New Poll - CD, Streaming from PC/NAS, Streaming from Web only?

[Ali Tait]

Phil, yes dead easy, and if you muck anything up, just reboot the Touch back to factory settings.

Richard, I now use an NVA TFS. Got to know Jason the designer, ended up getting one at a good price. No longer available though.

TBH, it only really gets used for movies now. Since I got back into vinyl, pretty much all my music is via the black stuff.

I do also have a Simoon Audio Nova CD player which sees occasional use.

[Ali Tait]

Link here with some info-

http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...t-Marco-Towers

[pre65]

It looks like TT3 is not available anymore, due to the authors inability to support it anymore.

Unless anyone knows differently ?

[Chris]

Last month I visited Nottingham and had the chance to listen to a £20k plus Linn system, with their active speakers and streamer, I found it to be very analytical to a point of being harsh and flat. I can only guess that the streamer was the systems achilles heel. Cd has come a long way but I don't feel it will ever match a turntable at the same price comparison. It's great to have server and streamer for ease of use but if it's going to sound worse then CD what's the point, technology is ever changing so it's good to keep looking at the different possibilities.

This year I bought a Cyrus cd transport and really did not expect it to be as good as it is, it was a massive upgrade from the Sony SCD XA-777ES that cost nearly £2k.

So it's CD for me...Films I sometimes watch using my Macbook Pro into my modded Audio Synthesis Dac.

Chris.

[Ali Tait]

Don't think it was the streamer. If it's set up properly, a decent streamer should be as good or better than any cd player IMHO.

[Chris]

The only way is to go and listen to as many different systems as possible and pick something that you really enjoy. Back in the 80's many people moved over to CD only to return to vinyl decades later. Even valves amps returned after being replaced solid state amps. It's a personal choice in the end but the market place will put great pressure on us to buy the next "best thing".

Chris.

[pre65]

Just 'cos the system cost £20K does not mean it sounds like you think it should.

Having had the luxury of listening to lots of excellent systems I can state that (obviously-in my opinion) there are many ways to excellent sounds, and digital via streaming can be quite inexpensive but very good at the same time.

Most of the really excellent vinyl I have experienced has had eye-watering price tags by the time you've added up the deck, plinth, power supply,phono stage tone arm and cartridge.

[Richard]

I've found the opposite to Chris in that SB sounds like a reasonable CDp and with Bushmaster sounds wide sweet and lush probably the most analogue I've heard digital just lacking a bit of focus and maybe a touch sibilant. Through the Beringer it is more focussed like detailed CD. My speakers and and amp are on the warm side so perhaps the Linn ones were the reason Chris wasn't keen. Not heard the Linn streamer but would like to at some point.

[bob orbell]

I disagree with the comment made by Chris, (the only way is to go and listen to as many different systems as possible), you should draw up a short list, and take a look and listen to the kit on your list, if you can and will pay £20.00 then add this to your list, if you take a listen to too much kit, you will only be confused and may never make the right choice. BOB

[Chris]

The CD transport is just delivering 0's and 1's but how effective they do that can differ greatly, I thought I knew how good my dac was but not so, feed it a different transport and the improvement was like night and day.

The Linn system did impress but the complete presentation lacked, I heard 30 minutes later another system that had great synergy consisting of KEF R700 Floor Standing Speakers, Musical Fidelity M6si Amplifier, The Pro-ject RPM 1 Carbon turntable, great set-up just over £4k.

I would love the ease of using a server and streamer and will monitor it's progress.

Chris.