1/16 first followed by 96/24. On the first round I set the db level on my XDA-2 at the same level for both versions of the album. On the 2nd listening I allowed myself to adjust the level up on the 44.1/16 recording to see if that would alter my opinion of the 16bit recording. First Round. My overall impression after the first round was that the sound of the 44.1/16 version was flat (2 dimensional) versus the 96/24 version, and overall a bit underwhelming. The 96/24 version had much great depth (very three dimensional) and a more expansive sound stage. I could hear individual instruments with greater clarity, and I could sense the “presence” of an orchestra. Instruments could be heard across the sound stage, not just left or right but center, left, right, left of center, right of center. All instruments were livelier, and the vocals (spoken and sung) were more lifelike. I could sense the space of the recording environment (echo, reverb, etc.) which I just could not get from the 44.1/16 version. Quieter passages were as much present as the louder passages. Overall dynamics were much smoother sounding to my ear. Dynamics from the 44.1/16 version seemed stair-step in comparison. Bass notes exhibited a rounder tone in the 96/24 version. Second Round.I boosted the level by 4-5db (as displayed on my XDA-2) for the 44.1/16 version. It did provide a more pleasant overall listen, but was a tad uncomfortable and fatiguing about halfway through the album, and still flat in comparison to the 96/24 version. I could hear more overall detail but not enough to quite narrow the gap versus 96/24 version. For the 96/24 version I set the level to the same level as in my first listening. The second time around I loved it more. I could tell right away that it was just the winner over the 44.1/16 version by a good margin. Much more head bobbing was involved. - The spoken narration in “The Day Begins” really shows the breathy raspiness of the narrator.
- “Dawn Is A Feeling” is very moving with the voice and all instruments very clearly felt, and the electric bass cuts through musically without being overbearing.
- “This Morning: Another Morning” The flutes and tambourines shine in conjunction with all of the other instruments. I can the acoustic guitar really feels like it is in the living room.
- The instrumental prelude on “Lunch break” was great. I felt like I had a “Gershwinesque” orchestra in my living room. I could feel the instruments coming from their seated spots. The rock section rocked not in being loud but by just having a solid wide presence with remarkably clear vocals.
- On “Tuesday Afternoon” the swaying bass and bass piano notes could be felt be felt in the body but not like a punch in the gut.
- On “Evening” the opening swipe of the orchestra kind of made me jump in my seat a bit (in a pleasant way). The warbling drum at the beginning was much more impressive in the 96/24 version, and the high pitched percussion elements of the were crystal clear yet not piercing.
- In “Nights in White Satin” the cymbal play in the early part of the track was quite nice (I could really imagine seeing the sticks gently tapping them). The gong as the end was also much better in the 96/24 version. Goosebumps were involved at the end.
Another comparison that could be made is to take the 96/24 copy I have and have them encoded to 44.1/16 FLAC and then do a comparison. Maybe another day. The choice for my first foray into higher resolution audio appears to have been a good one. I would highly recommend the 96kHZ/24 bit FLAC version of this album purchased through ProStudioMasters. I give it a two ears open rating!
|
|
|
Post by Shaker on May 13, 2014 22:25:29 GMT -5
I've enjoyed reading this thread for multiple reasons. Looking for some advice as we get ready to build a new system from scratch: XPA-1 monoblocks to drive Golden Ear Triton Ones for 2 channel music and to anchor our 7.1 HT system. XPA-5 to drive Golden Ear Super Center XL, and two pair of Golden Ear Invisa MPX for sides/rear. Oppo 105D and Marantz AV7701 pre. We have a Harmony 1100 to control the system. During the dark ages while in school and having little cash, I bought CDs and iTunes files. Moving forward we'd like to add quality files/downloads, as well as CD/SACD/Blu Ray hard copies depending on the recording. What do folks recommend as far as a storage device for downloads that is easy to access and control (preferably through the Harmony 1100, or iPad Mini/iPhone, PC laptop)? Is there an easy way to integrate the iTunes library and other CDs? Ease of use/accessibility is nice, but we really want to ensure high SQ as the priority without getting crazy Thanks.
