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I must say I find this download very impressive. This really sounds as if being there. The label has a very good track record. Their previous releases has all been 96 pcm, and very very good indeed but this DXD takes it all up a notch. If this is exemplary for DXD recordings then that is what I will be searching for. DXD recommendations please! Sound Liaison; Carmen Gomes sings the Blues.

Hello Folks Today six years ago the very first public version of the AudiophileOptimizer went online, so happy happy birthday AO! 🎂 And here we are, six years and thirtheen versions later going for it one more time! 😎 But this is only the thirteenth official version, in fact between AudiophileOptimizer 2.20 and 3.00 more than 450 internal versions have been compiled while working on it for almost 10 months.The beta phase was around 4 months long letting the feedback from almost 100 testers further shape and finetune the final version of the AudiophileOptimizer 3.00. So as you can imagine this has been a lot of work and this post will highlight many details about it. We've put a lot of links to other posting where you can read much more detailed information about those specific topics. AO 3.00 is faster than any previous version. It is actually a LOT faster. On systems with slow drives, lets say CF cards for example, it could be a pain launching up AO, it took very long time to start. This is a story of the past now... All this blazing fast speed is due to the new engine we have been working for months... This does not only make things much faster for the end-user, it also makes coding and testing AO much faster. Compiling all components (AO, ST, AS, Uninstaller & Setup) took around 17 minutes before the new engine. With the new way of things compiling all modules takes roughly 3-4 Minutes. Imagine you have to do this process a 100 times in a short frame of time... The new engine will also help greatly in the future to adapt AO to new operating systems. As you know in the past a new OS versions always ment months of work to have all working again for the new OS and maintaning functionality for the old ones. With the new engine a new OS will be adapted much faster. Another advantage is that what has been achieved for one OS can now be easily and almost all the time be achieved for all the other OS'es as well. Example, AO 2.20 could enable Device Manger, but only on Server 2016 and not for 2012 R2. AO 3.00 uses the new engine and the result is that we now have the device manager enabled through setup.exe on all three supported server OS's, meaning 2012 R2, 2016 and 2019. Microsoft makes each Server Core version tighter and smaller. This is for various reasons, they want to lessen the codebase which means less surface for attacks. It also means less downtime of server since they need less updates to be patched and so on. This process of making the OS even smaller and lighter has a price, and the price is functionality. So with each iteration of Windows Server in Core it got trickier to have your media player and especially the Audio stack working again. Bringing back the WASAPI Architecture to Windows Server 2016 was an adventure that took place over three years, so it wasn't exactly easy to accomplish that. With Windows Server 2019 the method of Server 2016 did no longer work and again a lot of time and effort had to be spent to make WASAPI in Core mode available again. Windows 10 keeps changing every six months, for the good and the bad. Nevertheles the AudiophileOptimizer 3.00 is fully tested on Windows 1903 (Build 18362) which came out barely two weeks ago. So no matter what OS you are running, the upgrade to AO 3.00 is the right choice for sure! So let's have a closer look at the change log. Version 3.00, Major Upgrade ============================================================================ AudiophileOptimizer 3.00 - Massively improved sound quality for all supported operating systems - Many drivers will no longer need F8 and disable driver signature enforcement during boot (Amanero, Pink Faun, FiraDisk & many others...) - Parameter "-filter" lets you directly select Sound Signatures/Digital-Filters - Extremeley improved load times and running much faster (new engine) - Roon Support extended for HQPlayer & Spotify support - Support for JPLAY FEMTO - Enables WDM Drivers in Windows Server 2016/2019 Core Mode - Enables Kernel-Streaming in Windows Server 2016/2019 Core Mode - Enables WASAPI in Windows Server 2016/2019 Core Mode - Enables RoonServer & RoonBridge in Windows Server 2016/2019 Core Mode - AO disables automatic maintenance (Win10/Server 2016/Server 2019) - Update of "Prepare Essentials Edition" feature for Windows Server 2019 - Ability to remove Windows Defender (Windows Server 2016/Windows Server 2019) - Updated MediaPlayer support for Windows Server 2016/2019 Core Mode - Added support for Windows 10 Build 18362 (Windows 1903) - Added support for Windows 10 Build 17763 (Windows 1809) - Added support for Windows Server 2019 RTM (Standard, Datacenter & Essentials) - Added support for Windows Server 2019 Evaluation (Standard, Datacenter & Essentials) - Removed Support for Windows Server 2012 (Standard, Datacenter & Essentials) - Now also removes pagefiles other then C:\ drive - Enables TIDAL Windows Player in Core Mode - Minor changes, fixes and updates ServiceTool 3.00 - Install HD Audio Drivers feature (does your driver need yo to press F8 during each boot to disable driver signature enforcement? no more!) - Custom shell as shell replacement (out of our 35+ variantions of shell replacement you can't find one that fits your needs? no more!) - Added command prompt as shell replacement - Focusrite RedNet Control 2 shell replacement - Added support for Windows 10 Build 18362 (Windows 1903) - Added support for Windows 10 Build 17763 (Windows 1809) - Added support for Windows Server 2019 RTM & Evaluation (Standard, Datacenter & Essentials) - Removed support for Windows Server 2012 (Standard, Datacenter & Essentials) - Added shell replacement for JRiver Media Center 25 (x86 & x64) - Minor changes, fixes and updates AudiophileShell 3.00 - Initial version of AudiophileShell - Launch AudiophileOptimizer - Launch ServiceTool - Launch powershell - Launch command prompt - Launch SCONFIG - Launch device manager - Launch sound control panel (WASAPI only) - Launch file explorer (FoD only) - Launch disk management (FoD only) AudiophileUninstaller 3.00 - Initial version of AudiophileUninstaller - Remove all files, folders, tools, shortcuts, etc. - Reverse all changes and optimizations Setup 3.00 - Big update of the Setup Guide - New OS installation guides (Windows 10, Server 2012 R2, 2016 & 2019) - Fix for shortcuts not always created properly - Registry backup no longer overwritten through update process - Minor fixes for the device manager - High-DPI Mode for high-resolution displays (4K etc.) - Enables Device Manager in Windows Server 2012 R2/2016/2019 Core Mode (en-US only) - Added support for Windows 10 Build 18362 (Windows 1903) - Added support for Windows 10 Build 17763 (Windows 1809) - Added support for Windows Server 2019 RTM & Evaluation (Standard, Datacenter & Essentials) - Removed support for Windows Server 2012 (Standard, Datacenter & Essentials) - Adds link to Control Panel on desktop - Minor changes, fixes and updates Current AO users can get their update by visiting our download page found here -> https://www.highend-audiopc.com/download To uprade to AudiophileOptimizer 3.00, simply run the new version of setup.exe over your current installation. Setup.exe can be run in core, minimal-server and GUI mode. You don’t have to do a reset via ServiceTool before you run setup.exe. Once setup.exe updates your current version of AudiophileOptimizer, it will automatically launch the latest ServiceTool to make a full reset in the end. If you upgrade AO 2.20 (or older) to AO 3.00, setup will launch ServiceTool 3.00 at the end of the installation process to make that full reset. Since your old Activation-Key will no longer work for the new version, ServiceTool will need a new Activation-Key. Do not close ServiceTool, go to the self-service Activation-Portal and generate a new AO 3.00 compatible Activation-Key and activate ServiceTool with the Activation-Key; this will also activate AO and all other components. Please feel free to ask anyhting you'd like to know. We really hope you enjoy the latest iteration of the AudiophileOptimizer and we also hope to be around for another 6 years! Very best, AudioPhil

