Boomzilla's Journey (ongoing)

[Boomzilla]

Having setup the AURALIC Mini (AM) with Auralic's Lightning DS (although I don't plan to use it), I have now enabled the AM's variable volume. This fixes the main objection I have to the Black Ice Fusion amp, which is the large volume increments on the remote control. So I'm now running with the Fusion's volume most of the way up (still dead quiet due to Mr. Fozgate's balanced circuitry) and have finer volume control from Roon. The Roon Volume control operates only in the top half of its range so I get not only better channel matching than the Fusion's analog pot but also few to no audible digital volume artifacts.

I do notice that sound quality drops precipitously if I enable Roon's DSP features (specifically its parametric equalizer). The EQ works fine, but I notice a big loss of "transparency" when in use. I may try using the Schiit Loki analog equalizer that I've previously found to function without damaging the sound quality instead.

The AM has a FAR better DAC than either the one built into the Emotiva TA-100 amplifier or the Audioquest Dragonfly Black v.1.5. The AM should sound better since it costs more than either of the other devices, but that is not always the case.

The AM also has an internal 2.5" HDD slot that offers the possibility of keeping my Roon Library inside the AM instead of needing an external HDD. It won't be an inexpensive option, though, because 4TB SSDs are still expensive. Why not a conventional laptop 2.5" laptop drive? They're all 15mm thick and the AM slot has a 9.5mm thickness limit.

Maybe sometime this week, I can use the UMIK-1 and REW software to measure the Double Impact speakers in my room? Hoping so.

Boomzilla

[Boomzilla]

As one of my "to do" items for 2021, I want to significantly cull my music library. I'm closing in on 4TB of music, most of which I have never heard, and probably won't. Among the "unused" selections are:

Multiple copies of the same song - I may have the original album with a specific cut, the same cut appearing on multiple collection albums ("Best of the '70s" etc.), live performances from multiple venues, and remastered copies from multiple rounds of remastering)

Obscure music that I'm not really interested in ("tone poems" from composers I've never heard of, or "trance music" that drones for hours without going anywhere)

Poorly recorded music of no particular value (think any commercial country song of the past decade, all of which has been run through a limiter/compressor for maximum radio volume)

Music transferred from vinyl with ticks, pops, and scratches intact ("Big Bands of WW II" or "The Best of Bob Wills")

My goal is to (without discarding any music) cull my "actual playlist" to 2TB or less. Once there, I'll put that actual playlist on a SSD inside my AURALiC Aries Mini Streamer, and do away with the external USB drive. In addition to compactness and elimination of Ethernet transmission of music, I'll be able to supplement the playlist via TIDAL or Qobuz.

So with a goal in mind, I come to the difficult part - means of accomplishing what I want. One of my audio amigos recommends doing away with "albums" per se and using only the artist's name or the composer's name for folder structure - keeping all other information in the metadata of the file. Assuming that this is a good strategy, this means that the file structure of my media drive will change radically.

That being the case, what is the best way to make these changes? Should I work only in Roon? Should I work from the file structure of the computer? I'm not sure if I'll ultimately be using AURALiC Lightning DS or Roon as a player, so that affects things also.

Suggestions appreciated. Boomzilla

[SteveH]

Jan 1, 2021 16:03:51 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

Music transferred from vinyl with ticks, pops, and scratches intact ("Big Bands of WW II" or "The Best of Bob Wills")

Check out VinylStudio Pro for recording your vinyl, it works great.  Make sure you purchase the Pro version for $50 because it also allows you to manual repair clicks, pops and scratches, unlike the Standard version.

[klinemj]

Boomzilla

I smell a problem brewing. Each time you do something with your library, something goes wrong and you get upset. There's no real need to waste your energy like that.

I would do nothing at all with what you have, except some basics. Storage is cheap. Just be more selective about what you add/don't add.

If it were me and I wanted to trim, I'd ditch the "Tone poems", the poorly recorded stuff you don't listen to anyway, and the pop/click stuff unless there's some you really love and think the pop/clicks are OK.

