Entering the 21st Century

[Bruskie]

After resisting for decades I am finally entering the digital age. I owe this growth to all of you on this forum 

Don't get my wrong, I'm not giving up on vinyl at all. But I've read so many replies from members who within minutes are streaming the very recommendations that another member posts, I knew how much  I was missing out. The whole world of music at my fingertips. WOW.

My Altair G1 should arrive tomorrow from from that hallowed ground in Verona, NJ  😂.  Johnny R and Pete helped me get started on this new journey. Thank you so much guys, I'm very excited to get going. I'll let everyone know how it goes and I will probably cry out for help now and then. 

Peace,

Bruce

 

[Steve Edwards]

Congratulations Bruce!  Like you, I resisted the world of streaming for years.  But, when my old Cal Audio Delta transport failed, I replaced it with an Oppo BDP-105.  A significant element influencing my choice was the streaming capability.  While that unit, compared to what most of our members stream with, is entry-level, the convenience is quite enticing.  

If Johnny recommended it, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the sound.  

Play on

[ctsooner]

Auralic makes some great gear. Digital can be very simple with an all in one box or you can go separates like amps. It’s all about matching. Congrats Bruce. I pray you like it. Lol. Just another way to listen and how often do we listen critically when streaming great music and hearing f new songs?  Time and a place for all. 

[GdnrBob]

When I first discovered streaming, it seemed like a miracle. Now I can listen to composers that I would never have bought an album or CD from. In fact, I have discovered quite a few early Romantic composers I never heard of.

Did Johnny show you the Shazam app? It is truly freaky to be able to find the album/artist with just a point of the phone.

B

[Holmz]

I went straight to the “New Romantics” in the 80s.  😎

[Stringreen]

B_B_B_B_you don't own it....you can't touch it...you can't care for it....   I have an Also Sprach Zarathustra ...an RCA Red Seal ...that my grandmother bought for me near the NBC studios in New York...jusrt after she and I saw the Rocketts at Radio City Music Hall when I was about 12 or so.   Not only is the music great but the memories as well.

[jkmcc]

I thoroughly enjoy the streaming aspect of my system, which is quite modest compared to many; a Bluesound Vault into a Chord Qutest dac, but which sounds great through the 5As and the rest of the system. (you can look in my profile for the rest of the system if you're interested.) I've also discovered a number of artists and LPs via the format that have lead me to buy records and / or tickets to performances; Julian Lage, Wet Leg, Nellie McKay, Patricia Barber, Sue Foley, Parquet Courts, Martin Newell, Maria Schneider to name just a few.

[GdnrBob]

23 hours ago, Stringreen said:

B_B_B_B_you don't own it....you can't touch it...you can't care for it....

One of the things I miss about LP's is the cover art and liner notes- CD's just don't have the same impact- Though the Phil Schapp Billy Holiday box set was one that came pretty close.

If I do find a recording I really really like, I can still buy it ( and have it digitized).

Bob

[ctsooner]

Plenty of album art and info etc in Roon Bob.  

[GdnrBob]

33 minutes ago, ctsooner said:

Plenty of album art and info etc in Roon Bob.  

But I have to admit, an LP has more impact.

[ctsooner]

because you can touch and read it. I get it too.

[Moose]

Good luck.  You'll have fun.  Streaming is a mixed bag.  Yes, you have access to quite a bit of stuff, and that's really cool.  I've been disappointed with the quality of the recordings, as well as the lack of (and accuracy of) metadata, and I subscribe to both the highest resolution TIDAL and Qobuz.  I was laid up for 2 months with a broken leg, and having streaming, and a remote control for volume, couldn't have been more convenient.  When I find something I like streaming, I go out and purchase it, either as a CD or an LP.   In either case, the hard copy sounds better so far.  Plus, I want to support the artists.   

[ctsooner]

I have access to over 30T of mostly high Rez and DSD music.  I stream Tidal (with military discount it's only 10/month.  I can't do vinyl anymore for physical reasons as you stated above.  I have a ton of well recorded music.  Some of it was recorded live and with great miking etc...  Much of the music is very well recorded, but most of my 70-80's albums are not well recorded either.  I always wished I had a GREAT EQ box to enjoy some of my favorites a bit more. That said, I just don't listen critically to something I love if it's not recorded well.  I just enjoy it on the bike, in the car or in my system if I'm in the mood for it.  

Once I got an upgraded streamer, things got MUCH better.  It was a true night and day experience for me.  I personally feel that all recordings are a mixed bag, unless you only listen to music that is well recorded.  You may only buy what you love on a well recorded medium and you are still supporting the artist (most of us feel the same way about that based on our posts).  I personally cared about the metadata much more in my younger years. Now I'll browse.  I think part of that is because I don't have the album covers to read anymore and I've adapted to my surroundings. I fully understand Bob's point though, but I also love how easy it is to find what I want about music if I want to (like learning more about the artist than was ever on an album cover.  Audio is all about compromise I guess.

