Cds trying to think of a reason.

[E-Stat]

I saw that too. All the more reason we should be clear and not muddy the issue further. If the same lossy file sounds different when using each of his 4 different devices, then so to will the same lossless file sound different. I was just trying to answer his original question. Baby steps ...

My approach is different.

Rather that wasting time f^rting around trying to *fix* decidedly poor content that will always leave you with the false impression that downloaded music is sub-par, open your eyes to the direction where you should be going. Which means using a different source for content and a player not limited to 48/16.

 

[GChief]

Want to elaborate?

Not really, if I have learned anything from being on here the last two years it is that this will more than likely be a waste of time discussion.
✌✌

 

[onepixel]

Simply observing your comment about non-stop playback is not supported by fact. Feel free to create your own reality.

I was adding that I enjoy multiple modes of listening.

I suggest reading comprehension and not making assumptions.

 

[E-Stat]

I suggest reading comprehension and not making assumptions.

This statement of yours found in post #149 is not supported by fact:

"When you use Spotify or any other streaming services or app, you put it on and it plays pretty much non-stop."

Feel free to create your own reality.

 

[onepixel]

What GChief said.

 

[Ramseybella]

Streaming music makes you lazy. Makes your ears lazy.

I like lazy afternoons... sometimes.

Makes you feel like you're listening to elevator music after awhile?
When i played something at work on a single disc i get past song number 2 and then it's quiet?
I use my MP3 player at work and let it do it's thing, not knowing what was playing one minute to the next. That to me is just being DJ for the rest of my co workers as I'm heavily concentrating on my job.

For us old heads that use to like reading album literature while relaxing listing to that special sliver of vinyl, yeah it's a relaxing thing.
I'm in no rush on my days off and don't mind picking what I'm just in the mood for.
I could be in a Jazz mood but just want one or two particular CD's in my collection to spin and enjoy.
I pull them out of the rack and go for it.
It's the human interaction with ones equipment i guess you can say?
We enjoy repeating the laborious process of pulling one's self up off the chair walking to ones system pushing a button and pick up the disc from the tray open the jewel case etc.
Some like to rip, rip away some like to spin a disc spin to your heart's content.
The title was CD's trying to think of a reason, i found mine.
Seeing some arguments already on what process is better and what device one needs to use over the other.
Mine is 140lbs of Rotel, Sony, Denon or Nakimichi and Klipsch.

 

[GChief]

Makes you feel like you're listening to elevator music after awhile?

I do not experience that when streaming L.O.G or similar music

 

[elcoholic]

My approach is different.

Rather that wasting time f^rting around trying to *fix* decidedly poor content that will always leave you with the false impression that downloaded music is sub-par, open your eyes to the direction where you should be going. Which means using a different source for content and a player not limited to 48/16.

I agree that 256 kbps files sound like crap compared to lossless but they should sound equally crappy across his 4 devices. AppleTV isn't limited to 48/16. He can stream FLAC, WAV, AIFF in hi-res all he wants and use his devices to control AppleTV with the Remote app. He can also play a physical 44/16 CD on 2, maybe 3 of his machines. CD resolution or higher ALAC or AIFF files played will still have the troubling inconsistencies between his devices.

 

[E-Stat]

AppleTV isn't limited to 48/16.

That would be the limitation of Airplay twiiii is using: "Each sounds different when sent to my Apple TV via airplay."

 

[Alobar]

Not all software needs continual updates.
Not all software requires constant fiddling.

Most of the long-running threads are due to people not having A Clue what they are doing, and largely ignoring, or failing to understand good advice they are given. Your development background should mean you won't fall into that camp.

I installed Exact Audio Copy when I got a new (salvaged) Win7 PC in 2016. I've made no updates, settings changes, etc. to it since then. It just does its job, without any fuss.

I have updated MusicBee, but not very often, and only to add features.

Yes, I have heard good things about Music Bee although I have not used it. I run JRiver and it is like you said, doesn't need maintenance, almost never fouls up, allows me to listen to thousands of tracks in any number of ways without ever having to get out of my chair.

As for backups, mine are completely reliable by using SyncBack SE every once in a while to "mirror" my music folder to a USB 2TB spinning drive. When done I know it is backed up because the data is compared and correct right to the byte identical. Every change to metadata is backed up, and it is so simple to do. I think a lot of the backup paranoia stems from the days of optical drive burners and before that, floppies. Having a USB 3.0 backup drive that you use on a weekly basis to backup (and then unplug), coupled with good backup software makes the likelihood of a BU drive failure very uncommon.

 

[Ramseybella]

I do not experience that when streaming L.O.G or similar music

Wasn't talking about how you experience it.
Talking about people that feel this way.
Hey again it's your choice glad you like it that way, i personally feel it does lack something it's just the way i admire the essence of the interaction.
I know i have thousands of CD's but that fine with me.
No harm no foul.

 

[GChief]

Wasn't talking about how you experience it.
Talking about people that feel this way.
Hey again it's your choice glad you like it that way, i personally feel it does lack something it's just the way i admire the essence of the interaction.
I know i have thousands of CD's but that fine with me.
No harm no foul.

I am all about do this hobby how you want! My streaming sounds as good or better than my CDs. For critical listening I sit down and spin vinyl, I still and always have prefered the sound over CDs.