Mark

[audiobill]

"I'm closing in on 4TB of music, most of which I have never heard, and probably won't. "

Boom, how much do you really listen to your files vs streaming these days?

Is it really important to focus on those?

[Boomzilla]

Jan 2, 2021 8:02:32 GMT -5 audiobill said:

Boom, how much do you really listen to your files vs streaming these days? Is it really important to focus on those?

I find that I listen to my own files about 85% of the time. Part of that is just habit. The other part is that I have a LOT of music that just isn't available online. Among that "other part":

Recordings from vinyl records that aren't available in digital form now and probably won't ever be (one example would be the track of "We Must Believe In Magic" by Jim Clements)
Recordings that have been remastered by my audio amigo for better sound in digital format ("Matisse the Cat")
Live recordings of my daughter, solo, in string quartets, or with the local symphony (Her senior recital at the LSU School of Music)
Recordings too obscure to be available on streaming services (White Noise - An Electric Storm)
Foreign recordings that are not available on streaming services (Cimbalmos Vilagtalalkozo)

But all the music in those categories is but a fraction of what I have in my Library drive. The majority of my ripped music could be replaced by online streaming.

Boomzilla

[monkumonku]

Jan 2, 2021 8:02:32 GMT -5 audiobill said:

"I'm closing in on 4TB of music, most of which I have never heard, and probably won't. "

Boom, how much do you really listen to your files vs streaming these days?

Is it really important to focus on those?

Music hoarding can be quite the disease...

[audiobill]

Oddly, I rarely, if ever play my file based music in lieu of streaming from only Tidal or Qobuz on Roon. The original CDs are in a box in the basement somewhere since I transferred them lossless to my computer around 2008.

I do find, with my new McIntosh TT and Dynavector low output moving coil cartridge, the best sonics are available on records (I refuse to call them "vinyl"), as well as many jazz albums from the '40's through the '60's that are sometimes not available from streaming.

I did buy a Kirmuss record restoration system which has almost entirely done away with pops and surface noise.

I try not to own any record albums recorded after 1982 on digitally recorded masters, what's the point?

My faves are Blue Note 180 gram repressings from analog masters, especially those engineered by Rudy Van Gelder.

[Boomzilla]

Yesterday afternoon, I disabled all DSP equalization in my system and instead plugged back in my 4-band Schiit Loki equalizer. To my ears, and in my system, I'd conclude with a high degree of confidence that:

1. Any DSP equalization applied via Roon audibly degrades the sound quality. Although the frequency response may be flatter, the transparency of the sound is damaged. If you're using only one frequency area of DSP, the damage is fairly slight, but if you apply more than one filter, the sound quality damage is exponential.

2. Unlike any other analog equalizer I've heard (other than the $3,000 JL Audio subwoofer crossover) the Schiit Loki equalizer doesn't seem to cause any audible damage to the transparency of the sound. That said, I don't use the Loki to make large changes; some bands are in their flat position and the bands that I do equalize are only slightly adjusted. But that slight touch-up makes my system sound a lot more dynamic and exciting. For youse older audiophiles, my description would be "it turns your AR speakers into JBLs" for the frequency band you're using. The Loki is also very graceful about slightly reducing specific bands. And best of all, you can use multiple equalizer bands without any damage to the sound quality.

So consider this my endorsement of the Schiit Loki equalizer - $150 well spent!

[garbulky]

Jan 9, 2021 7:59:52 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

Yesterday afternoon, I disabled all DSP equalization in my system and instead plugged back in my 4-band Schiit Loki equalizer. To my ears, and in my system, I'd conclude with a high degree of confidence that:

1. Any DSP equalization applied via Roon audibly degrades the sound quality. Although the frequency response may be flatter, the transparency of the sound is damaged. If you're using only one frequency area of DSP, the damage is fairly slight, but if you apply more than one filter, the sound quality damage is exponential.

2. Unlike any other analog equalizer I've heard (other than the $3,000 JL Audio subwoofer crossover) there doesn't seem to be any audible damage to the transparency of the sound. That said, I don't use the Loki to make large changes in the sound; some bands are in their flat position and the bands that I equalize are only slightly adjusted. But that slight touch-up makes my system sound a lot more dynamic and exciting. For youse older audiophiles, my description would be "it turns your AR speakers into JBLs" for the frequency band you're using. The Loki is also very graceful about slightly reducing specific bands. And best of all, you can use multiple equalizer bands without any damage to the sound quality.

