How many members are digital audio purists ? Meaning no streaming or analog just CD/SACD

[mdp632]

The recent CD threads have got me thinking, Going forward, we will see a resurgence of optical disc playback enthusiasts ? Similar to the analog/vinyl crowd of today. Which regardless of people’s opinion I feel has brought many new and younger people in the hobby that wouldn’t have had an interest prior.

I’ve always read and continue to read about analog enthusiasts but, never compact disc ones. Especially in mainstream audio publications.

However, I noticied a few members seem to focus on disc playback exclusively. Quite a few have high end Esoteric one box players.

To those members, do you ever feel you are missing out? With regards to having the convienance of file playback and streaming?

 

[Rayooo]

The recent CD threads have got me thinking, Going forward, we will see a resurgence of optical disc playback enthusiasts ? Similar to the analog/vinyl crowd of today. Which regardless of people’s opinion I feel has brought many new and younger people in the hobby that wouldn’t have had an interest prior.

I’ve always read and continue to read about analog enthusiasts but, never compact disc ones. Especially in mainstream audio publications.

However, I noticied a few members seem to focus on disc playback exclusively. Quite a few have high end Esoteric one box players.

To those members, do you ever feel you are missing out? With regards to having the conviennace of file back and streaming?

Or do you feel that physically borrowing your collection and playing a disc is the same as putting a record on a turntable?

I'm 100% digital, have been now for several years. - Digital downloads (99.9% Flac, DSF and a few WAV) Still rip CDs to FLAC for playback. It took me a few years to get digital where I wanted it. Once I did I've never looked back. I have less than zero desire for vinyl, slipping CDs into a CD Player or even HQ streaming.
I do stream music for "party quality" music. I am however keeping an eye on high rez streaming services. I may look into them further at some point in the future.

 

[SCAudiophile]

The recent CD threads have got me thinking, Going forward, we will see a resurgence of optical disc playback enthusiasts ? Similar to the analog/vinyl crowd of today. Which regardless of people’s opinion I feel has brought many new and younger people in the hobby that wouldn’t have had an interest prior.

I’ve always read and continue to read about analog enthusiasts but, never compact disc ones. Especially in mainstream audio publications.

However, I noticied a few members seem to focus on disc playback exclusively. Quite a few have high end Esoteric one box players.

To those members, do you ever feel you are missing out? With regards to having the conviennace of file back and streaming?

Or do you feel that physically borrowing your collection and playing a disc is the same as putting a record on a turntable?

Count me in but mind you that in the 70s-90s I loved Vinyl starting with time with my father and his Big Band vinyl collection
on 33 and 78 and a very solid (by today's standards) intermediate or a bit lower system. I also had vinyl up through the late
1990s until a plumbing leak over a 2 week period we were out of country trashed an entire corner of our home from the top (3rd)
floor down and took out all my vinyl including a good number of original MoFi releases, a Denon high-end (at the time) and
Technics deck and miscellaneous things all related to my vinyl playback. Do I miss vinyl/pure analog playback,..absolutely.
Do I still appreciate it,...hell yes! I have however gone solidly down pure CD/XRCD/SACD/etc...playback with no vinyl
or no streaming. I've hard 'the best' server-based solutions vendor OEM and some home-built by experts and it just
doesn't equal what I hear every day including tests of Tidal, software MQA, etc...here.

Long-winded but definitely +1!!!

These point out my 'problem' and love for CD, XRCD and SACD :exciting:

 

[CPP]

Man I just love music and if CD's provide the music I am after then CD/SACD's it is. Same for LP's, and hi-rez downloads or rips. It's about the music after all just enjoy.

 

[brad225]

I as this with all due respect SC. Is there a method to your filing madness? :-0

 

[UltraFast69]

Count me in but mind you that in the 70s-90s I loved Vinyl starting with time with my father and his Big Band vinyl collection
on 33 and 78 and a very solid (by today's standards) intermediate or a bit lower system. I also had vinyl up through the late
1990s until a plumbing leak over a 2 week period we were out of country trashed an entire corner of our home from the top (3rd)
floor down and took out all my vinyl including a good number of original MoFi releases, a Denon high-end (at the time) and
Technics deck and miscellaneous things all related to my vinyl playback. Do I miss vinyl/pure analog playback,..absolutely.
Do I still appreciate it,...hell yes! I have however gone solidly down pure CD/XRCD/SACD/etc...playback with no vinyl
or no streaming. I've hard 'the best' server-based solutions vendor OEM and some home-built by experts and it just
doesn't equal what I hear every day including tests of Tidal, software MQA, etc...here.

Long-winded but definitely

Mark is this you? Ed here.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[DSkip]

A good transport will still edge out a good streamer IMO. When I went to RMAF I intended to run with streaming but the CD's sounded just a little fuller and more dynamic. It was minor but noticeable all the same. I've had that same experience a few times.

The streamer is catching up to a good transport though. Its close enough now where I use Tidal for demos, but I will likely stick to CD's for shows.

