Audiophiles
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- HijoDMaite0
Is anyone familiar with PONO Music World? What's it all about? My brother is a serious audiophile and he uses this software. Asking him is impossible, he starts speaking Greek.
- it's just really really high quality digital music files that works best with really high quality hardware (DACs, amped headphones, etc)monospaced
- well i like the sound of that. would i get the best effect using Top notch headphones and my MBP?HijoDMaite
- ummm, talk to your bro about that ... you would probably need that DAC toomonospaced
- Really high quality how? 32bit wav's or something?section_014
- a LOT of people would argue though, that files sampled at that rate are not perceivably higher quality than CDs ... there's a lot of debate around thismonospaced
- the promise is CD quality (44.1k bit rate) or higher, which is a lot better than say... Spotify or normal streaming servicesmonospaced
- PonoMusic just seems to be another music store to purchase and download files. You could rip a CD without any added compression for the same result, basicallymonospaced
- Going to look in to it. if i cant afford the gear for a serious setup it would be nice to experience the high-end sound with just the price of headphones.HijoDMaite
- zarkonite2
I'm pretty happy with this guy in my living room:
http://www.peachtreeaudio.com/no…
and then this for speakers: http://www.focal.com/canada/en/c…
- The amp has a USB connection and it acts as a sound card for my HTPC, and it has a tube (which is located after the DAC) - actually makes a difference in sound!zarkonite
- As into audio as I am, I still haven't gotten around to buying $2,000 /ea speakersmonospaced
- fadein112
Inside Tokyo's audiophile venues
https://www.residentadvisor.net/…
- HijoDMaite1
My brother put together a list of gear for anyone wanting to get into Hi-Fidelity:
I've also been thinking of what might be the least expensive 'desert island' system that I could live with without regret, and so have put together these system recommendations on the basis of what I've actually heard at home and at the many audio shows I've attended. The sound quality of which this stuff is capable would have cost A LOT more just 5 years ago, and to get better performance would cost A LOT more today. Just Sayin'...
RECOMMENDED AFFORDABLE HI-FI SYSTEM
(TOTAL SYSTEM PRICE - $2585.88!)
This system is based on separate components (as opposed to a receiver or integrated amp/DAC), each of which is stupid good for the money. None of these are anywhere near state of the art, but they are vastly better than what you might find at a big-box store. As time goes by, this approach allows you to upgrade any single component to something better (for a LOT more money) if you identify any weaknesses in there. I recommend Schiit Audio electronics for their amazingly high value. I've got a couple of their pieces and they are ridiculous!
Schiit Vidar Power Amp:
Review: https://darko.audio/2017/11/schi…
New/For Sale, $699.00: http://www.schiit.com/products/v…Schiit Sys Passive Premp:
(Semi) Review: https://www.computeraudiophile.c…
New/For Sale, $49.00: http://www.schiit.com/products/s…Schiit Modi 2 DAC :
Review: https://darko.audio/2013/01/schi…
New/For Sale, $99.00: http://www.schiit.com/products/s…Schiit Mani Phono Stage:
Review: https://www.stereophile.com/cont…
New/For Sale, $129.00: http://www.schiit.com/products/m…KEF Q350 Speakers (needs speaker stands):
Review: https://www.stereophile.com/cont…
New/For Sale, $649.98: https://www.amazon.com/KEF-Q350-…Pangea Audio LS300 24” Speaker Stands:
New/For Sale, $99.95: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prod…
Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Turntable Package (needs a phono stage):
Review: https://www.stereophile.com/turn…
New/For Sale, $399.00: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prod…You'll need interconnect cables to connect the turntable to the phono stage, the phono stage to the preamp, the DAC to the preamp, and the preamp to the amp. Add speaker cables, and a USB cable to connect your laptop/music server to the DAC. An upgraded power cable for the Amp would also be a good idea. I've got
Pangea power cables on all my gear. THESE ALL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE SOUND QUALITY!
Pangea Audio Premier Interconnect Cable, RCA to RCA:
New/For Sale, $39.00 per pair (You'll need 4 pairs):
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prod…Pangea Audio Premier USB Cable (I use this one. The next best USB cable I've heard in my system (Anti-Cable) costs $240.00! (1-meter):
New/For Sale, $34.95 http://www.audioadvisor.com/prod…Pangea Audio AC 14SE MKII Signature Power Cable (I happily use these, and they compare favorably to my $250.00 PS Audio cable):
New/For Sale, $79.95 http://www.audioadvisor.com/prod…Kimber Kable 4TC Speaker Cable (get the banana connectors for each end). I happily used these for DECADES!
New/For Sale, $225.00 for 2-meter pair: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prod…
AND, you'll need a 'rack' to keep it all on – and YES they make a big difference in sound quality...Pangea Audio Vulcan TT Turntable Stand with Vinyl Record Storage:
New/For Sale, $99.95: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prod…These were in use by many exhibitors at the LA Audio Show last summer by exhibitors demonstrating $5k - $10k turntable rigs. If they're good enough for a VPI Prime Scout, they're going to be great for the Pro-Ject...
I don't know if your a Mac or PC guy, but you can use either as a music server. Windows will require appropriate music server software (NOT Win Media player - it won't work for High Resolution files (24bit/192kHz). I use JRiver for Windows; most experienced MAC users use Audirvana Plus - but about this I know nothing (being a PC guy). Most High Resolution files are FLAC's - I've got THOUSANDS of them, plus more than a few DSD files... Got a 1TB external hard-drive?
* https://www.stereophile.com/cont…
HAVE FUN!
- lol @ "shit audio"mekk
- All looks legit, but the expensive speaker cables adding to quality is debatable :)monospaced
- fadein110
Always worth a visit.
http://spiritland.com/
- mekk0
Thread is ten years old, OP probably found a solution already or hasn't got a roommate to count into his plannings.
Regardless of that, a simple solution for a good beginner audio setup is a nice pair of headphones, like the Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro (ca $250), a pair of decent bookshelf stereo speakers (Teufel, Magnat, Klipsch ca. $200-$500 / pair) and a simple amp to connect it all together.
The amp: I use kind of this setup for my PC along with the Creative X7 ($300). It has a built in headphone amp, amped stereo output and connects to your PC with USB, your audio devices via chinch or optical cable and your phone with bluetooth.Might not be the best sounding <$1000 combo but brings everything together nicely. Gotta start small.
If you're expecting the full audiophile experience from your new $5000 setup from the ground, have in mind that you will need high quality sources to feed your system. (Vinyl, Blu-Ray, High Quality Digital Data. Not counting Spotify and your old-ass kazaa bootleg mp3's).
- I wouldn’t call vinyl a true audiophile source, considering it’s severe and obvious physical analog limitations.monospaced
- pr22
As someone mentioned above: everything matters. You connect quality receiver to your current set-up and it will sound WAY better than what it is now even if you have mediocre speakers. You then connect quality speakers to that set-up and again it will sound WAY better. Then you play quality source and once again it will sound WAY better, and so on. The best gift you can give yourself is buy a ticket to your local philharmonic and wear loose socks - they will be blown off when you hear the tonal range of real music (and i have elephant's ear!).
Most of technology that matters to your ear has matured in the late 70s so you can buy a superb system on ebay for nothing - $150 for receiver, $100 for quality speakers. You don't need premium brand - almost ANYTHING from that period will work - if it looks good, it will sound good.