So consider this my endorsement of the Schiit Loki equalizer - $150 well spent!

They are coming out with a much more capable version of the Loki at a higher price maybe this year

[Boomzilla]

Jan 9, 2021 8:02:27 GMT -5 garbulky said:

They are coming out with a much more capable version of the Loki at a higher price maybe this year

Some few may need more capability, but if you have good speakers to start with, and an amplifier that has sufficient power to allow equalization without clipping, I find the Loki more than sufficient...

OTOH... It may just be that the Loki is a good fit for MY speakers (and in my room). For me, a smidgen of low-bass boost kick-starts my Tekton Double Impact speakers to another level, and the tiniest amount of upper midrange/lower treble cut removes some room emphasis that has been occasionally irritating in my room. YMMV

[garbulky]

Jan 9, 2021 8:12:28 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

Jan 9, 2021 8:02:27 GMT -5 garbulky said:

They are coming out with a much more capable version of the Loki at a higher price maybe this year

Some few may need more capability, but if you have good speakers to start with, and an amplifier that has sufficient power to allow equalization without clipping, I find the Loki more than sufficient...

OTOH... It may just be that the Loki is a good fit for MY speakers (and in my room). For me, a smidgen of low-bass boost kick-starts my Tekton Double Impact speakers to another level, and the tiniest amount of upper midrange/lower treble cut removes some room emphasis that has been occasionally irritating in my room. YMMV

So the issue is the four knobs bands and by that I mean the first two which are at 20hz and 400 hz.
Bands: 20Hz, 400Hz, 2kHz, 8kHz
Adjustment: +/-12dB at 20Hz and 8kHz, +/-6dB at 400Hz and 2kHz
Most speakers (or music) don't go to 20hz which means the adjsutment range is way too low. The next band is at 400 hz which is good but too far from 20 hz. To be more useful you would need more bands from 30, 50, 100, and 200 hz

[audiobill]

Boom, I've been using Roon's convolution filters (developed in REW) for DSP room correction.

If you're right, I may need to pick one of these up, developed by Lyngdorf:

www.tonepublications.com/review/mcintosh-men-220/

Attachments:

[garbulky]

Jan 9, 2021 9:48:40 GMT -5 audiobill said:

Boom, I've been using Roon's convolution filters (developed in REW) for DSP room correction.

If you're right, I may need to pick one of these up, developed by Lyngdorf:

www.tonepublications.com/review/mcintosh-men-220/

$4500 (!)

[Boomzilla]

Jan 9, 2021 9:05:07 GMT -5 garbulky said:

...Bands: 20Hz, 400Hz, 2kHz, 8kHz. - Adjustment: +/-12dB at 20Hz and 8kHz, +/-6dB at 400Hz and 2kHz. - Most speakers (or music) don't go to 20hz which means the adjsutment range is way too low. The next band is at 400 hz which is good but too far from 20 hz. To be more useful you would need more bands from 30, 50, 100, and 200 hz

In theory, you're right. But in practice... The Loki works well for me.

[monkumonku]

Jan 9, 2021 9:05:07 GMT -5 garbulky said:

Jan 9, 2021 8:12:28 GMT -5 Boomzilla said:

Some few may need more capability, but if you have good speakers to start with, and an amplifier that has sufficient power to allow equalization without clipping, I find the Loki more than sufficient...