Why are there debates if "bits are bits"? Can you hear a difference in streaming audio software? Bits are Bits! Foobar2000 was lighter on its feet, more accurate tone/timbre, quieter, and had better timing of decays. There are a delicacy and precision about its sound. JRiver had a “fatter” sound with more bleeding edges and smeared textures. It sounded flatter (by a good margin) and more veiled in a thicker, unnatural warmth.

Written by Rushton Paul for Positive Feedback. You may have seen that NativeDSD recently decided to expand its catalog offerings to now offer albums originally recorded in PCM 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, and 192kHz rates in addition to the DSD/DXD recordings they have always featured. So, after a month under the new policy, I've been watching to see what this change brings to us as listeners. And, thus far, I've been quite pleased with the additional titles from their existing label partners. Here are some of the jewels I've found. All are albums are available in the PCM wav format in which they were originally recorded (whether 88.2, 96, 176.4, or 192kHz) so that you can get the least additionally processed file. Of course, if you've determined that your DAC performs better with a higher resolution file, those higher resolutions are additionally available at NativeDSD, up to PCM 352.8kHz (DXD) and 384kHz, and up to DSD256 and DSD512. (But see my note at the end of this article.) Little Blue by Carmen Gomes Inc. Sound Liaison 2015 (original recording resolution 96kHz I admit it—I've become a huge fan of Carmen Gomes Inc. Their albums contain just an excellent selection of songs, with excellent instrumental performances, and the ever wonderful voice of Carmen Gomes. Carmen and her partners consistently deliver a delightful blending of blues, rock and song. In Little Blue, Carmen collects a broad range of songs which she says are "songs of my youth that made a lingering impression and original compositions, some written a long time ago; some only recently. They all deal with topics of everyday life that keep my mind occupied: the choices we make, how we define ourselves and how we deal with life in general." As with all of her albums, Carmen takes songs down to their basic elements and then rebuilds/restructures to suit her style. Her songs don't sound like covers. They sound original and authentic—a new take on something familiar that gives a new listening experience. Each sounds like a valid new interpretation. With a bluesy, intimate style, and a sultry sweet voice, Carmen strikes brilliantly at the heart of the song; she conveys pure emotion to the listener. Add to this an ensemble that is so tight they could collectively be a single person, and you have performances that consistently hit their mark. Recorded at M.C.O, Studio 2, Hilversum, The Netherlands, on August 17 & 18, 2014 and April 12, 2015, this is a fine example of Frans de Rond's excellent engineering that captures the performers as if we are in the room with them. Just brilliantly recorded. We now also have available two additional albums from Carmen Gomes Inc., to my great delight. Both are original recordings at 96kHz and they are excellent. They are each a deep, sultry dive into the blues—filled with emotion, filled with intimate one-to-one communication. It's wonderful to now have all three of these earlier albums of Carmen Gomez Inc available at NativeDSD. Torn by Carmen Gomes Inc. Sound Liaison 2012 (original recording resolution 96kHz) Thousand Shades of Blue by Carmen Gomes Inc. Sound Liaison 2012 (original recording resolution 96kHz Road to Memphis, Paul Berner Band. Sound Liaison 2012 (original recording resolution 96kHz) Dualtone, Atzko Kohashi & Sebastiaan Kaptein. Sound Liaison 2012 (original recording resolution 96kHz Sound Liaison continues reaching into their vaults to provide two jazz recordings from 2012: Dualtone and Road to Memphis. Both are beautifully recorded. The Paul Berner Band's Road to Memphis was recorded live in front of an audience in Studio Eleven (Hilversum) and the energy of the performances are what you get only with a live recording. The band is really moving together in these cuts. In Dual Tone, Atzko Kohashi and Sebastiaan Kaptein are working deeply through improvisation. This brings its own unique creative energy. And Atzko Kohashi is her ever-innovating and engaging performer. Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Etudes-tableaux, Vocalise, Eiji Oue, Minnesota Orchestra. Reference Recordings (original recording resolution 176.4kHz) I recall what a huge impact this album had on the audiophile community when it was first released in 2001. It continues to be a great recording with excellent performances of these works. This is an example of some of the outstanding PCM recordings that NativeDSD has been missing out on and now is able to offer with their change in policy. I'm delighted to see it now available at NativeDSD. If you don't already have this, get it! If you have any interest at all in the music of Rachmaninoff, or in great orchestral recordings generally, you won't be disappointed. Also now available are these three additional, and very excellent, albums from Reference Recordings. If the music appeals to you, as it does to me, I can highly recommend the performances and the recording quality. And I'm told there will be more recordings from Reference Recordings coming over the next weeks. First will be the stereo only albums, at a rate of about 2 per week. Following the stereo only releases, NativeDSD expects to be able to offer the Reference Recordings albums that were released in stereo and surround sound. Over 