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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
shadorne's avatar
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shadorne
7,333 posts
 
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.

I agree with you - however prices are getting close to the point where a hard drive solution is competitive versus software controlled stacked mega changers and an outboard DAC or DSP Preamp DAC...
clio09
2,978 posts
 
Vincent Sanders from VRS will be over today with his rig. I'll be able to compare computer audio to my CEC/Lessloss combo. I believe computer audio is the future, but also fear the technology that is going to be used to provide this to the masses hasn't quite shaken out yet. There are a number of good solutions on the market, all with a few different twists. That's my only reason for holding out to this point but it could all change today.
deshapiro
174 posts
 
Hi Clio09,
I'm very interested in your impressions. Vincent certainly seems to know what he is doing. What exactly is he bringing over? VRS seems to be heading towards a software rather than hardware solution.

David
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Clio09 - to make it apples to apples, I would use the Lessloss DAC with both your source and his source. Otherwise, you are just comparing DAC's, which tells you nothing.
clio09
2,978 posts
 
David,

You're partially correct, software is part of the equation. Think of Vincent in the vein of a network communications firm. These outfits offer software, hardware, and professional services. They have channel partners and can usually offer packages for every budget, configuring everything in the process so that it is user friendly.

I was very impressed with the set-up. It was better than my CEC/Lessloss combo. More information, more relaxed, more texture, and better sound staging. For once I think I understood what is involved in not only digital playback, but studio engineering and recording as well, which ultimately is the process that gives us the music we listen to.

Steve - using my DAC with the rig was not an option.

Bottom line - I'm a believer in computer audio. I'll be listening to the Wavelength stuff shortly so that I can hear a USB solution. I will eventually get around to Empirical Audio as well.

Last note - we listened to the same recordings on iTunes and the VRS software. iTunes sounded broken. Unless I'm missing something I can't see how iTunes is a viable playback solution for high quality audio reproduction. A bedroom system maybe, but not a listening room.
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