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I just don't get PC Audio

I have been doing a lot of reading on the pros and cons of hard drive systems versus traditional CD players. From what I gather a hard drive system can be configured with a great DAC to meet or beat (well, maybe) a high end CD player.

So I contemplated this and what would need to be purchased each way and wound up buying an Esoteric X03SE and couldn't be happier. The point of my post is, am I the only one here who thinks hard drive systems have serious drawbacks that should prohibit an educated buyer not to jump in yet??

Hard drive pros:
-Can meet or maybe exceed the sonics of a dedicated cd player or transport combo (when using tracks burned from a CD)
-The ultimate lazy man's solution....simply surf and hit play (no CDs to load)

Hard drive cons:
-Just as expensive, if not more so than a dedicated CD player by the time you get the hard drive, back up storage, cables, monitor, DAC.
-Many units have hard drive noise that necessitates placing the unit away from the listening area.
-Need back up storage: This means you need to continually back up your collection for the day it crashes.
-Noone knows how long drives will last.
-Need to spend the time to burn all your CDs
-If you use iTunes the quality of downloaded songs is not great, therefore this solution only really works if you burn CDs you have. I know there are some other higher res options, but they are not widely available yet.
-You need some type of monitor to view the collection adding the complexity and nuisance of mixing PCs and Audio
-It is rapidly changing and noone knows what the outcome will be
-If you download one song at a time you essentially throw out any experience the artist may have designed with listening to an entire album

I am just not getting it, other than the two (some may say only one) pros I listed above, why else would an audiopile get a computer audio front end??? It is certainly not cheaper, in fact it is most likely way more.
arbuckle
s7horton
1,065 posts
 
With the introduction of the Wadia iTransport, you can now load everything on your ipod. It is a back up. If your computer crashes, you still have all the songs on your ipod. If you rip in lossless, and use the itransport, I believe you can beat some very good cd players. An ipod, and the transport are cheap in comparison to some high end cd transports.

You are truly portable with your ipod. Not so, atleast as easily, with that many cd's. You don't have to download music from itunes. There are other sources available that offer hi res downloads.

I'm not so sure you are open to positive side of using a
arbuckle OP
89 posts
 
Hi S7Horton

Thank you for partaking in my post. I totally agree about the portability factor. I guess I was thinking more along the lines of just sitting in my living room type of listenting. I am definitely open to PC audio, I almost went for it. I just could not justify it at this time based on my comments above. I originally thought PC audio was a way to save money by not needing a transport (either dedicated or in a player), but I quickly found those posters who were able to have true high end sound from PC had to spend upwards of $4-5k on a DAC in addition to all the other stuff.
gmood1
1,251 posts
 
I think the only way to get PC audio... is to try it. Where did you see a person needs to spend 4 or 5K to get audiophile quality? Most of us that are now in PC audio already know the outcome..it's the ones that are still clinging to CD players that haven't figured it out.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
In my mind the advantages of PC audio are:

1) long custom playlists for your particular mood, great for parties etc.

2) the sound quality can exceed that of a transport for about the same price - there are various reasons for this

3) tailoring the music using upsampling, either on-the-fly or using various tools to rewrite the tracks

4) CD's will not last forever - they do degrade with time

5) convenience factor - easy to find tracks. Whole house audio is easier to set-up and quality does not suffer from distribution

6) shipping a PC audio system is usually safer than shipping a CD player. They get damaged easily IME.

7) you can play music 24/7 without worrying about wearing out the bearings in a CD player

I dont buy the album argument. Most CD's have 2-3 good tracks on them. It's marketing.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
ghasley
382 posts
 
Opinions are kindof like....well, you know...but here is mine anyway.

I have gone the computer as transport route and it is indeed a pain to load them on the computer the 1st time. Once done however, it is totally cool to have all of your "music software" at the touch of a button. 2nd, I use an Apple iMac, my home is networked wirelessly so the computer can serve multiple roles as both a computer AND a music server. The backup of the data was no big deal and keeping the backup updated is also simple to perform. I take a digital signal out from the iMac, into my D/A converter and its done. Now, if any of this sounds like a real hassle, you are probably right; computer based audio may not be for you.

Now then, lets talk about the future. My ipod touch is wireless, my iPhone is both internet ready as well as a part of my wireless network. So I can control all of my music, from my iPhone while I am in the backyard, cooking out, having cocktails. Want tunes in another room? How good do you want it? One of these new Peachtree Decco amp/d-a , some nice speakers coupled with a Sonos ZP 80 and you have complete access simultaneously from the remote room, your main system, your backyard, and so on and so on.

If you are the only music listener in your home and you only listen in 1 room, then the 1-box cd path you have chosen is correct. However, if you have other rooms where you would enjoy the music, well......

Last but not least, your rationalization of the 1-box solution, no offense intended, sounds an awful lot like those who advocate integrated amps. I however like the idea that I can drop a new d/a converter in as technology or features are introduced and everything else remains the same. As new disk drive technology is introduced, I have a simple and easy upgrade path there as well.

Last, you mentioned the pain of a backup plan and I agree, it can be a pain. I have a friend however who had a minor fire at his home which, of all things, damaged a closet where he kept his cd collection neatly catalogued. Care to talk to him about a backup plan? His house is valued around $1,800,000 and he has a 1% deductible ($18,000!)......

Best wishes
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