30 Reference Recording albums are anticipated to become available in the original recording format of 176.4kHz and also in higher resolutions processed through NativeDSD's Higher Rates Program (HRP, see HERE). Lovers of 5.1 surround sound rejoice! I guarantee you that Tom Caulfield, NativeDSD's mastering engineer, is dancing his happy dance over getting agreement from Reference Recordings to release these. One Movement Symphonies, music of Barber, Sibelius and Scriabin, Michael Stern, Kansas City Symphony. Reference Recordings 2016, 2023 (original recording resolution 176.4kHz) And sure enough, here is yet another wonderful Reference Recordings release recorded by Keith Johnson in 2016. The Kansas City Symphony under conductor Michael Stern was an excellent orchestra. Their albums made with Reference Recordings, including this one, are top drawer and all are highly recommended. Included here are Samuel Barber's First Symphony (In One Movement), Op. 9 (1936); Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105 (1924); and Alexander Scriabin's Le poème de l'extase (The Poem of Ecstasy), Op. 54 (1905-1908). As the title of the album states, these are all one movement symphonies of 19-23 minutes each. But packed into these single movement marvels is a wealth of creative music to explore and savor. This album was recorded in the beautiful and acoustically acclaimed Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It was produced by David Frost, seven-time winner of the Classical Producer of the Year GRAMMY award. It was recorded by RR's engineering team, comprised of GRAMMY-winning engineer and Technical Director Keith O. Johnson, and multi-GRAMMY nominated engineer Sean Martin. And it's a good 'un. Migration, The University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Jerry Junkin artistic director. Reference Recordings 2017, 2023 (original recording resolution 176.4kHz And another... I enjoy finding recordings of works by contemporary modern composers. I can't say I'm a huge fan of wind ensemble (a failing in my character according to a good audio friend), but I am quite enjoying the performances on this album. The album begins with Symphony No. 2: Migration by Adam Schoenberg (b. 1980), a narrative inspired by his wife and her family's journey to America. Adam writes in the liner notes: "Janine's parents did what many immigrants dream of doing: they became citizens, worked hard, and eventually bought a home. But their central focus was always making sure that their children would succeed. They fought to give them opportunities that would not have been possible elsewhere. They are the sacrificial generation. Their children are the embodiment of the American Dream." It is a beautiful work. You should listen. John Corgliano's Concerto for Clarinet follows in a transcription for wind ensemble by Craig Davis. This work was originally composed for Stanley Drucker, the first clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic, and was premiered on December 6, 1977 by the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. The transcription for wind ensemble works very well, and I find it most enjoyable. As one might expect, the sound textures are uniquely different with the wind ensemble accompanying clarinet soloist Jonathan Gunn (who does a very nice job!). The closing movement, "Antiphonal Toccatta," is simply brilliant here. Corgliano writes in the liner notes: "Early on, I made a decision to save some of the instruments (five horns, two trumpets, and two clarinets) for the final moments of the Concerto. This gave me the idea of physically separating them from the rest of the orchestra, and that, in turn, led to locating them in spatial positions so that they could be used antiphonally... (At the ending,) conversations between solo clarinet and onstage trumpet and trombones are now extended to include two off-stage trumpets (at the rear of the hall). A short but highly virtuosic cadenza leads to an outburst of all offstage instruments and to a buildup of the initial row-chord in the ensemble. This is followed by an extended coda with a fortissimo restatement of the Gabrieli theme and an antiphonal ending." Turn up the volume and enjoy! Jennifer Jolley's (b. 1981) The Eyes of the World Are Upon Us is a chilling reminder of the nation's first campus mass shooting at the University of Texas, Austin, August 1, 1966, when seventeen people were gunned down over a ninety-six minute killing spree. (Do you remember that day? I do.) She wrote it following reading an article in the New York Times entitled "Texas Lawmakers Pass a Bill Allowing Guns at Colleges" (published June 2, 2015), which stated that "students and faculty members at public and private universities in Texas could be allowed to carry concealed handguns into classrooms, dormitories, and other buildings…." She writes, "This piece is a celebration of life: to those who died that day, but also to those who survived." It is an impactful, sad, and emotionally challenging work to hear. And well worth hearing. The closing work in the album is a solemn, sweet processional, Intrada 1631, which composer Stephen Montague (b. 1943) writes "was inspired by a concert of early South American liturgical music... a Hanacpachap cussicuinin, a 17th century Catholic liturgical chant written in Quechua, the native language of the Incas." A very nice close to an excellent program of music. Artistic Director Jerry Junkin and The University of Texas Wind Ensemble From the liner notes: Conducted by Jerry Junkin, the University of Texas Wind Ensemble has firmly established itself as one of America's elite wind bands. Active in the area of commissioning new music since 1988, the group has offered world premiere performances of works by composers such as John Corigliano, Michael Daugherty, Donald Grantham, David Maslanka, and Dan Welcher. One of the guiding principles of the ensemble is contact with the leading musical minds of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, resulting in residencies by such notable musicians as Samuel Alder, Robert Beaser, Daniel Godfrey, William Kraft, David Maslanka, Thea Musgrave, Stephen Stucky, Joan Tower, and Pulitzer Prize winners John Adams, William Bolcom, Michael Colgrass, John Corigliano, David Del Tredici, Portraits of the Renaissance, Konstantin Shenikov, lute. HR Recordings, 2023 (original recording resolution 192kHz) The Guitar Music of Fernando Sor, Agustín Maruri, guitar. HR Recordings, 2023 (original recording resolution 96kHz Music for lute or guitar, anyone? These are both lovely recordings, but not available until now since their original recording resolution was 96kHz. Ann has been particularly enjoying Konstantin Shenikov on lute, whom she finds very skillful and very deliberate in his presentation of these dance tunes by various Renaissance composers, including Cutting, Dowland, Ferrabosco, Holborne, Capriola and Anonymous. These are all composers whom I enjoy as well. I find Shenikov's playing to be technically very fine, but for my preferences there is yet more to be found in these pieces than Shernikov provides. Ann disagrees and finds his presentation of the pieces eminently enjoyable and very appropriate for dance, the intended purpose for many. Try them, you may like them. The guitar works of Fernando Sor are well known to those who love classical guitar. These performances by Agustín Maruri are very fine, in my opinion. I'm not an expert in the technique of playing classical guitar, but I have found these delightful. If you wish to sample one track, may I suggest the little Andantino, op. 2, no. 3 on Track 4. At a little over three minutes, it is a fair reflection of what's to be found on the rest of the album. Mahler Symphony No. 2 (The Resurrection), Christiane Karg, Czech Philharmonic, Elisabeth Kulman, Prague Philharmonic Choir, Semyon Bychkov. Pentatone, 2018 (original recording resolution 96kHz) This has quickly become my favorite performance of Mahler's Second Symphony, nicknames "The Resurrection." It is a massive work for full orchestra, chorus, and alto soloist. At nearly an hour and a half in length, it is demanding of your commitment as a listener. But it rewards! It rewards throughout! If you are not a fan Mahler, this is the symphony that might win you over. It is filled with brilliant themes, great lyricism, tremendous orchestral color. Symon Bychkov's pacing is just perfect for my tastes—he never looses the overall thread of the music, maintaining tension across the entire magnificent arch of the piece. One can certainly pick nits here and there (does the end of the first movement have enough ferocity? does alto Chistiane Karg have enough gravitas to fully deliver the critical "Urlicht" movement? (she does, in my opinion), does Bychov over-manage the sound of each of the instrument sections that the big picture of the first movement loses out?). My overall answer to these nits is, get over it. This is a great performance with tremendous power, great emotional range, and exceptional beauty. The Czech Philharmanic is unarguably among the great orchestras performing today, and their performance for Bychkov here is magnificent. Both alto Christiane Karg and soprano Elisabeth Kulman deliver spine tingling performances. And the sound quality from the Pentatone recording team is superb. The sound will blow your hair back and knock off your socks. Now I need to listen to Bychkov's earlier recordings of Mahler's Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5. A friend told me they are terrific. Anime Immortali (Immortal Souls), Franco Fagioli, Daniel Bard, Kammerorchester Basel. Pentatone 2023 (original recording resolution 96kHz) Here is an cotemporary example of recordings still being made in PCM 96kHz in 2020 and released in 2023. While not everyone may enjoy countertenors, these are wonderful arias from great Mozart operas and exquisite choral music. And Franco Fagioli is stellar. He sings with tremendously communicative phrasing and inflection, excellent clarity, and genuine emotional intensity. The playing by Kammerorchester Basel is alert and lively, and the recording quality is very, very nice. And when the music is from Mozart's Lucio Silla, La clemenza di Tito, Exsultate jubilate, among other works, how can you go wrong!?! All of these recordings are being released by NativeDSD in their original recording format and resolution (hurray!), plus conversions to other resolutions such as DXD and DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512. You can choose. But which to choose? Its complicated, but the ultimate answer is: choose what sounds best in your system, with your DAC. Just do not assume that some higher resolution format than the original will sound better. It may, but also it may not sound as good. In our primary system, the original recording resolution consistently sounds best. It is the closest to the edit master of that file and has had the least number of digital conversions, which always leave artifacts. But, while our primary DAC is happiest ingesting the original file format, another DAC may prefer the benefits of the pre-processed conversion to a higher resolution. There is less work for the DAC to do. So, you have some homework to do if you've not already done this comparison. Who said digital was easy?

