Hi all, new member here~

[audio amateur]

Poppa, I don't really get why you think CD is so bad. Most people here use CD as their main source and some have VERY good systems. Think EStat...

[JoeE SP9]

PC, are you aware that your SB card automatically converts everything to 16 Bits at 48Khz. You can turn this of so it doesn't re-sample everything. I recommend it if you have not done so. This will give an improvement in the sound of any standard RBCD's or tracks that you store in you music server. Also if you are not using ASIO with your sound card do so. It bypasses the Windows Kernel and mixer resulting in better sound.
If you haven't done these things that could explain why you're so down on CD's. Although the DAC in my SB sound card is quite good it can't touch my Full Nelson MSB DAC.
Your SB card can sound damn good. Try tweaking it. A good external DAC may make CD's more palatable to you.

[poppachubby]

Joe, I have the card set to 16/44.1 right now. This is to facilitate my temporary set up while I'm in between dacs. I am running the SC into an old H/T amp's coax CD input.

I haven't tweaked the ASIO. Sorry, but what path do I take in the comp to find it?

Thanks guys, I guess I just don't find CD that inspiring of a format. I love vinyl and stick to that mostly. I do use MP3's and lossless for my comp listening as well. I have roughly 300 CD's.

I'm not totally against it, I just think that there's too much made of it, and not enough love for analog.

So AA, I say to you, why don't you have an analog set-up?!? Don't give me the student/not home line either... I'm kidding really because I know your reasons. You enjoy CD and I enjoy my records. We just dig what we dig.

[audio amateur]

I'm glad you enjoy vinyl but what I'm unsure about iw why you claim that CD's are horribly compressed. I don't believe they are compressed any more than Vinyl, in fact they have a better dynamic range than Vinyl.
What exactly are you referring to when you mention compression, or is that just a trick to get people into vinyl

[Chamai]

this whole "compression" thing happens during recording. once all instruments have been recorded, the tracks get eq'ed, mixed, and compressed. so nothing really sounds like the actual instrument. as for vinyl, it is the same story i am guessing. what people hear through their speakers depend a lot of how the instruments are recorded and mixed.

[JoeE SP9]

The compression you are referring to is almost exclusively confined to "pop" music recordings. They are compressed and Eq'd to sound good in a car, boom box or iPod. Jazz and classical music is almost never compressed.
Compression in and of itself does not change the tonal qualities of an instrument. What it does is lower the dynamic range. That is the difference in level between the softest and loudest signals is electronically lowered. The overly loud commercials on TV are a perfect example of too much compression. They are not louder than a soundtrack in a TV show. Every sound from the softest to the loudest has the same volume. So, with everything informally loud the result sounds louder but it isn't. The tonal quality has not been changed just the dynamic range..

[poppachubby]

I'm glad you enjoy vinyl but what I'm unsure about iw why you claim that CD's are horribly compressed. I don't believe they are compressed any more than Vinyl, in fact they have a better dynamic range than Vinyl.
What exactly are you referring to when you mention compression, or is that just a trick to get people into vinyl

Hmmm, I think the main problem with vinyl is the equipment needed to listen to it. Joe has said "confined" to pop music. Well let's face it guys, most people are listening to pop music CD's and not Jazz/Classical. I don't care if the CD is louder than my record. If I can channel the signal properly from a mint LP, I will enjoy better quality than your CD AA.

Oh and Tony? I think I will discuss compression now just to bug you, lol!!

[audio amateur]

The compression you are referring to is almost exclusively confined to "pop" music recordings. They are compressed and Eq'd to sound good in a car, boom box or iPod. Jazz and classical music is almost never compressed.

Yep, that's what I thought. CDs are GOOD.

BTW, I just received my SPL meter. I was listening to a piece of classical (Passacaglia & Fugue by Bach) transcribed from the organ to orchestra. The beginning of the piece is ever so quiet, and then as the piece progresses it gets louder, and then super loud in some passages, which means you have to be careful with the volume knob so that you just about hear the beginning. I recorded a difference of about 34dB between the quiet part in the beginning and the loudest parts during the piece. Is this dynamic range then?

[Chamai]

i think in the end it all comes down to how skillful the sound engineer is and what kind of microphone and etc was used in the recording.

oh yea, im gonna pick up one of those 5.1 in a box systems for my computer this xmas. any suggestions? something cheap and decent.

[audio amateur]

Depends what your budget is. The Logitech Z5500 is quite good. It's under 300$ too

[Chamai]

Depends what your budget is. The Logitech Z5500 is quite good. It's under 300$ too

i probably go with a reciever with speaker package. i am not really into those computer speakers.

[audio amateur]

The Z5500 is very good for the money. It's also quite compact and I would recommend it over 90% of home theaters in a box.

[blackraven]

I have yet to hear a good quality LP on good equipment sound as good as a well recorded CD on good equipment, especially with tube or hybrid amps, preamps, dac's and revealing speakers

[Chamai]

The Z5500 is very good for the money. It's also quite compact and I would recommend it over 90% of home theaters in a box.

got 350watt PA's connected to my computer right now hahaha. my guitarist brought his PA system to my house. gonna get a piece of crap receiver to connect my old speakers and sub to my computer and call it a day.