Anyone besides me into Hi-Fi?

[Turtle Rig]

Im a audiophile, not a petaphile,, big difference.  Been doing DAW for 22 years.  Also I play the piano since age 10.

[lilkoolaidman]

I used to be super into headphones. Had a dac/amp and custom Sennheiser HD580. Unfortunately I had to part with them for financial reasons. I was also given a Onkyo turntable with an Audio Technica cartridge of some sort by my aunt. There's just something special about listening to analog sound 

[CruncyLicensePlates]

FooBar is a media player for bit accurate wav and other audio formats capable of playing the maximum quality of your Digital to Audio Converter (DAC). It's not very pretty to look at, but very powerful. https://www.foobar2000.org/

 

If you're wondering who else into hi-fi, Harman (aka JBL) has an entire division devoted to "Luxury Audio", Japan is the biggest market for these products. https://www.harmanluxuryaudio.com/

 

There's also an old print magazine that still cranking out magazines called "StereoPhile", it will go as deep as your pocketbook will let you. https://www.stereophile.com/

 

Also check out the AVForums.com - https://www.avforums.com/

 

If you want to go to studio high-end, consider visiting the pro audio forums over at www.gearslutz.com, don't let the name fool you. It's pro audio playground over there.

[mxk]

1 hour ago, CruncyLicensePlates said:

FooBar is a media player for bit accurate wav and other audio formats capable of playing the maximum quality of your Digital to Audio Converter (DAC). It's not very pretty to look at, but very powerful. https://www.foobar2000.org/

 

If you're wondering who else into hi-fi, Harman (aka JBL) has an entire division devoted to "Luxury Audio", Japan is the biggest market for these products. https://www.harmanluxuryaudio.com/

 

There's also an old print magazine that still cranking out magazines called "StereoPhile", it will go as deep as your pocketbook will let you. https://www.stereophile.com/

 

Also check out the AVForums.com - https://www.avforums.com/

 

If you want to go to studio high-end, consider visiting the pro audio forums over at www.gearslutz.com, don't let the name fool you. It's pro audio playground over there.

ooo this all looks interesting. I'm not able to hook anything up to my PC at the moment, sadly but will look more into it when I have a new computer.

[GoldenSound]

Streaming audio is still very much an option. 

 

Services like Spotify, apple music etc stream Compressed audio. And places like iTunes sell mp3's which are also compressed (mp3 is not a lossless format) 

 

However TIDAL offers lossless streaming, exclusive output to ASIO and WASAPI audio DEVICES (in order to bypass Windows audio mixing. Something other streaming services do not offer), as well as full 'master quality audio' streaming of 24 bit 192khz audio for songs that support it.

 

Of course purchasing lossless FLAC files from places like hdtracks is best if possible. But TIDAL is far and away the best option for streaming music. 

 

 

[mxk]

1 minute ago, GoldenOne said:

Streaming audio is still very much an option. 

 

Services like Spotify, apple music etc stream Compressed audio. And places like iTunes sell mp3's which are also compressed (mp3 is not a lossless format) 

 

However TIDAL offers lossless streaming, exclusive output to ASIO and WASAPI audio DEVICES (in order to bypass Windows audio mixing. Something other streaming services do not offer), as well as full 'master quality audio' streaming of 24 bit 192khz audio for songs that support it.

 

Of course purchasing lossless FLAC files from places like hdtracks is best if possible. But TIDAL is far and away the best option for streaming music. 

 

 

I've never been into streaming music since I don't have the money for it. I love good sound but I mean theres a certain threshold for me thats "good enough" 

[GoldenSound]

2 minutes ago, mxk. said:

I've never been into streaming music since I don't have the money for it. I love good sound but I mean theres a certain threshold for me thats "good enough" 

Streaming music is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying it depending on how many songs you usually add per month.

Spotify and TIDAL both do 50% off discounts for students if you're eligible for that too.
 

[mxk]

3 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

Streaming music is a hell of a lot cheaper than buying it depending on how many songs you usually add per month.

Spotify and TIDAL both do 50% off discounts for students if you're eligible for that too.
 

I have my loopholes for music. I pull from youtube sometimes (yes sue me it compresses audio it sounds good enough) but have been listenting to underground stuff so I get it from soundcloud. I'm pretty sure student discounts apply to college students, which I'm 2-3 years away from.