[Bruskie]

Hi Everyone,

Well this Altair G1 is a KILLER one box solution for someone like me just getting into digital at this level. SO much better sound than listening to my ripped CDs on a  MacBook > Chord MOJO. And the convenience is absolutely wonderful. As many of you have said, I have the convenience of streaming albums online and then only buying the vinyl I like best. I imagine I'll be more selective now and save some money along the way. I haven't even set up streaming yet, just having a great time going through my music collection. I'm just playing around, pushing buttons and having a hell of a good time 😂

A shout out to Joffrey at Audio Connection. He had a lot of patience with me helping to set up the network connections with our home wifi and my computer. I am such a computer systems neophyte.  If anyone knows how to set up a shuffle between all songs on the Altair's internal drive please clue me in. I've only been able to make the unit shuffle between songs on the album that is currently playing. But I can'T seem to get it to shuffle between all music files like iTunes does on my laptop. 

Bruce

[GdnrBob]

 

Congrats on your moving to streaming.

I know @ctsooner holds Aurilac in high respect.  I wish I could help you, but I have no experience with Aurilac.

B

[TomicTime]

congrats, with streaming you have lifetimes of music available…. 😉

[Stringreen]

On 4/9/2022 at 4:13 PM, ctsooner said:

because you can touch and read it. I get it too.

...I bet its my aged hearing, but I can't understand the lyrics on many albums.....and they don't print them as liner notes now.......boooo

[Brad O]

On 4/6/2022 at 8:12 AM, GdnrBob said:

When I first discovered streaming, it seemed like a miracle. Now I can listen to composers that I would never have bought an album or CD from. In fact, I have discovered quite a few early Romantic composers I never heard of.

Did Johnny show you the Shazam app? It is truly freaky to be able to find the album/artist with just a point of the phone.

B

If you have an iPhone, you can ask Siri "what song is this?" She will find it.  I think it is just a Shazam shortcut, and it works. 

[GdnrBob]

1 hour ago, Brad O said:

If you have an iPhone, you can ask Siri "what song is this?" She will find it.  I think it is just a Shazam shortcut, and it works. 

Nup, I am not an Apple guy. I like machines I can fix by myself.

B

[ctsooner]

Bruce, I am so happy you love it.  I listened to it at Johnny’s again and loved it all over for the price.  I clobbers so many of the units that cost twice as much (and even higher I bet).  I’ve heard a ton of digital and it’s just solidly built and sounds great and is easy to use.  I always worry when I recommend stuff, because we all like different things, but most Vandy owners gravitated towards similar products.  We like the same foods, but different condiments.  Yea, that’s the ticket… ha…

Once you figure it all out, it will do what you want and need.  Much of what it can do, you may not even care about. I never make my own play lists anymore.  I”m still an album guy and that won’t change.  I have learned to get to where I think I want to go on my own steamer/server.  I use JRiver to play when listening critically and Roon most of the time to just LISTEN and enjoy.  It’s getting better, but JRiver still sounds better.  Again, digital is mostly just to play music and have fun. For those of you using tables, that’s never going to change, but I bet you wont’ use it nearly as often as you used to, because it’s so simple to go from artist to artist and to listen to new music, which I crave.  I miss analog as you all know, but digital has been a God send for those of us with physical limitations that make analog much more difficult.  

Again, so glad you love it.  Can’t wait to get out of hospital so I can listen to my system.  I have a very high end portable rig I’m using here, but man it makes me miss my system at home so much.  

[arni]

I have been trying to put together an audio system for my nephew. He's a trombonist and is off to college. he has more cash in his instruments and than I do in my upstream electronics. He streams everything and also needs to run his keyboard through the stereo..

 

The CDs I carry to an audition are: Officium, Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble, first track. Red Lanta, Art Lande and Jan Garbarek, last track.  Both of these are ECM efforts. Officium and the similar albums in the series are slipcased and have liner notes equivalent to any album.  Then Arbos, a collection of work by Avro part, Hilliards and ECM again. I forget the track where the brass really kicks in. Several of these are Manfred Eicher productions. lastly a group called Outback. Austrailian and gone now. The album Baka is good but Dance the Devil Away has a couple tracks with some serious bass from digeridoo.

 

I know nothing of anyone's tastes but if you want to push a system, try these.  I listen to a lot of music sung in Gaelic (Try Clannad, Theme from Harrys Game) and Officium is in latin. So I don't get hung on the lyrics.

[ctsooner]

cool. What's the system you have put together for him consist of?  

[GdnrBob]

15 hours ago, arni said:

he has more cash in his instruments

I sometimes wonder how professional musicians balance their talents vs the instruments they are able to afford/acquire. Seems like they share some of the same issues audiophiles do.

B

[Holmz]

8 minutes ago, GdnrBob said:

I sometimes wonder how professional musicians balance their talents vs the instruments they are able to afford/acquire. Seems like they share some of the same issues audiophiles do.

B

Except they have skillz 😃

[Paul S.]

Curious if anyone has done any type of upgrades to their network that improved the sound. I have been dabbling in this arena. I haven't done much but I have found an improvement using a audioquest NRG on my cable modem for starters