View Classified Meze Empyrean with silver upgrade cable For sale in Europe Meze Empyrean 8 month old headphones, well taken care, used in a non smoking environment. Comes with original Meze XLR and upgrade silver headphone cable with Furutech rhodium connectors. Price is 2300€ plus shipping and PayPal fees. If need more closeup pictures please let me know. Seller tcode Date 12/19/22 Price 2,440.00 USD Category Headphones  

I just received this from my friend Alex from the Netherlands and I can confirm that the code works. https://www.soundliaison.com/index.php/536-sound-liaison-dxd-music-sampler

Ok so I'm considering ordering a Yamaha RS202 2 channel stereo reciever with Bluetooth. I have two 6 1/2 inch B.I.C. America venturi bookshelf speakers DV64. I have a somewhat small room. I feel like this will be a good way for me to just chill and listen to music with Bluetooth on my phone. I asked a question about the pa speakers in my room. Took the advice got rid of them. I just want clear decent sound. Theres the pic so u have a idea of the room.

Hi All, I believe this is my first post, so please excuse any apparent ignorance. Can the community here suggest 'the best' computer-based playback device(s) currently available. I am looking for a system that does the following: -digitize incoming analog sources, preferably on-the-fly, and includes options for applying vinyl RIAA curves, etc -can accept DSD, SACD, HDCD and DVD-A signals -can analysize audio data files, optimize and/or make corrections to those files -can apply room and/or speaker corrections -has EQ with preset memory -can manage a song library -has a regulated power supply -components are of good build, properly isolated and appropriate for low-noise audio playback I would greatly appreciate your feed back. Many Thanks!

I am trying to figure out if there is a term for the difference in audio quality between these two versions of the same song. The second version sounds significantly more rich and full, for lack of a more specific description, than the first version. I'd also like to know what is responsible for the difference. Is it something to do with particular frequencies being to high or low? Is it related to audio channels? Etc. I specifically need to know what the term is because there is another song that has the same "hollow" sort of sound to it that the 1st upload below has, which I'm trying to compensate for. If I know the term, I might be able to see if and/or how I can fix it. The two versions are listed below: 1st version/Low Quality 2nd vesion/High Quality Thanks in advance for any help!

Greetings! I'm a grad student at MIT, and I'm working with a startup here that's developing a new high-end home stereo system. We're looking for feedback on the latest features of the system, and would love for you to take this quick 5-minute survey. I'm happy to answer any questions you have about the survey or the technology we're developing, so do don't hesitate to ask! https://dsc4026.sawtoothsoftware.com/xYXqPLYNTC/cgi-bin/ciwweb.pl?studyname=xYXqPLYNTC -Ben

Most of us are probably aware that the attempts have been made to modify human embryos' DNA. In fact we could see first genetically modified humans quite soon. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2016/03/15/first-genetically-modified-humans-could-exist-within-two-years/ And while everybody reflecting on this thinks about such possibilities as preventing diseases or increasing some abilities (like IQ) that DNA modifying could give us, I just came with a different idea. What if we could increase our hearing ability due to such a modification.? The simple idea is to increase our low frequency hearing range to let's say an elephant level and the high frequency one to let's say - a bottlenose dolphin or porpoise. Could improving the dynamics and stereo imaging be possible too.? If so - the new type of an audiophile would appear on the planet - (let's call him) the Superaudiophile. How many of us would like our kids to be like that? How would this influence the audio market? How the rest of (unmodified) us would feel while talking about sound quality with a guy like that..?! BTW I am aware I've just entered Philip K. Dick territory.. Someone ready to let his imagination run free.?

Any of you guys saw this? Any comments on this music player? - https://igg.me/at/air-tunes They claim its of audiophile quality. The specs and the details look promising. It's got a lot of audio effects as well (not sure how useful though). What do you guys think? I'm on the edge whether to get this or not.