 

[mdp632]

A good transport will still edge out a good streamer IMO. When I went to RMAF I intended to run with streaming but the CD's sounded just a little fuller and more dynamic. It was minor but noticeable all the same. I've had that same experience a few times.

The streamer is catching up to a good transport though. Its close enough now where I use Tidal for demos, but I will likely stick to CD's for shows.

I feel the same and will just speak as to what I’ve personally heard. I still think a lot of people feel the same. We have a quite a few members here that are disc exclusive and no streaming or file playback. As you stated sound quality is probably one of the main reasons. For critical listening physical media on a certain player and a certain system still wins for them over streaming and or server based audio.

 

[DogsPart2]

SCAudiophile,

I love that CD collection. Well done.

Is that a Bach hard case as well?

 

[Mechnutt]

I am about 90% digital with 4tb of music from ripping Cd's and digital download. Other 10% of listening is vinyl. Although I wish my vinyl collection was bigger and that new vinyl was exclusively recorded via analog vs digital which IMO sounds like crap most of the time. I also wish I had a much better CDP but the DAC and digital storage works great.

 

[crwilli]

My listening is primarily from playing files from my NAS. There is a fair amount of listening to Tidal streaming as it is so integrated with ROON often times the radio function of ROON kicks in and may play something off of Tidal or my NAS. If there is something new I hear or read about, I will first play it on Tidal (if available) before purchasing it.

I just listened to the ‘A’ side of the Eagles The Long Run album. First vinyl I have spun in almost 2 years.

 

[JohnJ]

For a few years now, I have been gleaming insight into "computer audio." For the past year I've been ripping Cd's (gathered from many sources) and playing them through a 2010 MacBook Pro.
The CD's tend to have better SQ and vinyl has its own appeal of SQ, physical format and nostalgia. That said...
The convenience of the MacBook server is where I am doing most of my listening of late.
Still not ready to part with the CD player, TT or tuner; yet anyway.

 

[Randy Myers]

I have gone 100% digital. When I get a new disk the absolute first thing I do is rip it and copy it to my server. I also love high res downloads, the higher the better. Big fan of DSD.

The quality and convince of listening to music the music server and controlled by Roon is unbeatable....

 

[kev313]

Tidal for me. I’ve kept my sacds and vinyl but I love tidal. First of all, the sound is good enough to the point where I would happily go with tidal so as to not look at racks and racks of collected media. I hate having “stuff”. Secondly, it’s totally limiting to stick to discs you own. Always going back over the favorites. Nope. No way...nothing better than exploring new music on tidal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LostnAmerica]

Count me in but mind you that in the 70s-90s I loved Vinyl starting with time with my father and his Big Band vinyl collection
on 33 and 78 and a very solid (by today's standards) intermediate or a bit lower system. I also had vinyl up through the late
1990s until a plumbing leak over a 2 week period we were out of country trashed an entire corner of our home from the top (3rd)
floor down and took out all my vinyl including a good number of original MoFi releases, a Denon high-end (at the time) and
Technics deck and miscellaneous things all related to my vinyl playback. Do I miss vinyl/pure analog playback,..absolutely.
Do I still appreciate it,...hell yes! I have however gone solidly down pure CD/XRCD/SACD/etc...playback with no vinyl
or no streaming. I've hard 'the best' server-based solutions vendor OEM and some home-built by experts and it just
doesn't equal what I hear every day including tests of Tidal, software MQA, etc...here.

Long-winded but definitely +1!!!

These point out my 'problem' and love for CD, XRCD and SACD :exciting:

Oh my! Beautiful to look at, so many treasures there. Thank you!
And yes, count me in for pure digital, CDs, HDCD, & a couple of SACDs...
Cheers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Phishphan]

My entire CD/SACD collection is ripped to a NAS and is on my Aurender N10. I have nearly 3TB of digital music in FLAC & DSF. I rarely spin a CD and my TT hasn’t been hooked up in 2 years.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[a.wayne]

A good transport will still edge out a good streamer IMO. When I went to RMAF I intended to run with streaming but the CD's sounded just a little fuller and more dynamic. It was minor but noticeable all the same. I've had that same experience a few times.

The streamer is catching up to a good transport though. Its close enough now where I use Tidal for demos, but I will likely stick to CD's for shows.

Same here , CD's always sound better to me thru a CDP than from streaming software ....

 

[nicoff]

My entire CD/SACD collection is ripped to a NAS...
....
I rarely spin a CD...
...

Same here. Once one gets used to the convenience of streaming it is hard to go back.

But... I do have my TT hooked up and from time to time forget about the inconvenience and spin one LP or two.

 

[kevinkwann]

A good transport will still edge out a good streamer IMO.

I'll take it a step further. Almost any transport sounds better than a good streamer. I won't waste a second or cent on computer audio.

 

[Phishphan]

I'll take it a step further. Almost any transport sounds better than a good streamer. I won't waste a second or cent on computer audio.

Many times I find there are higher resolution versions available online vs a physical format. Also, I’m a avid collector of Phish & Grateful Dead (Dead & Co) concerts. Most of those aren’t available on CD.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk