Best Source for a stereo setup.

[renjith lal]

Hi renjith

Loong time since we spoke . Happy to see your post here.

Coming to your query...the play back quality of a CD or even its rip, will largely depend on its recording quality. The CD's Iam listening to are from a forum member sajjad4joy. And they are all painstakingly collected original first issues. So Iam not surprised to find their SQ awesome when played through my esoteric CD player.

The flac rips of the same track I have could be from a different source. So when I play them from a WD 4 TB my cloud drive acting as a NAS, through a roon core running on a Intel NUC, feeding a metrum Ambre roon end point, feeding the same CD player via coaxial, it is not sounding of the same SQ to me. Now this could be because the rips I have are probably not of the same CD. I really don't know. So I feel Iam not in a position to give a blanket statement that a CD player will trump a rip played via a dedicated roon setup. Too many variables in the mix I feel.

That said, Iam very happy with roon as it is. And it easily warrants its 10 dollars a month annual subscription, for its hassle free use and sound quality. I was using tidal from a USA based subscription, which was costing me 20 dollars a month. And I feel roon is a bargain for what it offers

Hi newlash,

Thanks for your reply. You are fortunate to have a friend who has original first issues. I do hear from people that first prints are better and one of my friend is very particular in collecting first print.

My main question is if you use EAC or some other good ripping software and play the ripped version using your NUC roon core and Ambre roon endpoint will there be difference in playing the same CD (which is used to rip) have difference in sound quality?
I am not sure if you have done this comparison.

I do agree about the convenience of digital flac version over CDs and it is hard to get CDs of old favorite musics especially regional collections.

I was looking for a player ( CD player where we can attach hard disk or flash drive) and get same performance similar to CD playback.
I am not sure if I am asking too much. Some Esoteric CD player has digital inputs for attaching hard disk. Is it giving good performance similar to playing the same CD?

Thanks

 

[marsilians]

Hi newlash,

Thanks for your reply. You are fortunate to have a friend who has original first issues. I do hear from people that first prints are better and one of my friend is very particular in collecting first print.

My main question is if you use EAC or some other good ripping software and play the ripped version using your NUC roon core and Ambre roon endpoint will there be difference in playing the same CD (which is used to rip) have difference in sound quality?
I am not sure if you have done this comparison.

I do agree about the convenience of digital flac version over CDs and it is hard to get CDs of old favorite musics especially regional collections.

I was looking for a player ( CD player where we can attach hard disk or flash drive) and get same performance similar to CD playback.
I am not sure if I am asking too much. Some Esoteric CD player has digital inputs for attaching hard disk. Is it giving good performance similar to playing the same CD?

Thanks

It all boils down to the DAC and how well they have been implemented. So net net the hard drive playback may or may not decimate CD playback. Only a real test will do

 

[amitk777]

I have ripped my "Sur" CD to flac via EAC.
"Sur" is also available via Tidal.
I listen to Tidal via Roon.
I would say the Tidal version has a slight edge.
I don't have a CD player so can't compare, CD to media files.
Now a days I am learning Indian classical music, sometimes I listen only a particular Raga. I search on Tidal and listen to various renditions by various artists. Streaming is a great convenience in that way.

 

[jls001]

I have ripped my "Sur" CD to flac via EAC.

Rip it to .wav and compare it to the .flac rip.

 

[renjith lal]

It all boils down to the DAC and how well they have been implemented. So net net the hard drive playback may or may not decimate CD playback. Only a real test will do

Well I guess it is not the implementation of DAC, how well the bytes are transferred, the timing etc.
DAC can only convert what it has been provided and DAC is same in either case in my situation since I am using CD player as a transport and not using its DAC.

 

[bornfi]

I do have a setup where I can compare a CD playback with computer and in my opinion, I do not think one is better than other and I could live with either but when it is about convenience, never bothered to locate my CDs. Somehow in my setup, computer one has slight more gain and stable imaging.

 

[marsilians]

In a decent but revealing system, a good DAC vs mediocre becomes very apparent. I have had an Oppo bdp 95 for a while and it sounds very good for its price. But using it as a transport with cambdridge Audio DAC magic plus connected via xlr is very obvious on the difference.

I currently have a denafrips terminator and ares II on order. Will let you know if it makes a difference. Though it’s multiple times an Oppo

 

[newlash09]

Hi newlash,

Thanks for your reply. You are fortunate to have a friend who has original first issues. I do hear from people that first prints are better and one of my friend is very particular in collecting first print.

My main question is if you use EAC or some other good ripping software and play the ripped version using your NUC roon core and Ambre roon endpoint will there be difference in playing the same CD (which is used to rip) have difference in sound quality?
I am not sure if you have done this comparison.

I do agree about the convenience of digital flac version over CDs and it is hard to get CDs of old favorite musics especially regional collections.

I was looking for a player ( CD player where we can attach hard disk or flash drive) and get same performance similar to CD playback.
I am not sure if I am asking too much. Some Esoteric CD player has digital inputs for attaching hard disk. Is it giving good performance similar to playing the same CD?

Thanks

Hi again Renjith

Sorry for my delayed reply. Been travelling too much and not been listening to any thing these last few weeks . Will surely give this experiment a shot before the new year sets in..and will post back my impressions

 

[balavignesh002]

I felt CD players best in terms of convenience than PC. It's all gives a good manual experience to find the music i want to listen from my CD tray and load it in the spinner.

In home I never want to touch PCs or browse arround on the small hand phone. Just to give a rest toy fingers and eyes.

I am not either comfortable in browsing arround the USB drive in my CD player.

 

[rajkr100]

A good CD player is always a good option. IMHO

 

[Arvind Singh Lodhi]

CD player or in my case SACD transport, gives me opportunity to own and cherish original physical media. It gives me sense of owning my choicest collection of music.
Regarding quality of playback, IMO nothing can better original recorded music, whichever media it was recorded on.

 

[blackscorpio]

....
Regarding quality of playback, IMO nothing can better original recorded music, on whichever media it was.

+1

 

[Mahi]

+1

+1

 

[Doomster69]

In a decent but revealing system, a good DAC vs mediocre becomes very apparent. I have had an Oppo bdp 95 for a while and it sounds very good for its price. But using it as a transport with cambdridge Audio DAC magic plus connected via xlr is very obvious on the difference.

I currently have a denafrips terminator and ares II on order. Will let you know if it makes a difference. Though it’s multiple times an Oppo

Hi,

How much did the Denafrips Ares cost you inclusive of duties etc.? In considering buying one but not sure of duties on top...

Thanks!

 

[Pradeep thevalakara]

Vinshine Audio, mr Alwyn can help u