The following was taken from this article on Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop. It is from the end of the article that lists eight steps to selling snake oil. I changed a small number of words. Any of it sound familiar? https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/07/defense-of-gwyneth-paltrows-goop-offers-case-study-on-how-to-sell-snake-oil/ No hate for Gwyneth Paltrow here. She is a fine actress though perhaps a bit misguided on some products she promotes. Step 1. Assure the customer that you are there for them and can care for them—especially when no one else is or can, including the heartless, mainstream audio engineering community. As Great sound puts it: Our primary place is in addressing people, audiophiles in particular, who are tired of hearing less-than-great sound, who are looking for solutions—these audiophiles are not imagining what they hear, and they should not be dismissed or marginalized. 2. Explain that you just have more answers than those stuffy evidence-based doctors because you look at things from a fresh, holistic perspective. We are drawn to doctors, engineers, and designers who are interested in both Western and Eastern modalities and incorporate the best from both, as they generally believe that, while traditional sound reproduction can be really good at meeting spec, enjoyable music goals are more adept at tackling issues that are chronic. 3. Gently caution that you might not have all the answers—because, duh!, nobody does. So, it’s understandable that not all of your remedies will work. The thing about science and sound is that it evolves all the time. Studies and beliefs that we held sacred even in the last decade have since been proven to be unequivocally false and sometimes even harmful. Meanwhile, other advances in science and sound continue to change and enrich lives. It is not a perfect system; it is a human system. 4. But stress that you are the real deal. You have degrees, badges, and an open mind. The doctors we regularly feature on Great Sound: doctors who publish in peer-reviewed journals; doctors who trained at the best institutions; engineers who are repeatedly at the forefront of quality music reproduction; engineers and scientists who persistently and aggressively maintain an open mind. 5. And you are definitely not crazy at all!!! We would never suggest that someone skip all measurements, design solely by ear, that they refuse to take advantage of modern materials, that they not use the latest technical advancements. There is much in Western science to marvel at. 6. At this point, note that you are the victim of Meany McCriticFaces, who don’t know what they’re talking about and are just trying to sell stuff and promote their own brands, unlike you, who have the customers’ backs (see step 1). There are third parties who critique Great Sound to leverage that interest and bring attention to themselves. Encouraging discussion of new ideas is certainly one of our goals, but indiscriminate attacks that question the motivation and integrity of the doctors, engineers, and designers who contribute to the site is not. 7. Twist the facts to suggest that any critics of you are actually critics of the customer. You’re in this together! Some of the coverage that Great Sound receives suggests that audiophiles are lemmings, ready to jump off a cliff whenever one of our designers discusses using special cable, or improving a power supply, or dampening a chassis—or, heaven forbid, take a walk barefoot. As audiophiles, we chafe at the idea that we are not intelligent enough to read reviews and take what serves us, and leave what does not. We simply want information; we want autonomy over our musical lives. 8. End by turning the table on those who dare to criticize evidence-free, nonsensical audiophile remedies that may be ineffective. Declare that it is those critics that are in fact ineffective, not you, who are open and compassionate. It is unfortunate that there are some who seem to believe that they already know it all, who pre-judge information before they’ve even taken the time to read or understand it, who believe that there is actually nothing left to learn, who believe that they, singularly, own the truth. That is troubling, and that is dangerous. Here’s to an open and honest dialogue, to open minds and open hearts.

The best way I can describe it goes something like this. I read about 24/96 recordings, and noticed that they were huge compared to FLAC files, freely traded on the Internet from repositories at bt.etree.org. I saw an ad for the Dragonfly by Audioquest, version 1.2, and it was much better than the original version, and it cost $150. In my world, $150 is an amount that would take four months of saving a little each month. That is what is called a "Dream". Then I noticed that a newer, even better Dragonfly was on the market, and I got my 'old' version for $79. It was like reading your first book, not required by school. It opened my mind, it made me want to read more. Then the Audioquest folks had to replace my defective version 1.2, and I discovered that it had been defective from the start, cause what I was hearing was the First Time, even though I had heard the recordings many times over the years, familiar with every note. After all, was it even possible to imagine anything better than 24/96? I read about the Schiit Modi2 for $99, (plus $23 shipping) But it was worth it. I was hearing details that had me gobsmacked. And I discovered 24/176 and 24/192! The naysayers will say our ears can only hear '16 bit/44.1 Redbook SBE standard' CD quality. And furthermore, you cannot hear any difference between a MP3 at 192 (high) and 320 (insanely high) sample rates, they will add with confidence as they plug the stock earplugs, that came with his phone in their ears and smiles. To continue with the metaphor of the reading a book, the Modi2 was finding the Library ,where with a small key tag, you could check out up to 10 music CDs and rip them into lossless FLAC files and build your own digital music library. You could also download freely-traded Grateful Dead soundboard recordings in FLAC files using bit-torrent technology, developed in part by the same Deadheads that designed FLAC, and built the Internet in the first place...but I digress. Today, arrived the iFi nano iDSD LE and I am listening to every recording for THE FIRST TIME. Now we have had my head exploding. ~The Music is Magical. You understand that for the past 40 years, you have listened to these songs, but until this very moment, you had never HEARD them. At $129, this device is a MUST HAVE addition to any "Computer Audiophile on the Cheap*" home stereo system. *-"Computer Audiophile on the Cheap" is a philosophy. Make the Stereo you have sound as well as possible. We extol Vintage Electronics, legendary Loudspeakers, and some in-expensive tweaks that will give you the SQ (Sound Quality) of a system that costs others Thousands of Dollars to best. It is also my Thread and my blog on ComputerAudiophile.com.