|
|
|
Post by pop on May 13, 2014 22:54:07 GMT -5
I've enjoyed reading this thread for multiple reasons. Looking for some advice as we get ready to build a new system from scratch: XPA-1 monoblocks to drive Golden Ear Triton Ones for 2 channel music and to anchor our 7.1 HT system. XPA-5 to drive Golden Ear Super Center XL, and two pair of Golden Ear Invisa MPX for sides/rear. Oppo 105D and Marantz AV7701 pre. We have a Harmony 1100 to control the system. During the dark ages while in school and having little cash, I bought CDs and iTunes files. Moving forward we'd like to add quality files/downloads, as well as CD/SACD/Blu Ray hard copies depending on the recording. What do folks recommend as far as a storage device for downloads that is easy to access and control (preferably through the Harmony 1100, or iPad Mini/iPhone, PC laptop)? Is there an easy way to integrate the iTunes library and other CDs? Ease of use/accessibility is nice, but we really want to ensure high SQ as the priority without getting crazy Thanks. I have an external hooked up to my Oppo103 and it sounds great.
|
|
|
Post by Shaker on May 13, 2014 23:12:19 GMT -5
I've enjoyed reading this thread for multiple reasons. Looking for some advice as we get ready to build a new system from scratch: XPA-1 monoblocks to drive Golden Ear Triton Ones for 2 channel music and to anchor our 7.1 HT system. XPA-5 to drive Golden Ear Super Center XL, and two pair of Golden Ear Invisa MPX for sides/rear. Oppo 105D and Marantz AV7701 pre. We have a Harmony 1100 to control the system. During the dark ages while in school and having little cash, I bought CDs and iTunes files. Moving forward we'd like to add quality files/downloads, as well as CD/SACD/Blu Ray hard copies depending on the recording. What do folks recommend as far as a storage device for downloads that is easy to access and control (preferably through the Harmony 1100, or iPad Mini/iPhone, PC laptop)? Is there an easy way to integrate the iTunes library and other CDs? Ease of use/accessibility is nice, but we really want to ensure high SQ as the priority without getting crazy Thanks. I have an external hooked up to my Oppo103 and it sounds great. can you be more specific? what is it and how easy and fast is it to organize files and play them? how to you control playback?
|
|
geebo
Emo VIPs
"Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are driving taxicabs and cutting hair"
Posts: 24,188
|
Post by geebo on May 14, 2014 6:51:01 GMT -5
I have an external hooked up to my Oppo103 and it sounds great. can you be more specific? what is it and how easy and fast is it to organize files and play them? how to you control playback? I also use an external drive connected to the Oppo. You organize the music in any way you like using a directory structure. You must connect the drive to a computer to add / organize stuff. The Oppo will show the drive and it's structure in the Music folder on the main menu. You can see the directory structure just as you created it or you can sort by artist, album and a couple of other things. Just navigate to what ever you want to start playing and press play. It will only allow one playlist however. There is also a gapless playback feature that's nice with certain albums. This works very well with my Harmony Ultimate which I have set up to use the RF to communicate with it's hub. Oppo also has a remote control app as well as a media control app for iPad and Android. With the media control app you can navigate the folders on the screen of the device used (I use an cheap 8" Android tablet) and control playback anywhere within your home network area. You can connect 4TB drives to either or both of the rear USB ports so you can store a lot of material.
|
|
|
Post by drtrey3 on May 14, 2014 7:21:10 GMT -5
jRiver Media Center is another great choice. There is a good phone remote, and you can send the data to a player hooked up to your home network, I think the more current Oppos will work that way and many receivers will. I hate to mention how great a Squeezebox touch is because Logitech abandoned a wonderful design and units now cost way too much.
