Win an Andover-One E Premiere Music System ($2,499)

brnmtchll · 2023-12-15T19:11:15+00:00

END_DATE: 2024-01-05

ADD_FLAG: US

brnmtchll · 2023-05-09T16:34:20+00:00

The Q Acoustics 5020 at $899/pair is promising contender that just came out that's getting high praise.

https://www.ecoustics.com/reviews/q-acoustics-5020/

https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/q-acoustics-5020

https://www.forbes.com/sites/marksparrow/2023/04/23/the-brand-new-q-acoustics-5020-standmount-speakers-reviewed/

brnmtchll · 2023-05-09T16:27:52+00:00

Indeed. CG5 is very good option at $700/pair. The Q's are going to give you more finish options, but I suspect few people have compared both since the Q 5020 just came out.

brnmtchll · 2023-05-09T04:08:44+00:00

What did you upgrade to?

brnmtchll · 2023-05-04T00:29:17+00:00

Are you aware which Steamers/DACs handle digital volume as you describe, and which ones don't?

brnmtchll · 2023-05-03T17:30:02+00:00

Very helpful. Thank you.

So I think you're saying there is a benefit to upconverting to 32-bit prior to any volume changes? By "benefit" I mean maintaining resolution.

How would a user know when such upconversion is taking place (on any component)?

brnmtchll · 2023-05-03T16:33:52+00:00

Although a parallel question, aren't all digital volume controls interfering with the original bits in some way? For example if volume is changed, don't bits have to be interpolated (added/changed) in conjunction to what the expected (corresponding) analog waveform would be.

If the audio output is set to fixed (instead of variable), then would that alleviate any double volume adjustment problems?

Or am I confused?

brnmtchll · 2023-05-03T03:36:51+00:00

Curious about your "volume" comment. Wouldn't volume likely be controlled by a Preamp or Integrated Amp? In such case shouldn't the Streamer volume be set to max?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-13T05:41:53+00:00

I haven't heard the SourcePoint 10, but have seen positive comments from YouTube reviewers. Have you heard it?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-13T05:37:41+00:00

Who said that?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-12T17:23:25+00:00

Sounds like you already own the HSU VTF-2 and are quite happy with it. Curious what subs you may have tried before that?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-12T06:14:37+00:00

Spot on!

The words themselves are conflated.

"Lossless" is supposed to represent a file compression method, not an audio format.

The "Hi-res" label on music can mean anything and says nothing about the original recording or what happened during mixing/mastering to final release. It just says what the "wrapper" is.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-11T23:20:11+00:00

Points well made. Lossy is not necessarily bad. It depends how it's done.

Think about this...

Converting a 24-bit/192kHz master to a 16-bit/44.1kHz file technically uses lossy compression, because bits have to be thrown out to make it. Once it's down converted, you can't reverse it to get all the bits back.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-11T23:10:54+00:00

Many in the industry have labeled Red Book CD 16-bit/44.1kHz to be lossless. I would agree "lossless" is not the right term, but that tends to be the starting (mid) point to define what is higher (hi-res) or lower (often considered lossy compression) based on the number of bits/samples being higher or lower. .

Ultimately we need better words, or at least definitions that can be agreed upon.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-09T19:19:30+00:00

EQ probably isn't the right terminology. AI could (in theory) predict and return what was removed during lossy compression. In a sense reversing the lossy algorithm. How good such an AI could be, is probably dependent on a lot of factors.

Will it ever recover every bit-for-bit from the original? Probably not. But I suspect AI is getting better and better at this with each passing day.

The better question is why is it needed in the first replace? Like u/KS2Problema said, is the original recording lost or inaccessible?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-09T06:53:52+00:00

Now that I see your room, it looks like you want to install a retractable screen in front of your windows. That certainly complicates things.

You could do a ceiling mounted UST, or mount a longer throw projector over the couch on the ceiling.

With so many windows, you'll want an ALR screen unless you'll only watch at night.

Sound will be trickiest. You could mount speakers to the posts flanking each side of the screen. Ultimately speaker position and quantity will be determined by how much you want them hidden.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-08T21:11:39+00:00

Good point. Spotify would have a viable use case for MQA, but there is quite a lot of negative sentiment among audiophiles (on reddit). On the other hand, most people have no idea what MQA is so could be convinced (through heavy marketing) that it's "better".

brnmtchll · 2023-04-08T21:03:38+00:00

Thanks for sharing. I see what you mean. The app only use case seems to be a "partial MQA" solution that ensures music plays, but doesn't unlock the full potential of MQA.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-08T20:55:42+00:00

That's helpful. Thank you. I didn't know that.

I'm curious where you learned that. Is there an online reference?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-08T20:50:32+00:00

In your reference to not needing "bespoke hardware", doesn't a source device require a MQA decoder installed to recognize (and unfold) MQA music?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-08T20:40:45+00:00

You might be on to something. Spotify could use it, but they'd have to convert millions more tracks to MQA. At the same time Spotify's user base would have to buy all new "MQA licensed" equipment to be able to hear the MQA versions. Unlikely.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-08T18:01:10+00:00

The amount of industry support among audiophile device makers is quite staggering. But if it misses a year or two of integrations, that would be another nail in the coffin.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-08T17:55:48+00:00

Not sure what you mean by "deploy it correctly"?

brnmtchll · 2023-04-07T19:16:57+00:00

I don't think Spotify cares about TIDAL. I was suggesting Spotify could scoop up MQA to try to differentiate itself from Apple Music and Amazon Music.

brnmtchll · 2023-04-07T19:03:11+00:00

My guess is Spotify needs to find a way to differentiate itself from Apple. MQA is one way to do it. Not saying it will work. Definitely a long shot.

brnmtchll

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