OTOH... It may just be that the Loki is a good fit for MY speakers (and in my room). For me, a smidgen of low-bass boost kick-starts my Tekton Double Impact speakers to another level, and the tiniest amount of upper midrange/lower treble cut removes some room emphasis that has been occasionally irritating in my room. YMMV

So the issue is the four knobs bands and by that I mean the first two which are at 20hz and 400 hz.
Bands: 20Hz, 400Hz, 2kHz, 8kHz
Adjustment: +/-12dB at 20Hz and 8kHz, +/-6dB at 400Hz and 2kHz
Most speakers (or music) don't go to 20hz which means the adjsutment range is way too low. The next band is at 400 hz which is good but too far from 20 hz. To be more useful you would need more bands from 30, 50, 100, and 200 hz

While it does seem like 20 hz is too low, the knob does have a noticeable effect on frequencies above 20 hz. It actually does a very good job. The Loki isn't meant to be for fine tuning, but more for adjusting to taste based on compensating for variances in recording quality. The more knobs add to narrow the range, the more it can drive you crazy - just like sometimes having fewer choices is better than more choices because you wind up spending too much time trying to decide on the choices.

If the Loki had more bands like what you mentioned (30, 50, 100, 200) there would be quite a bit of overlap, and it would be a much more expensive unit. That super Loki that Jason mentioned is for folks that want more precise control, but I think a lot of people just want to make adjustments/corrections for recordings that to them sound deficient in some band.

I found out Schiit is using my Lounge review of the Loki I wrote back when I bought my unit on their product page. I'd say for me that review is still accurate. I don't think I would buy that larger Loki that Jason is planning, because all those choices would drive me nuts.

[Boomzilla]

FWIW...

My audio amigo swears that the sound of the AURALiC Aries Mini I've got opens up significantly when used with the dedicated AURALiC software ("Lightning DS"). Since it costs me nothing to try, I'll be trying the latest version of that software. I tried it a while back, but wasn't impressed with the interface. I understand it's been updated, so will see...

Also, I'm growing fonder by the day of the Black Ice Fusion F22 integrated amplifier. Again, at the urging of the same audio amigo, I'll try another set of tubes soon to see whether tube rolling improves the thing more (or not). The 12AX7s that I have in stock from my spares closet are Hammond organ vintage ones, although I may also try as set of Shuguangs. The output tubes I'll be trying are Valve-Arte models from China. The amp can use either EL34 or 6550 outputs. In the past, I've preferred the EL34s, but am willing to try both. The circuitry in this amp is radically different than amps I've used before, so my previous preference may not hold...

The amp is currently populated from the factory with JJ Russian tubes.

[Boomzilla]

I'm creating a subset of my music collection to fit on a SSD. Starting from 4TB, I want to end up with less than 2. I've moved what I listen to of my pop collection and it used about 0.7 TB. Now I need to winnow my classical library. My initial attempt is shown below. As you can tell from my list, I'm not a big opera fan. That said, what have I missed?