Worth checking out, I believe. http://www.hdtracks.com/critics-album-picks/stereophile?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=!HDtracks%20Newsletters&utm_content= Use promocode HD20STEREO The offer expires 01/26/2017 11:59PM (EST)!

Having been an audiophile for well over 25 years and an amateur astronomer for 40 years, I'm very curious as to how many others here are into both hobbies. Is there something common in us that might lead to an interest in both? Love of beauty? Or science? Or is the night sky in some way similar to beautiful music? Or maybe both provide a solitary escape? Would love to hear others opinion on this.

Hi Computer Audiophiles, I'm writing to you because I'm a Wedding and Event DJ looking to step up the quality of my music files. I believe since most DJ equipment and my equipment is 2 channel, I think all questions going forward pertain to 2 channel audio. The first question I have is how many high quality physical media formats are there that I can use. I'm aware of SACD, DVD Audio and Blu-Ray audio. Are there any other physical media types I should be familiar with? What is the best way to find out if physical media has 2 channel audio? Is there a way to convert multi channel audio to 2 channel without sacrificing quality. Are there any file based non-physical media formats that I should consider? My goal with my collection is to have at a bare minimim CD or vinyl record quality. 1000+kbps and above essentially. I hope my questions are clear and I hope I posted this in the correct section of the forum. Thank you.

Hi all, Just looking forward to spend max $150 if I get a DAC/Amp to get better sound from Audio Technica M40x. I currently use FiiO E10. Please throw some suggestions. Regards.

I often get asked how to setup our sonicTransporter with Roon Server and a microRendu or ultraRendu as a Roon Ready player. I made a quick youtube video on how to get this done. https://goo.gl/BHN1Jb

New audio magazine/interior design/acoustic treatment magazine idea suggested by a misreading of a recent troll thread topic. Thoughts? (Also, feel free to post any pics--remember that it's American only, please create a new thread for any European or other Hi-Fi Interiors! ) Some quick cover images I found on Google mockups I created*: *Disclaimer: strikethrough text is accurate, copyrights retained by their respective holders blah blah blah hahahaha

Indian Summer Sale at Sound Liaison and a generous Blue Coast offer Sound Liaison has started their sale with 33% off on all files and BlueCoast has a 50% off offer if one spends more than 40$. The 2 labels have a number of highly recommendable files.... https://www.soundliaison.com/ http://store.bluecoastmusic.com/

My top 3 music for December 2017; Linn has a 3 for the price of 2 offer through out December :Linn Sound Liaison has released a magnificent follow up to the 1st Enghave Barok download, with a sublime recording of one of Bach very best cantatas the Bwv 39. Sound Liaison The download is on special offer for $/€ 10 this month. That is steal for that kind of recording quality.

DSD Native 10% off on all downloads https://www.nativedsd.com Hd tracks 15% off on one download http://www.hdtracks.com/ Sound Liaison 50% off on 6 downloads https://www.soundliaison.com/

Hello everyone,This is Jerome Sabbagh writing. I am a saxophonist and audiophile. I was recently profiled in the Stereophile series Musicians as Audiophiles. Personally, I enjoy listening to vinyl and high resolution files, and I buy both.Three years ago, the support of audiophiles of all stripes helped make my album "The Turn" a reality. "The Turn" made a few "best of" lists for 2014 (LA Times, Boston Globe, DownBeat) and was also favorably reviewed in Stereophile and Analog Planet. I recently recorded a new album, "No Filter", a project I co-lead with my old friend - and fantastic guitarist - Greg Tuohey. Like "The Turn", this record was recorded live to two track 1/2 inch tape at 30 ips by James Farber at Sear Sound. It will be mastered and cut to vinyl directly from the tape by Bernie Grundman but 96/24 downloads will also be available, as well as CDs. I am raising funds to make this happen. The ADC of choice at Bernie Grundman Mastering are modified Lavry Gold and JCF. I'm hoping to audition both and pick the one that sounds best for the digital versions. I've had good experiences with both converters, which was a factor in picking this particular studio.Click here for Kickstarter linkI am happy to answer any and all questions and hope you might consider supporting this. We are shooting for an October release on Sunnyside Records.Thank you!Jerome Sabbagh

