Who listens primarily to Redbook CD?

Re this: teo_audio118 posts06-08-2017 12:01pmI tend to listen to redbook, for the most part, but I’m using a ladder or R2R DAC. No delta-sigma single bit DAC here.

Which makes a huge difference, IMO. When folks hear it they keep asking me how to get that incredible sound out of digital.

... I have to second that statement. R2R digital has transformed my entire experience of digital music (which began in 1986 and evolved quite a bit on past decade).

I listen to audio primarily via a relatively complex desktop system w/multiple, high-quality headphone amps & headphones being used whenever the spirit moves me (the Violectric V281 amp/pre-amp normally does preamp dues for powered speakers + subs). In next 2 weeks the speakers will be upgraded to ZenPro mod Yamaha HS7 powered monitors...because I tired of looking for audiophile-level powered speakers in the size/power I seek. I have at least 1,200-1,500 CDs, ~250 of which exist as rips on HD (.wav files) or in various complications (also .wav files). I've never heard MQA or high-rez audio. Will someday, but not a priority. Redbook files have much upside for exploration, depending on the DAC used.

Anyway, last summer I purchased my first R2R DAC--the Audio GD NOS 19. Not only is it an R2R design, but it's a native non-oversampling variant of that design. The NOS 19 took a long time to finish burning in (>400 hrs, as other users report--true), but when it did, the digital coming out sounds essentially nothing like any digital I'd heard previously. Some delta sigma designed impressed, but this is truly different: organic, natural-sounding, unforced, conveying more ambience & instrumental timbre than I'd ever heard digital do. I heard this on speakers + sub, but even more so via high quality, balanced headphones. I quickly became accustomed to this new kind of digital sound & now take it for granted.

I'm so impressed by the NOS 19 that I recently acquired on of the last DAC-19's made by Audio GD (that's the oversampling variant of the NOS 19). I just finished buring that in 400+ hrs and will soon do some critical listening via headphones. But I can already tell that it's in the same R2R "family," far more organic and natural than most DACs.

In short, with 2 amps costing less than $1K each, I've found that R2D designs completely transform how I perceive digital music.

In case you're wondering why I dabble audio--it's 100% about music. I loved music from early childhood and listen to it 12+ hrs a day, mostly streaming classic/jazz/ambient from European sources (I'm self-employed & work in home office, so I do as I please). 30 yrs ago I had very large, audiophile systems in the living room, but those days are gone.

CD cost is a problem?  

I just buy used CDs.  When I find something I think will benefit musically and acoustically from better recording or mastering techniques, I hunt up better recorded or mastered CDs.

I don't like to rent when I can own.

My primary source although not necessarily my go to is FM radio via analog signal and professionally serviced and upgraded when necessary  FM tuners from the golden era .  Reception optimized by rooftop FM only rotatable antenna.      Were I not in the SF bay area and unable to utilize radio waves from what IMHO is some of the best FM left in the country   I would be listening via online.  Although  I have to say Redbook cd shares primary source duty with FM  and  I will naturally go to it when nothing of interest is available via analog signal or it will just be my main listening for the day as well.   And,  I will emphasize that a great part  of my collection of Redbook is what I have heard on my local college FM station which in effect surpasses  anything I have heard over many years of listening to FM --since the 60's covering most all genres .      I take special liking to my transports which are all 90's units which use the last of the best Philips mechanisms.  Rotel--CDM9, PSA Lambda-CDM9/pro,   Museatex  CD-D--CDM1mkii  Museatex has been upgraded by Stephen Sank.     My dacs currently are  Burson DA160,  Metrum NOS mini dac,  Shek D2 .  Vinyl  set up as well.  

I'd be perfectly happy to listen to just CD's...but there is a time issue.  I don't want to have to search for what I want to listen to, open the jewel box, pull out the disc, open the transport drawer, insert the disc, close the drawer and then go sit down.  This previous mentioned "procedure" reminds me of how cumbersome photography was in the film only era.

Instead, I've ripped all my CDs to a hard drive that feeds via an Oppo 105D.  The music files are FLAC and organized by genre and then alphabetically by artist. I've tried to compare the FLAC files with the track played via disc and I just cannot tell the difference.  So, for me, it is a no-brainer...put away the discs and listen via scrolling and selecting.  Playback is near instantaneous.

I do not believe in Hi-Rez audio (at least as far as the human ear is concerned) but own a few SACD's which I still listen too.  For background music, Pandora works fine. I left the LP world long ago.  Same issue.  I mean even if LPs are actually capable of sounding better than digital, how many really want to invest in the additional equipment and go through the old school "loading" procedure?

CD cost is a problem?

Yes. Even in bulk (500?) quality CDs are .25 each. In my case I have 3500, literally. Why continue down that path instead of playing the file directly (i.e. without having to burn to CD)? Couple that with the fact that CDs deteriorate and one should at least ponder the question, why throw money away?