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Thread: The new Era on how we listen to music....lost a little bit and overwhelmed

  1. #1
    Join Date: Sep 2019

    Location: Montréal, Québec, Canada

    Posts: 6
    I'm Jean-PHilippe.

    Default The new Era on how we listen to music....lost a little bit and overwhelmed

    I was a little bit at the crossroad in my music listening methods. I realized that I was spending less time listening to my music.

    I have a little bit of everything, a good cd collection, couple of vinyl, music on my IPod classic, a sound card and music on my hard drive. Most of my time I was listening to Soundcloud mainly to discover some new artists on the electronic scene.
    I end up, not buying anything from those artists, not even a song because I was not happy with the sound of my system ( dematerialized music )
    Having a native instrument external sound card and a old pc I knew I could do better.
    I'm a guy of passion, I wanted to keep time for playing music as well as some time to listen to music.

    Time is running fast. I know that I like things, when they are well done and think.
    So, for now, I'm happy, when I listen to my music on my cd player.
    I feel grounded, I can relax listening to my music and even read the cd infos on the artists. The sound quality is great, I find myself listening to music and enjoying it !!!!
    My turntable was a project, but I realized I lost interest in doing so, even if I grew up listening hours of music on a turntable, it wasn't talking to me anymore. Having this beautiful Lenco L75 sitting there, not in is optimal condition was a bit frustrating. I think that the last time I've listen to a vinyl was over a year ago, so it's time to do something. I know now that the vinyl isn't going to be in my plan.


    Here's are my goals and what I would like to be able to do:


    Finish ripping my cd collection in FLAC. I use DBpowerAmp and SongKOng. With good metadata infos

    Store my music, so me and the family members can have access to it, even outside the house.

    Find the right equipment to stream the music so that I'm happy with the sound quality. ( streamer and DAC ) Clean USB signal
    This mean that a have the optimal conditions, that respect my budget and that it is in phase with my system. fluid and easy to operate. ( Sansui AU-999 modified and recap, Tu-999 recap, CD MHZS CD33E modified, Yamaha sub HS8 and Yamaha NS-690 that need to be recap ).

    Being able to listen to Soundcloud and radio on the net

    Access to a service like Tidal or Qobuz And Spotified

    Having a media player that I like for my Library and playlists ( I'M using Jriver for now and I'm happy ). Being able to use it on a Ipad and phone as a remote and ideally using the same program on portable device, outside the house. A easy setup that me and my girlfriend can use at work as if with was at home.

    A nice platform that make me re-contact with the pleasure of listening to music and learn about it.


    This is where I am for now. I've started to read on subject and rip my cd last month. I'm in a brake from work that is going to last for about 3 months, so it is the perfect time to do all those changes...well that is what I thought at first. Now, like the title says ``lost a little bit and overwhelmed`` that is how I feel!!!

    There is a lot of video out there, that make everything look so easy and so cool, but I think that there is a big Gap here. I have a background in the subject:
    10 years as dj on Traktor, learning the program and going on forums to learn mainly about pc rather than Traktor itself. I've been in the vintage gear to, recapping, modifying, building, reading and forum. I work to as a audio tech for installing PA in all the bar in Montreal.
    I love music and I consider myself to be a little bit over the average listener but not a pro....

    That is where I think, there is a gap growing between the Audiophile and the Passionate listener, in the way that we listen to dematerialized music.
    I did read a lot and some time things seams to get clearer in my mind and some times I get more and more confused. I think that the learning curve is steep.

    I'm pretty sure that I'm not the only one felling this way, probably a lot of peoples just abandoned and went for a wifi or bluetooth small speaker with probably a Sonos and a playlist generated by algorithm on a Spotified kind of service. All those fast and convenient solution are great, I'm not bashing on those, just saying for people who wants a little bit more in term of sound quality...IT'S NOT EASY !!!!

    In resume:

    A good sounding and polyvalent media player, radio on the web, Souncloud, My music dematerialized, music service for more choice (Tidal, Qobuz, Spotified ),
    being able to control via a remote on phone or tablet, my music and the services accessible everywhere ideally ( on a server at home ).

    My budget ideally around 1000$ but it can go to 1500$

    I look up the volumio primo as a all in one solution....Dac,Server and steamer. Not sure about the volumio thing and would I be able to listen to Souncloud and my radio on the net?

    I saw the sMS-200-Sotm...polyvalent and I could had a better alimentation in time....I'm a little bit confuse with that one, does this device work well, with let say Jriver Media and a large library ?? I still have to buy a dac.

    Or should I go with the RPi solution with a hat.....I'm I going to find this to complicated if I'm a not computer tech...

    Like you can see, I'M not sure where I'm going anymore and I would appreciate If some off you can put some lite on my path before I decide to let it all go and by myself a cute little bluetooth speaker...

    Thank you
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  2. #2
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,239
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    Bonjour Jean-Phillips,

    Like you a year or so ago I was confused by it all and I have worked in IT since 983, and grown with technology, I got suckered into CDs early on like many, not that they are all bad, but early stuff was not great. I then made the mistake of poorly ripping all my 500+ CDs onto a NAS drive badly to play using iTunes

    So after asking several on here this is what I have ended up with for now anyway, Beresford Caiman Seg DAC, and RPI with dedicated Hifi berry HAT, this goes to the Caiman Seg as does my CD player, This improves any CD replay. I use Volumio on an iPad for general radio streaming and music from the NAS drive, by the way that is a 3 TB Buffalo drive not expensive, with a dedicated usb drive plugged into it to back it up. I usually listen to stream d music using Tidal from my MacBook running Audirvana which I find is great and superb sound quality, you used to get 3 months free trial of Tidal with Audirvana.

    So NAS drive about $150, back up drive $80, caiman Seg about $450 with dorado psu(well with it) or Primo for $650.

    In my opinion you will get a great digital solution, not that hard to set up, sound like you are the sort of chap to work it out and there are loads of us on here to help.

    If I had the money and I will probably eventually move to a Volumio Primo as this is a good one box solution and not too costly.

    I hope this helps as it is very clear confusing, and some of the one box solutions can be very costly and not give you much more in sound quality.
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

  3. #3
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Valley of the Hazels

    Posts: 9,139
    I'm AMusicFanNotAnAudiophile.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AJSki2fly View Post
    I have worked in IT since 983
    That's a long time - Æthelred the Unready was king.
    Did you ever meet him?
    Chris



    Common sense isn't anymore!

  4. #4
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,239
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Stratmangler View Post
    That's a long time - Æthelred the Unready was king.
    Did you ever meet him?
    sometime I fell like I’m Alfred the great
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2008

    Location: Valley of the Hazels

    Posts: 9,139
    I'm AMusicFanNotAnAudiophile.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AJSki2fly View Post
    sometime I fell like I’m Alfred the great
    Wot, you burn cakes?
    Chris



    Common sense isn't anymore!

  6. #6
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Seaton, Devon, UK

    Posts: 13,239
    I'm Adrian.

    Default

    No. You just got the name wrong, Ælfrǣd, it means 'Elf-counsel' or 'Wise-elf'
    Listening is the act of aural discrimination and dissemination of sound, and accepting you get it wrong sometimes.

    Analog Inputs: Pro-Ject Signature 10 TT & arm, Benz Micro LP-S, Michel Cusis MC, Goldring 2500 and Ortofon Rondo Blue cartridges, Hitachi FT5500 mk2 Tuner

    Digital:- Marantz SA-KI Pearl CD player, RaspberryPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro, Buffalo NAS Drive

    Amplification:- AudioValve Sunilda phono stage, Krell KSP-7B pre-amp, Krell KSA-80 power amp

    Output: Wilson Benesch Vector speakers, KLH Ultimate One Headphones

    Cables: Tellurium Q Ultra Black II RCA & Chord Epic 2 RCA, various speaker leads, & links


    I think I am nearing audio nirvana, but don’t tell anyone.

  7. #7
    Join Date: Mar 2017

    Location: Seaford UK

    Posts: 1,861
    I'm Dennis.

    Default

    Jean Philippe you have posted this right in the middle of my ongoing turmoil over the whole issue of streaming.

    I have restarted my attempts to get a simple, highest quality, and maximally flexible streaming system; the problem has intermittently been ongoing for about two years now.

    I am really pissed off with the multiplicity of solutions, and having read others' attempts, their struggles with various choices and compatibilities, see that it is not simple.

    This is compounded by the nature of marketing; Sainsburys did an audit of their shampoos some time ago, to discover that they had over 36 varieties, and I cannot see how there is a need for more than about five.

    I have now got a very good system, but am held up with this obstacle, and have for two days been looking at dedicated streamers with Wi-Fi aerials, as an alternative to buying another Mac, maybe a mini or Apple TV, to be driven by a wireless keyboard and monitored on my smart TV.

    But there are so many considerations, hard drive failures, not wanting the TV to be on all the time, (preferring the screen to dim between choosing tracks on the keyboard), a dedicated machine has only a small screen, or none at all, and I will need to get a phone or pad to see what is going on with my provider in those cases, which will be Tidal and Spotify AFAICS.

    Simplicity reduces the opportunities for faults and failures, and also potentially increases sound quality; someone on this forum did suggest a solution to me some time ago, but other things in my life have intervened.

    My system is in essence an analogue preamp driving active digital speakers, I need the analogue pre because I also have a MIDI studio feeding into the system, which also accepts vinyl, and CD analogue O/P.

    My smart TV feeds into a (fairly good) Arcam irDAC and into the pre.

    This must be resolvable simply, but of course the manufacturers love us all buying and trying things to perhaps end up with surplus unrequired stuff, which increases their sales.

    I am very frustrated because my system is the best I have ever had, and although I am retired having spent my life as a technician engineer, much of that time in audio and broadcasting, I have had no educational I/P for a long time, and things move on so fast.

    I'm sorry that I cannot be of help to you, and I am not trying to Hi-Jack your thread, but it seems so appropriate to post this here.

    I even am considering paying a decent chunk of money to someone who is familiar with all this, (Paul Messenger or other?) who can show me a good solution, and the results of which I would gladly share.

  8. #8
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    If you want something with a simple user interface, good quality build and flexibility you will not be disappointed with a Cambridge CXN v2.

  9. #9
    montesquieu Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sherwood View Post
    If you want something with a simple user interface, good quality build and flexibility you will not be disappointed with a Cambridge CXN v2.
    How about a record deck?

  10. #10
    Join Date: May 2016

    Location: Notts

    Posts: 2,741
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by montesquieu View Post
    How about a record deck?
    I think the OP is looking for a streaming solution.

    In any event, a turntable hardly fits the built regarding simple user interface! The challenges of cartridge alignment, bias and tracking weights, not to mention the need to match the cartridge to the phono preamp! Then there's the problem of various sources of acoustic feedback and vibration, dust and grunge and hamfisted visitors intent on cantilever remodelling!

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