Gingahippy
Active Member
Probably a noob question, but I'm a noob so you get what you pay for.
I recenly ot into vintage audio gear (Kenny KA-3500 running ESS Model 8) and have always played MP3s from my laptop, mainly borrowed from friends. Then it hit me, how much of the quality of the vintage gear am I missing by suing standard MP3s?
Should I be using the highest bit rate files I can? Should I be using FLAC, WAV or OGG? Are CDs far superior? Is streaming Spotify an insult to my refined equipment?
And then I hear about DAC something or other, is this more equipment I need to turn MP3s into better packages for data or something?
I don't want to begin a record collection so that's out, but I did pick up a cheap CD player and have noticed that I can only turn the amp up to 2 rather than the usual halfway mark I use on the Macbook. Are CDs the way to go? I only have 2 CDs, a couple of albums I had many years ago that I couldn't find to stream so i bought them on CD to make sure I don't lose them again. Skylab #1 and #2. Great stuff.
Just wondering what you people think.
I recenly ot into vintage audio gear (Kenny KA-3500 running ESS Model 8) and have always played MP3s from my laptop, mainly borrowed from friends. Then it hit me, how much of the quality of the vintage gear am I missing by suing standard MP3s?
Should I be using the highest bit rate files I can? Should I be using FLAC, WAV or OGG? Are CDs far superior? Is streaming Spotify an insult to my refined equipment?
And then I hear about DAC something or other, is this more equipment I need to turn MP3s into better packages for data or something?
I don't want to begin a record collection so that's out, but I did pick up a cheap CD player and have noticed that I can only turn the amp up to 2 rather than the usual halfway mark I use on the Macbook. Are CDs the way to go? I only have 2 CDs, a couple of albums I had many years ago that I couldn't find to stream so i bought them on CD to make sure I don't lose them again. Skylab #1 and #2. Great stuff.
Just wondering what you people think.