Composer / Name of Piece(s)
ADAMS, John / The Chairman Dances
ALBIONI / 12 Concertos, Adagio
ALLEGRI, Gregorio (1582-1652) / Allegri's Miserere
BACH, Johann Sebastian (1685-1750) / Orchestral Suites, Brandeburg Concertos, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Goldberg Variations, Six Cello Suites, Violin Sonatas and Partitas, Concerto in D Minor for two violins, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Four Orchestral Suites
BARBER, Samuel (1910-1981) / Adagios, Violin Concerto
BARTÓK, Béla (1881-1945) / Concerto for Orchestra, Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, Piano Concerto 3, Romanian Folk Dances
BEETHOVEN (1770-1827) / Symphonies 3 5 6 7 9, 32 Piano Sonatas, String Quartet 14, Piano Concertos 3-5, Violin Sonata 9
BERNSTEIN, Leonard (1918-1990) / On the Town, West Side Story
BIZET, Georges (1838-1875) / Carmen Suite, L’Arlesienne Suite
BRAHMS, Johannes (1833-1897) / Symphonies 1 4, Piano Concerto 1, Violin Concerto, Piano Quintet in F Minor, Hungarian Dances, Variations on a theme by Haydn, Klavierstücke
BRITTEN, Benjamin (1913-1976) / The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, Suite on English Folk Tunes
CHOPIN, Frédéric (1810-1849) / 'Raindrop' Prelude Op. 28 No. 15, Nocturne in E Flat, Piano Sonata 2, 24 Preludes, Polonaise-Fantasie, Ballade No. 1, Barcarolle, Sonata 3, Mazurkas, Fantaisie in F Minor, Piano Concerto 1
COPLAND, Aaron (1900-1990) / Rodeo, Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalacian Spring, Clarinet Concerto
de FALLA, Manuel (1876-1946) / El Amor Brujo, Three-Cornered Hat
DEBUSSY, Claude (1862-1918) / Deux Arabesques, Suite Bergamasque, String Quartet in G Minor, Prélude à l’apres-midi d’un faune, La Mer, Images, Preludes
DELIBES, Léo (1836-1891) / Lakmé
DUKAS, Paul (1865-1935) / The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
DVORAK, Antonín (1841-1904) / Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Slavonic Dances, Rusalka, String Quartet 12, Cello Concerto
ELGAR, Edward (1857-1934) / Serenade for Strings, Enigma Variations, Sea Pictures, Pomp and Circumstances Marches, Symphonies 1 / 2, Violin Concerto, Cello Concerto in E minor
FAURÉ, Gabriel (1845-1924) / Pelleas et Melisande, Masques et Bergemasque, Melodies, Piano Quartet No. 1, Pavane in F-sharp minor, Dolly Suite
FITKIN, Graham / Hook
GERSHWIN, George (1898-1937) / Rhapsody in Blue, An American in Paris, Summertime, Oh Lady Be Good, Lullaby for String Quartet, How Long Has This Been Going On,
GRAINGER, Percy (1882-1961) / Londonderry Air, Mock Morris, Hassan, Colonial Song, Childrens March
GRIEG, Edvard (1843-1907) / Peer Gynt Suite, Piano Concerto No. 1, Holberg Suite
HANDEL, George Frideric (1685-1759) / Messiah, Water Music Suites 1-3, Royal Fireworks Music, Solomon, Israel in Egypt, Organ Concertos, 12 Concerti Grossi
HAYDN, Joseph (1732-1809) / Trumpet Concerto, String Quartets Op. 64 & 76 Nos. 1-6, The Seasons, Cello Concerto No. 1, The London Symphonies, The Paris Symphonies,
HÉROLD, Ferdinand (1791-1833) / La Fille Mal Gardée
HILDEGARD VON BINGEN / O Euchari
HOLST, Gustav (1874-1934) / The Planets, Intermezzo, Suite in G Minor, St. Paul's Suite, Gavotte, First Suite in G Flat, Second Suite in G, Quintet in A Minor, Quintet for Winds in A Flat Major, Fantasy Quartet on British Folk Songs, Fugue a la Gigue
HUMPERDINCK, Engelbert / Evening Prayer' from Hansel and Gretel
KATS-CHERNIN, Elena (1957-) - Wild Swans
KHACHATURIAN, Aram / Gayaneh Suite, Toccata, Poem
KODÁLY, Zoltán (1882-1967) / Hary Janos Suite, Dances of Marossaek, Dances of Galanta, Summer Evening, Hungarian Rondo
MENDELSSOHN, Felix (1809-1847) / A Midsummer Night’s Dream, String Octet, Hebrides Overture, Symphonies 3-4, Songs Without Words, Violin Concerto, Piano Trio No. 1, Variations Serieuses,