[GoldenSound]

30 minutes ago, mxk. said:

I have my loopholes for music. I pull from youtube sometimes (yes sue me it compresses audio it sounds good enough) but have been listenting to underground stuff so I get it from soundcloud. I'm pretty sure student discounts apply to college students, which I'm 2-3 years away from.

Youtube both has a very low bitrate, and a really weird compression method that alters the sound significantly

Soundcloud is ok, but only streams in  64kbps (used to be 128 but they lowered it due to revenue issues)

Spotify streams in 160kbps on normal, or 320kbps on the premium "high quality" setting

TIDAL streams 16 bit 44.1khz lossless FLAC files at on its HIFI tier (which equates to 1411 kbps), and for songs that have a MQA version available its full 96khz 24bit lossless

[mxk]

12 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

Youtube both has a very low bitrate, and a really weird compression method that alters the sound significantly

Soundcloud is ok, but only streams in  64kbps (used to be 128 but they lowered it due to revenue issues)

Spotify streams in 160kbps on normal, or 320kbps on the premium "high quality" setting

TIDAL streams 16 bit 44.1khz lossless FLAC files at on its HIFI tier (which equates to 1411 kbps), and for songs that have a MQA version available its full 96khz 24bit lossless

Honestly, the sound is good enough for me in a sense, but I feel like I would be able to tell the difference when I try out nicer stuff. Its been a long time since I've hear the higher premium bitrate on spotify but I'm sure if I run it through my stereo with my audio technicas I would be able to hear the difference

[GoldenSound]

Just now, mxk. said:

Honestly, the sound is good enough for me in a sense, but I feel like I would be able to tell the difference when I try out nicer stuff. Its been a long time since I've hear the higher premium bitrate on spotify but I'm sure if I run it through my stereo with my audio technicas I would be able to hear the difference

Yeah it depends on what you're using.

If you are using meh headphones or speakers than TIDAL isn't worth it.

But if you've got a really good set of headphones or studio monitors, and a nice DAC+amp then it absolutely makes a difference

[mxk]

2 minutes ago, GoldenOne said:

Yeah it depends on what you're using.

If you are using meh headphones or speakers than TIDAL isn't worth it.

But if you've got a really good set of headphones or studio monitors, and a nice DAC+amp then it absolutely makes a difference

I doubt my audio technica mx30x will let me hear that difference, though my 1more triple driver earbuds may. I'd have to test though

[NickTheMajin]

I have three Martin Logan electrostat speakers in my system for my front stage. Roughly $25,000 worth of audio in my living room. 

 

https://imgur.com/gallery/XtvOzq6

[SnazzyLabs]

Hello, yes, I have a problem. I have some STAX L700 on their way as we speak to accompany my Audeze LCD-3. I also 3D printed some open-baffle Linkwitz LXmini last year.

 

 

[mxk]

13 hours ago, SnazzyLabs said:

Hello, yes, I have a problem. I have some STAX L700 on their way as we speak to accompany my Audeze LCD-3. I also 3D printed some open-baffle Linkwitz LXmini last year.

 

 

"I have a problem"

[Derkoli]

Huge audio nerd here, full home theater/pc gaming setup in my bedroom

[mxk]

Just now, Derkoli said:

Huge audio nerd here, full home theater/pc gaming setup in my bedroom

full setup in your room? dang

[Derkoli]

10.2.2 Lol. also another set of 2.1 speakers on my shelf which were the first speakers i ever bought. and another pair of bookshelfs running off a tube amp.

[mxk]

Just now, Derkoli said:

10.2.2 Lol. also another set of 2.1 speakers on my shelf which were the first speakers i ever bought. and another pair of bookshelfs running off a tube amp.

damn you have the tube amp too... Jesus

[Derkoli]

I'll take some pics if you want. The tube amp is on my main desk for easy access

[mxk]

Just now, Derkoli said:

I'll take some pics if you want. The tube amp is on my main desk for easy access

yes please

[Derkoli]

give me a sec just gotta tidy up a bunch of cables all over my floor

[Derkoli]

9 minutes ago, mxk. said:

yes please

 

[mxk]

1 minute ago, Derkoli said:

 

wow holy shit. I love that A LOT!!!

[Derkoli]

On 11/28/2018 at 7:33 AM, mxk. said:

holy frick that is pretty. That is one beefy subwoofer! While I'm on the topic of subwoofers, have you heard of this thing that simulates movie bass called the butt kicker? You rig it to your couch and it vibrates it slightly and it gives the feeling of bass.

MyStonerMind on youtube did a video on a buttkicker LFE. Have you seen rotary subwoofers?