Trey
|
|
geebo
Emo VIPs
"Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are driving taxicabs and cutting hair"
Posts: 24,188
|
Post by geebo on May 14, 2014 9:10:43 GMT -5
jRiver Media Center is another great choice. There is a good phone remote, and you can send the data to a player hooked up to your home network, I think the more current Oppos will work that way and many receivers will. I hate to mention how great a Squeezebox touch is because Logitech abandoned a wonderful design and units now cost way too much. Trey Pushing media to the current Oppos works like mentioned above with Jriver. I've used the free app Media House to do just that. But the hard drive connected to the Oppo cannot be accessed in that manner. It would have to be on the network. I have a hard drive connected to my router from which I can push media. But I like the direct connection to the player better.
|
|
|
Post by Shaker on May 14, 2014 9:56:05 GMT -5
can you be more specific? what is it and how easy and fast is it to organize files and play them? how to you control playback? I also use an external drive connected to the Oppo. You organize the music in any way you like using a directory structure. You must connect the drive to a computer to add / organize stuff. The Oppo will show the drive and it's structure in the Music folder on the main menu. You can see the directory structure just as you created it or you can sort by artist, album and a couple of other things. Just navigate to what ever you want to start playing and press play. It will only allow one playlist however. There is also a gapless playback feature that's nice with certain albums. This works very well with my Harmony Ultimate which I have set up to use the RF to communicate with it's hub. Oppo also has a remote control app as well as a media control app for iPad and Android. With the media control app you can navigate the folders on the screen of the device used (I use an cheap 8" Android tablet) and control playback anywhere within your home network area. You can connect 4TB drives to either or both of the rear USB ports so you can store a lot of material. Thanks -- that's helpful. I should have mentioned that controlling the music through a handheld device such as an iPad Mini/iPhone is important to us since we will only have a projection screen in this room. Any specific 4TB external drives that you'd recommend? How have you connected your Oppo to maximize SQ? Analogs/RCAs to the amp, etc? Thanks again.
|
|
geebo
Emo VIPs
"Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are driving taxicabs and cutting hair"
Posts: 24,188
|
Post by geebo on May 14, 2014 10:43:00 GMT -5
I also use an external drive connected to the Oppo. You organize the music in any way you like using a directory structure. You must connect the drive to a computer to add / organize stuff. The Oppo will show the drive and it's structure in the Music folder on the main menu. You can see the directory structure just as you created it or you can sort by artist, album and a couple of other things. Just navigate to what ever you want to start playing and press play. It will only allow one playlist however. There is also a gapless playback feature that's nice with certain albums. This works very well with my Harmony Ultimate which I have set up to use the RF to communicate with it's hub. Oppo also has a remote control app as well as a media control app for iPad and Android. With the media control app you can navigate the folders on the screen of the device used (I use an cheap 8" Android tablet) and control playback anywhere within your home network area. You can connect 4TB drives to either or both of the rear USB ports so you can store a lot of material. Thanks -- that's helpful. I should have mentioned that controlling the music through a handheld device such as an iPad Mini/iPhone is important to us since we will only have a projection screen in this room. Any specific 4TB external drives that you'd recommend? How have you connected your Oppo to maximize SQ? Analogs/RCAs to the amp, etc? Thanks again. I currently use a Seagate 4TB Backup Plus USB 3.0. The Oppo will only use USB 2.0 but 3.0 is faster when updating or adding new stuff. I tried a portable WD 2 TB unit but it would go to sleep if idle too long and the only way to get the Oppo to see it again was to turn off the Oppo and turn it back on. I tried to disable the sleep mode with WD utilities but that didn't work. I have also used Toshiba 2 and 3 TB units with good results. Drives with their own power supply seem to work best. With drives larger than 2TB you will have to reformat them using GPT as opposed to the older Master Boot Record method for the Oppo to recognize the full capacity of the drive. 2TB and less work either way. I have the Oppo connected to my system in a variety of ways. Via HDMI to my UMC-1, Coax to my XDA-2, and analog out to my XSP-1. I use all three methods depending on what I'm listening to.
|
|