MOZART, W.A. (1756-1791) / Clarinet Concerto in A major, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, Horn Concerto No. 4, The Magic Flute, Symphonies 36 / 40-41, The Marriage of Figaro, Quintet in A for Clarinet and Strings, Piano Concerto No. 23 in A, The Magic Flute, Piano Concerto No. 11 in A, Concerto for Flute, Harp, and Orchestra in C,
MUSSORGSKY, Modest / Pictures at an Exhibition, Night on Bare Mountain,
ORFF, Carl (1895-1982) / Carmina Burana,
PACHELBEL, Johann (1653-1706) / Toccata in G Minor, The Hexachordum Apollinis, Chaconne in F Minor, Chaconne in D minor, Canon (and Gigue) in D major,
PROKOFIEV, Sergei (1891-1953) / Peter and the Wolf, Classical Symphony Op. 25, Lt. Kige Suite, Romeo & Juliet
PUCCINI, Giacomo (1858-1924) / Turandot, La Boheme, Madame Butterfly, Tosca
PURCELL, Henry (1659-1695) / Trio Sonatas for Strings and Continuo
RACHMANINOV, Sergei (1873-1943) / Piano Concerto Nos. 2-3, Symphony No. 2, Preludes, The Bells, The Miserly Knight, Rhapsody on a Theme by Pagininni
RAVEL, Maurice (1875-1937) / Boléro, String Quartet in F Major, Piano Concertos, Complete Music for Violin and Piano
REICH, Steve (1936-) / Six Pianos
RIMSKY KORSAKOV (1844-1908) / Flight of the Bumble Bee, Capriccio Espangnol, The Russian Easter Festival Overture, Scheherezade
RODRIGO, Joaquín (1901-1999) / Concierto de Aranjuez
ROSSINI, Gioachino / William Tell Overture, The Barber of Seville
RUTTER, John (1945-) / Shepherd's Pipe Carol
SAINT-SAENS, Camille (1835-1921) / Symphony 3, Carnival of the Animals, Chamber Music, Piano Trios, Piano Concerto No. 2, Cello Sonatas, Piano Quaetets, Danse Macabre
SCARLATTI, Domenico / Sonatas in D Minor K77, In G Major K146, In C Major K159, In B Flat Major K202, In A Major K208, In F Major K296, In E Major, K296, In E Major K380, In C Major K460, In C Major K461, In F Minor K467,
SCHUBERT, Franz (1797-1828) / Piano Quintet in A major (Trout), Symphonies 8-9, Die Schone Mullerin, String Quartet 14, Impromptus, String Quartet in C, Piano Trio No. 2, Piano Sonata No. 21, Winteriesse, Marche Militaire
SCHUMANN, Clara (1819-1896) / Romances for violin and piano, Piano Concerto, Drei Romanzen
SCHUMANN, Robert (1810-1856) / Kinderszenen, Carnival, Piano Quintet, Symphony 3
SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975) / Jazz Suite No.2, Symphonies 2/3/5/6/11/12, Complete String Quartets, Cello Concertos 1 and 2, Piano Concertos 1 and 2, Violin Concertos 1 and 2, 24 Preludes and Fugues
SIBELIUS, Jean (1865-1957) / Symphony 5, Violin Concerto in D Minor, Finlandia, String Quartet in D Minor, Karelia Suite
SOUSA, John Philip / March Compendium
STRAUSS, Johann (1825-1899) / The Blue Danube, Tales from Vienna Woods, Thunder and Lightning Polka, Elektro-Magnetische Polka, Voices of Spring, Vienna Blood Waltz, Roses From The South Waltz, Banditen Gallop, Thunder and Lightning
STRAUSS, Richard (1864-1949) / Also Sprach Zarathustra, 'Sunrise'
STRAVINSKY, Igor (1882-1971) / Petrushka, Rite of Spring, Firebird, Apollo, Les Noces, Symphonies of Wind Instruments,
TALLIS, Thomas (1505-1585) / If ye love me
TAVENER, John (1944-2013) / The Lamb
TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893) / Symphonies 1-6, 1812 Overture, Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Piano Concerto No. 1, Romeo & Juliet, Serenade in C for Strings,
VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872-1958) / Fantasia on Greensleeves, The Lark Ascending, The Wasps Overture, Symphony 5
VERDI, Giuseppe (1813-1901) / Aida, Rigoletto, Figaro
VIVALDI, Antonio (1678-1741) / Gloria, Four Seasons, Gloria, Stabat Mater, L’Estro Armónico, Concerto for Two Trumpets, Violin Concerto in E Flat, Trio Sonata in C
WAGNER, Richard (1813-1883) / Ride of the Valkyries, Das Rhinegold
WARLOCK, Peter (1894-1930) / Capriol Suite
WIDOR, Charles-Marie / Organ Symphony Nos. 3 & 5

[Boomzilla]

I just got in & set up the JBL studio monitor speakers, and I’m seriously (and favorably) impressed. Harmon International’s resources have earned my respect!

Attachment Deleted

[garbulky]

Oh they look so sweet!