GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Didital Things
In the Thread: To Rip or not to Rip.

Post Subject: Ripping with better playbackPosted by dlm on: 3/22/2009

I also like the convenience of playback via computer with ripped files. Theoretically, at least, and in my experience, if the cd is ripped properly, the sound quality is better than a cd player. The reason I think so is that no cd player can render bit perfect output to the dac, as Reed Solomon error correction is used when the laser cannot read bit for bit perfectly. That is why programs such as EAC and dbPoweramp read multiple times to get bit perfect copies. Whether there is audible improvement is open to debate. If jitter can then be reduced to inaudible levels, using a reclocker, such as an Empirical Audio Pace Car and the dac is fed with i2s, then this should better a mechanical cd player used as a transport.

To avoid sound coloration by the PC, with its internal processing of the signal by the operating system and software programs, one could use a Sonos or Squeezebox and reclocker, again, such as the Pace Car. These units receive data via an ethernet connection or wirelessly, and avoid the internal processing of the computer that colors the sound. I think that this is why your ripped cds do not sound good, Scoooter.

The other benefit of this setup is the ability to remotely control album and track selection, volume and other playback parameters wirelessly using supplied controllers, or in the case of the Squeezebox products, an iPhone or iTouch using the iPeng plugin. I am using a Squeezebox and Pace Car with the iPeng plugin and have been extremely pleased with the sound quality.

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