tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post2721358807602128712..comments2024-03-18T03:10:30.572-07:00Comments on NwAvGuy: CDs Are So 1980sNwAvGuyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-30981706724015828602012-05-24T18:07:37.371-07:002012-05-24T18:07:37.371-07:00Thanks for the reply... Very helpful. What do you ...Thanks for the reply... Very helpful. What do you think of computer audio software like Amarra? It allows you to catalogue using itunes but has flac playback features etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-44548939468819059892012-05-24T09:53:42.811-07:002012-05-24T09:53:42.811-07:00The USB DAC situation is changing rapidly. A lot o...The USB DAC situation is changing rapidly. A lot of older USB DACs, regardless of the DAC chip inside being 24/192, only supported 16/44 and 16/48 via USB. That's due to the USB interface itself. USB Audio Class 1 (i.e. UAC1) supports up to 24/96 over USB and some better, and newer DACs, support that. UAC2, or special proprietary drivers, sometimes allow up to 24/192. But, in reality, the NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-84866101392903578202012-05-24T06:01:02.264-07:002012-05-24T06:01:02.264-07:00Amazing article and one I needed to read as I was ...Amazing article and one I needed to read as I was considering a CD player. I have a few noob questions if you don't mind.<br /><br />If I got a Macbook Air and stored my music on an external hard drive connected via USB would I lose sound quality? Will the quality be the same as if the files were stored on the Macbook?<br /><br />The part about Hi Res USB confused me. You say that USB can Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-14909557576019152422012-05-07T07:44:57.697-07:002012-05-07T07:44:57.697-07:00Hi-Res audio has been shown not to have any signif...Hi-Res audio has been shown not to have any significant audible advantages as a playback format. It is useful for use in recording studios. For more see my <a href="http://nwavguy.blogspot.com/2012/04/what-we-hear.html" rel="nofollow">What We Hear article</a>.<br /><br />Oppo makes some great players that do a great job playing music in any format. But don't buy a Blu Ray player just for NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-3516514924460403792012-05-06T13:11:14.852-07:002012-05-06T13:11:14.852-07:00Hello, Northwest AV,
I'am really impressed wi...Hello, Northwest AV,<br /><br />I'am really impressed with the quality of your articles. Thanks a lot. Regarding DIGITAL FORMATS, I have doubts about audio hi-res format in blueray discs. What is your opinion? Have you listen to those universal Disc Blue-ray units? I'am thinking of buying an Oppo model.Aldushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06611960528264289968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-40690962475295532072012-01-11T01:44:42.475-08:002012-01-11T01:44:42.475-08:00Hello, Northwest AV guy. Awesome article.
As a fa...Hello, Northwest AV guy. Awesome article.<br /><br />As a fairly recent reader of yours, I'd like to thank you for this amazingly interesting blog. The content here is so much above the internet/audiophile crowd, it's refreshing and enlightening. I love your honest and direct tone, and in-between-the-lines harmonics aren't bad either ; ) <br /><br />It's great that you provide G99https://www.blogger.com/profile/05995547261761517452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-39614799108290053852011-11-25T13:48:15.972-08:002011-11-25T13:48:15.972-08:00I'm becoming a bigger fan with each read. Kee...I'm becoming a bigger fan with each read. Keep up the good work.<br /><br />I engaged in a 4 year CD Player Build with a good Romanian EE friend of mine. You can follow it here:<br /><br />http://www.diyhifi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1441<br /><br />You may need to setup an account to see the pictures..annoying but worth it.Woodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14701382609133629338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-9547638710857965392011-10-19T19:39:51.829-07:002011-10-19T19:39:51.829-07:00@Christian, a very valid point and I (and others) ...@Christian, a very valid point and I (and others) agree. It's a sad (and expensive) means to better produced music. As an aside, even the CD of Avalon is way above average but then again it largely predates the worst of the loudness wars.NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-76017023689473179422011-10-19T19:07:39.756-07:002011-10-19T19:07:39.756-07:00In defense of hi-def formats such as SACD, the now...In defense of hi-def formats such as SACD, the now defunct DVD-A and the 24bit files, may be the human ear can not perceive the higher resolution of this formats but much better care is taken in the production of music released on this formats. That's why they are popular with Jazz, Classic and less mainstream music. The dynamics for example are better preserved and even the re-releases of Christian Schreierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03241483441812855970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-8763936789006577352011-09-19T08:35:29.536-07:002011-09-19T08:35:29.536-07:00Thank you all for your comments. I received one ad...Thank you all for your comments. I received one additional comment pointing out P2P file sharing has come a long way. But given the legal issues surrounding P2P and music, I'm not publishing the comment as I can be held responsible for the comments here. I did, however, revise the article.NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-24733253775222138272011-09-16T03:37:46.400-07:002011-09-16T03:37:46.400-07:00Sadly you're right... For a mysterious reason ...Sadly you're right... For a mysterious reason this format is not widely supported, even if it's open-source... It performs far better than OGG, but has no recognition.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-3597377531679109972011-09-15T18:29:10.286-07:002011-09-15T18:29:10.286-07:00Hey anon. Lots of lossy codecs have been proven to...Hey anon. Lots of lossy codecs have been proven to be sufficiently transparent that are far more compatible. Having your music in a weird format is likely to be a big problem for many.NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-32227287099584078842011-09-15T17:46:18.371-07:002011-09-15T17:46:18.371-07:00The best lossy audio codec is Musepack. Period. Si...The best lossy audio codec is Musepack. Period. Size of MP3s, quality of FLAC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-79581374091376070322011-08-10T16:03:22.785-07:002011-08-10T16:03:22.785-07:00NwAvGuy, I just discovered your blog and I'm t...NwAvGuy, I just discovered your blog and I'm totally overwhelmed by this wealth of information, thanks a lot for all your efforts.