"At iFi we believe that high-quality sound is a way of life. The nano iOne was created for both audiophiles and those who yearn for better sound quality from their existing home systems. The iOne is neither a one-trick pony nor is it a jack-of-all-trades. It is simply incredibly versatile and offers cutting-edge technology, with each separate function designed and implemented with as much care and dedication as they would receive in a single function device from iFi Audio." Bluetooth connectivity. In two words, that is what makes the iFi nano iOne different from any other external DAC in the marketplace. The postman dropped off a unit today for my review and recommendation. It is a very remarkable device and we here at "Computer Audiophile on the Cheap" are putting this to the test. At an MSRP of $199, it certainly fits into our price range. It can become part of your home audio system, and set-up is almost too easy. "The Burr-Brown True Native chipset is a MultiBit DAC which represents the ‘best of the best’ chipset design. This chipset handles PCM and DSD natively, so the music signal stays in its original format all the way through." There is a difference between the DAC chipset in the nano iOne, and the Schiit Modi 2, which is the standard reference in my system. I reviewed the iFi iDSD nano LE, which is a DAC/headphone amplifier. I felt that the amplification stage for headphones had an adverse effect on the line output through the RCA connectors. I liked the sound that it produced, but I found that too many pots spoiled the soup. There were issues when the signal was amplified in the DAC, and then the volume could also be adjusted by the receiver or pre-amp. Call me crazy but in a head to head competition, my lament was the iFi didn't sound as "musical" as the Schiit. I thought at that time, that it was a shame that the RCA line out was running through the amplifier stage. It affected the Sound Quality, and not in a good way. My contact at iFi offered to loan me the Black Label version of the nano LE, but in its current ideation, it is strictly a headphone DAC/Amplifier. Now I love headphones for my Smartphone, and when I want to really hear my music, even if nobody else likes it. I wanted to review the iOne mainly because it is a "pure DAC" with RCA output. There is no amplification stage, which suits me just fine. My man at iFi emphasized the "Bluetooth connectivity" as the selling point for the iOne. I was thinking, "Yeah, right" because my CAOTC system is computer-based, and with a Denon AVR-2805 to provide all the amplification I need to drive my Advents--the Bluetooth was a nice feature, but I hardly doubted if I would be doing much with it. Man, was I wrong? It was so simple to set-up. and the sound quality was remarkable. The files on my Moto G3 are all MP3 @ 192, hardly "Hi-Res Audio" but when the Moto was paired via Bluetooth, the SQ was still remarkable. I am using open-source VLC as my media player-- so playing FLAC Hi-Res files would not be a problem. My only consideration would be the file sizes--meaning I might need a 32 Gb SD Micro card for the phone instead of the little 16 Gb card, filled with MP3s. But streaming DSD files--which is basically the best source material in our current technology would be a breeze with iOne and the Bluetooth. (Sure I could stream through the computer, which is on my Internet connection-- but that is hardly a 'portable' option) How does the iOne stand up against the Schiit Modi 2? That is apples and oranges. My Schiit sells for $99 and is NOT Multibit. The Multibit version of Schiit Modi will cost you $249. The iFi nano iOne is a Multibit DAC which can play DSD natively. It sounds incredible. Does this mean that I can no longer use the Modi 2? Absolutely not. It will replace the Dragonfly by Audioquest (Version 1.2) on my second system in the bedroom. That will give me 24/192 resolution back there, instead of the 24/96 from the Dragonfly. But on the big rig-- my main listening system with the Denon and the $4,000 Nordost Valhalla speaker ribbon cables--the iFi nano iOne is the new Sheriff in town. I just finished listening to Thomas Dolby's "Aliens Ate My Buick"-- a very well engineered but not that popular recording that even Dolby himself said was a bit over the top. You know Dolby for his "She Blinded Me with Science" off his debut "The Golden Age of Wireless" album. I am playing that now, and it is crisp, clear, and accurate reproduction without any coloration. In the audiophile world, 'coloration' can be an attribute or a detriment. I prefer "pure" reproduction. I want to hear what the Engineer heard through their headphones when they were making the mix-down in the recording studio. I want to be able to listen at a moderate level and want for nothing more. I don't want any point in the signal path to be adding "warmth" or some other buzz word that describes what some say "makes digital sound like an album". If I wanted to replace my entire music library with 180 gram Virgin Vinyl LPs and all the accoutrement of that--then I would not be a "Computer Audiophile" and I would be hearing clicks and pops, not to mention having to get up from my sweet spot to flip the disc over every 15 minutes. No, Thank you! In my former life, as a photojournalist, I remember people asking me if Digital was "as good" as the film. From my practical considerations as a wire-service photojournalist, I had to admit the convenience of no wet processing made digital my preference. But those were the days of less than 5-megapixel files from my Nikon D2H. Once I moved up to a 16 Mp sensor on my Sony, I could honestly tell people that Digital was Better than film. Without question, the film was a nostalgic, albeit troublesome choice. Kodachrome had long since been discontinued, and if the reference was ISO 800 Fujicolor negative film--a 16 Mp file blew film off the map. In audiophile world, there is a traditionalist snobbery associated with spinning vinyl. And since the roof has been blown off the high-end turntables, cartridges, and record-cleaning machines--I have to put all my effort into digital as my source. If you want to defend analog (LP records) you need to find someone else to argue with. I am a Modern consumer, I have no use for Tubes or LP records. I will take an HDTracks 24/192 file and enjoy the Hell out of the listening experience for hours on end with no record flipping, no pops, and cracks, no scratches, period. Two albums into this testing session and iFi have convinced me that this is the Modern Solution to digital music reproduction. Now I am listening to a playlist of 24 bit 192 recordings. One word...Spectacular! The Brown-Burr chipset is awesome with Hi-Res Audio recordings from Linn, on their 40th Anniversary Collection sampler. There is NO noise floor, it is gone. What is coming out of these 40-year-old loudspeakers is a sound that Henry Koss could have never imagined when he designed these speakers. The iFi Nano iOne is an obvious "Must Buy" when you are ready to upgrade your music system. Back to the Apples and Oranges-- the Schiit is a good DAC for $99, but the iFi with Bluetooth Connectivity is a steal at $199, and well worth an extra C-note. Recommended by the Computer Audiophile on the Cheap! That is my highest accolade. Computer Audiophile on the Cheap Magazine Chat (26)