GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Didital Things
In the Thread: Why I hate computer playback.

Post Subject: Listenable digital playbackPosted by manisandher on: 4/16/2012

Romy the Cat wrote:
Be advised that any pro-computer playback in this there will be objected...

OK, I'll bear this in mind...

I think computer playback is fraught with issues. Even a simple thing like the type of hard-drive used affects the sound, in my experience.

I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to make 'identical-sounding' digital recordings of vinyl ... to no avail. I mean, when I passed the analogue signal from my phono stage through to the PMII's ADC, and then directly out of the PMII again through its DAC (i.e. no computer in sight) I could indeed get to a point where there was no discernable difference between the original analogue signal and the same signal passing through the PMII's ADC/DAC (within the compromises of the not-totally-transparent preamp I was using for switching purposes). But as soon as I tried to capture the output of the ADC onto a computer hard-drive and play it back bit-perfectly from the computer, the sound seemed to lose all its life - pretty much irrespective of the playback software (although some definitely sounded closer to the original analogue than others).

But I've persisted with computer playback and now have a setup that I find is very listenable, even with regualr CD rips. Better than the best CD transport? I don't know as I've never had the priviledge of hearing one. But certainly listenable.

So I look forward to hearing your thoughts Romy, and sharing my own experiences.

Mani.

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