<br /><br />Regarding your question why so many people still prefer CDA in its physical form - Well, like Mark I do too, because I think an album is more than the sum of its parts, e.g. the music and the artwork; it can be an integral work of art - many artist takeTimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13771137905561268666noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-55963194875405667282011-08-02T17:41:50.625-07:002011-08-02T17:41:50.625-07:00I don't think DRM will exist in the future. It...I don't think DRM will exist in the future. It's pretty dead. As far as I know, it's restricted to subscription services nowadays. I hope Apple won't be evil enough to re-implement it with 24 bit audio. I just want lossless CD quality downloads, nevermind those huge 24/96 files. . . can't see it happening either way.<br /><br />Late thought.<br /><br />-SatelliteAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-8647600117391807162011-07-21T13:22:50.894-07:002011-07-21T13:22:50.894-07:00You're welcome Mark. You're correct in tha...You're welcome Mark. You're correct in that CDs, and any lossless digital version of CD audio, is unsurpassed for playback of music from a subjective point of view (as demonstrated by Meyer/Moran and others). Lossless music on your iPod can sound every bit as good as your CD player. In terms of the format itself, both are equal. So it comes down to the rest of the signal chain. And I can NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-89381822633963072832011-07-21T13:17:42.650-07:002011-07-21T13:17:42.650-07:00NwAvGuy, thanks for the great blog, it's reall...NwAvGuy, thanks for the great blog, it's really nice to have a place to listen to reason. Trying to get objective info from many other places is a real challenge most of the time. <br /><br />I still prefer CDs to other digital formats. What was very interesting is what you didn't say; that the other formats produce better sound. Like others, I still enjoy the process of picking out Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04522502074387862245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-82238338238876748822011-07-20T02:15:40.693-07:002011-07-20T02:15:40.693-07:00Energy consumption and codecs - if you follow Sony...Energy consumption and codecs - if you follow Sony's spec there is a small difference.<br />Personally I find that their playback spec for MP3s is pretty much spot on (for a new product)<br /><br />http://www.sony.co.uk/product/nws-x-series/nwz-x1060/tab/manual<br />-> Open the English manual and check page 176<br /><br />Or just to copy the contents:<br />Music<br />Playback at MP3 128 DetlevCMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17942983099500415723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-53109136972039027842011-07-19T19:23:13.910-07:002011-07-19T19:23:13.910-07:00"Satellite, look at my spectrogram links. AAC..."Satellite, look at my spectrogram links. AAC is a far superior codec than mp3. Has more features, more efficient, more accurate and compresses better.... Basically ~192kbps AAC is scientifically better than VBR -V0 / 320kbps CBR mp3. VBR -v0 and 320kbps CBR mp3 are EXACTLY THE SAME bit-by-bit. There's little to no point of CBR mp3 these days. mp3 is an outdated codec. There's a goodAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-74940371191246859562011-07-18T18:54:02.600-07:002011-07-18T18:54:02.600-07:00Different Rockbox Builds but it gives a good gener...Different Rockbox Builds but it gives a good general indication of codecs and bitrate and their influence on battery life, at least on Rockbox-ed Sansa models: http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/SansaRuntime <br /><br />As shown there, although codecs might not have a large influence, firmware and codec decoder does e.g. look at the e280's battery life with VBR mp3 and higher bitrate Ogg Vorbis withKarlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-49764841708553813792011-07-18T18:16:12.297-07:002011-07-18T18:16:12.297-07:00There's nothing at all wrong with some compute...There's nothing at all wrong with some computer science where applicable. Those are good points. Do you have a link to some hard numbers that compare battery life (or even better power consumption) of MP3 vs FLAC?<br /><br />As I said, at least with some music management software, it's relatively trivial to transcode an entire playlist with a few clicks from FLAC to the lossy format of NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-90978399306189955792011-07-18T17:39:22.678-07:002011-07-18T17:39:22.678-07:00However FLAC has big negatives on things with rest...However FLAC has big negatives on things with restricted storage space and battery life like portable devices. Big bitrates = big loss on battery life mainly. Also larger files = less capacity. Backlighting is the biggest consumer of battery energy, followed by file bitrate in portable devices. FLAC and other lossless sources has no problems with PCs because as stated storage is cheap but also Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-49661669043084859892011-07-18T17:18:53.311-07:002011-07-18T17:18:53.311-07:00This is getting a bit off topic and the AAC vs MP3...This is getting a bit off topic and the AAC vs MP3 debate is bit like Ford vs Chevy--it can go on forever. Perhaps you might want to take this to the head-fi thread referenced?<br /><br />For everyone else, just use FLAC. Storage is cheap. ;)NwAvGuyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00309644608738074125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-69102389503017436722011-07-18T16:52:56.196-07:002011-07-18T16:52:56.196-07:00"spectrograms tell you nothing about perceive..."spectrograms tell you nothing about perceived quality or how transparent an encoding is" - They can if you compare them to the original lossless source's spectrogram like I have. Both Vorbis and AAC has less artifacting and better represents the lossless file. Perceived quality is another but really, regardless of perceived quality, AAC compresses better, resulting in better Karlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6890046273025265768.post-83319703374353396842011-07-18T07:18:09.106-07:002011-07-18T07:18:09.106-07:00@Karl, spectrograms tell you nothing about perceiv...@Karl, spectrograms tell you nothing about perceived quality or how transparent an encoding is. A 18 kHz low pass filter may be less problematic than other compression artifacts which you do not see in a spectrogram.<br />If you do not agree feel free to ask on hydrogenaudio.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com