 

[SterlingOne]

I have the means to experiment with media; and, having an interest in sound quality, I've have listened to same recording from different media to have an informed opinion:
1. iTunes AAC, ALAC, AIFF>OPPO UDP-205 usb DAC upscaling to 24/192>Sony TA-E9000ES pre/pro
2. iTunes AAC, ALAC, AIFF>Airport Express outputting 16/44.1 optical S/PDIF> TA-E9000ES pre/pro
3. iTunes AAC, ALAC, AIFF>Creative Sound Blaster X-FI HD usb to S/PDIF outputting 24/96 optical S/PDIF>Sony TA-E9000ES pre/pro
4. SACD/CD>OPPO UDP-205 DAC>Sony TA-P9000ES pre or TA-E9000ES
5. LP>Shure V15V-MR/Technics SL-1210GR>Sony TA-E9000ES
My conclusion, the most engaging, entertaining sound comes from #4. The sound is so rich, detailed, and staged that poor mastering or mastering with older technology is revealed. In other words, it brings out all the good but magnifies the bad too. Now, the least of these means to enjoy media but most convenient is #2. Interestingly enough though this means still sounds great. The least attractive means is #5. I love to play LPs, but, I have very few that are not in some way defective to distract me from the pleasure. You know, I'm taking about snap, crackle, and pop. These distractions prompt me to digitize the offending LPs to iTunes, applying a pop filter to eliminate the pops. At any rate, it's all a fun way to enjoy my luxurious, leisure time.

 

[GChief]

I have the means to experiment with media; and, having an interest in sound quality, I've have listened to same recording from different media to have an informed opinion:
1. iTunes AAC, ALAC, AIFF>OPPO UDP-205 usb DAC upscaling to 24/192>Sony TA-E9000ES pre/pro
2. iTunes AAC, ALAC, AIFF>Airport Express outputting 16/44.1 optical S/PDIF> TA-E9000ES pre/pro
3. iTunes AAC, ALAC, AIFF>Creative Sound Blaster X-FI HD usb to S/PDIF outputting 24/96 optical S/PDIF>Sony TA-E9000ES pre/pro
4. SACD/CD>OPPO UDP-205 DAC>Sony TA-P9000ES pre or TA-E9000ES
5. LP>Shure V15V-MR/Technics SL-1210GR>Sony TA-E9000ES
My conclusion, the most engaging, entertaining sound comes from #4. The sound is so rich, detailed, and staged that poor mastering or mastering with older technology is revealed. In other words, it brings out all the good but magnifies the bad too. Now, the least of these means to enjoy media but most convenient is #2. Interestingly enough though this means still sounds great. The least attractive means is #5. I love to play LPs, but, I have very few that are not in some way defective to distract me from the pleasure. You know, I'm taking about snap, crackle, and pop. These distractions prompt me to digitize the offending LPs to iTunes, applying a pop filter to eliminate the pops. At any rate, it's all a fun way to enjoy my luxurious, leisure time.

IMHO and experience using iTunes as a standard for streaming is selling “good” streaming services short.

 

[SterlingOne]

IMHO and experience using iTunes as a standard for streaming is selling “good” streaming services short.

I have limited experiences with FLAC and J.River Players. My interest in those was delivery of multi-channel downloads. Both were problematic in that my component multi-channel player only plays multi-channel files gaplessly via its usb flash drive port, so, I ended up just downloading multi-channel FLAC and DSD hi-res files directly to my flash drive. I don't mean to be at all critical of other streaming services or PC streaming vs. component streaming. I can easily see how folks might want one means over others. I like iTunes integration with Apple Music, and iTunes Store, as well as its automatic syncing to iPad, and iPhone devices for mobile play.

 

[elcoholic]

Just 1 nit to pick. Including AAC in the ALAC & AIFF in the same bucket to battle SACD & CD is like taking a knife to a gun fight. It’s bound to lose. My mileage definitely varies.

 

[SterlingOne]

Just 1 nit to pick. Including AAC in the ALAC & AIFF in the same bucket to battle SACD & CD is like taking a knife to a gun fight. It’s bound to lose. My mileage definitely varies.

AAC files delivered now from the iTunes Store are so good, I can not reliably distinguished them from 24/192 files from HDtracks of same material, except when sending them to my OPPO UDP-205 24/192 usb DAC, which reveals 50's and 60's era music was not mastered as well as today's music. Only multi-channel SACD for sure sounds better, in any manner that better can be discerned. But, my previous post was not about AAC quality vs. others, it was about perceived divergence in sound between some of the popular mechanisms used to deliver digital files at various algorisms and bit and bite rates which are supported by iTunes.

 

[elcoholic]

What ever works for you is great. My non-CD digital library journey has gone differently. It started with 128 AAC for iPod use starting with the 4th gen. As I upgraded from Apple buds to Etymotics the SQ was unacceptable. After much experimentation I re-ripped 1100 CDs to 320 VBR. When I got a headphone amp and switched to headphones the shortcomings of my library were revealed. The 3rd rip was to lossless. Prior to this my ripped library was only good enough for portable and background music. Since going lossless I no longer need my CDs for serious listening.

 

[sberger]

What ever works for you is great. My non-CD digital library journey has gone differently. It started with 128 AAC for iPod use starting with the 4th gen. As I upgraded from Apple buds to Etymotics the SQ was unacceptable. After much experimentation I re-ripped 1100 CDs to 320 VBR. When I got a headphone amp and switched to headphones the shortcomings of my library were revealed. The 3rd rip was to lossless. Prior to this my ripped library was only good enough for portable and background music. Since going lossless I no longer need my CDs for serious listening.

Since getting a DAC, and even though I've ripped over 2000 cd's to FLAC and stream often, I have started to play single cd's again. The DAC has improved the sound of the CD, and I actually like listening to single cd's again. I do tend to listen more seriously when it's just a single cd.

 

[Mlistens03]

I prefer physical media. I don't know why, but I think it gives me more appreciation for the music. and, with vinyl, it's the one obsession that I have and greatly enjoy, even though it is just monotonous work to clean records. CDs to me are a more casual vinyl when I don't have time for dusting, flipping sides, having to be careful about walking lightly, etc.