Challenging hiend cd player/transport result

[Windows X]

Ok. Now I heard how paid version of xxhighend sounds like. I even compared to my diy music server to meet the same audio interface specifications (Weiss INT202) and nowhere come close to mine in $100k system besides more forgiving sound to superior hiend cd transport like playback mps-5/emm labs sacd se/dcs puccani/esoteric k-01

Under $5k cd transport/player with digital out, it seems acceptable to setup computer transport as bearable replacement but more than thatis impossible job and there's no way in these 5-10 years for computer to be as good as $10k cd transport for sure at least not in the same price.

[Marcin_gps]

Play around with Processor Schemes, SFS values, buffer sizes, Q parameters and Engines (3 or 4, Adaptive, Special) etc
Also make sure you place XXHE and tracks on RAMdisk. And make sure you play unattended.
And how on earth are you able to tell what will be in 5-10 years, are you a fortune teller? lol

[Windows X]

If you hear it yourself, you'll understand why. In my system, I used to think for a year or two but I have my hope all lost.

[PeterSt]

If you hear it yourself, you'll understand why. In my system, I used to think for a year or two but I have my hope all lost.

Remember, I offered you this bet. Why not take it ?

[Windows X]

Then I bet ten times for you to come here to listen to it. If you win, I'll offer your ticket for roundtrip too At least I'm pretty sure my speaker and system setup is good enough to tell the difference. If there is anyone who's willing to say music server with proper configuration is better (either xxhighend/mine/jplay/etc.), I still can conclude there's a chance but the gap in the utmost revealing system is clear enough to say impossible. But I understand you Peter. If I hadn't played into hiend field and witness this myself, I wouldn't had doubt about music server being inferior or not at all.

Also, you don't have to believe me. I'm just expressing what I found in this experiment. And I think XXHighend owner has good enough ears to tell why he turned off something like arc prediction.

[PeterSt]

And I think XXHighend owner has good enough ears to tell why he turned off something like arc prediction.

... while in the mean time that same owner may not know when it would be allowed to have it on.
Well, I explained it to you I think, so all what comes from that quote is nothing much.

And ... you know what the INT202 can achieve for latency, right ? again nothing much !
... assuming this is still THE subject.

And again -assuming that is the subject- you *will* know how easy it would be for fairly random people with fairly good systems (a kind of prerequisite indeed) to win that bet.

So, I guess you give up now ?

[Windows X]

I use RME-AES32 in my main system and I believe it's better than your NOS DAC as your XXHighend is like immature framework against jplay using WASAPI. I tested with INT202 just to compare between "my system" and "properly optimized XXHighend like marcin said" as XXHighend owner firmly believe INT202 is his best approach.

Maybe you can make a vote if you're so curious about it but I don't care. I just want to say gap between computer based and hiend CD Player like $20k is too wide to fill in. And you know? $20k DCS Puccani is so cheap against Esoteric K-01 when properly configured.

And don't joke with me for building system. I made $50k system where everyone came to listen to and no one said a word about bad sounding at all. Some honest guys may explain how he prefers difference from me aside quality and some admitted how my system sounds better than his but that doesn't matter.

If you have your flag in mind then I don't intend to change it. This is what I found from today's listening with all possibly the best computer transport against best possible CD Players.

[PeterSt]

Sorry, I put a smiley wrong.

So, I guess you give up now ?

[Windows X]

lol. Give up in what? If it's about making PC transport better than hiend CD transport then yea I give up and gotta aim for affordable closest ones instead. I'm not using Weiss INT202 in my reference system you know? Well, to be precise, computer based can't be in real hiend reference system. If you have your chance to try comparing your system with NOS DAC against something like Esoteric K-01 or P3-D3 which is even better including Esoteric G0rb, you will give up for sure (regardless of having clock or not).

Maybe you should let us know your reference system. What do you think?

[glynnw]

YAWN!!!

Enough.

I would love to see a controlled shootout  with multiple listeners between the various formats, but until then it is all just so much gas.  I have friends who can sit with me and listen to the same system and come to different conclusions. 

On to more positive things, please.

[Windows X]

On positive note, computer-based audio can replace most mid-end transport systems and some infamous overpriced hi-end ones.

[manisandher]

Windows X, your posts remind me so much of the 'conversation' I had with a certain hifi dealer in the UK. He was convinced that the $20K Spectral CD player that he sells is better than my computer playback system (without actually having any idea of what my system is).

To him and to you, I would ask this: HOW DO YOU THINK THE CDS THAT YOU THINK SOUND GREAT ON YOUR CD PLAYER ARE CREATED????

You can bet your life there was a computer involved. If a computer is good enough to create the CDs that sound so great on your CD player, then it should be good enough to play the files back. Period.

Mani.

[Windows X]

I A/B tested it. Not just XXHighend but also Amarra and other possible dedicated platforms. I can't seem to find where computer can sound better at all cost against real giants. I'm not saying any hiend CD transport will sound surely better but certain ones are unbeatable in direct comparison using $100k system or higher with proper setup. The gap is too large to think computer-based may have potentials of challenging.

And lot of you guys reminded me of someone including my past self who deem to believe even best CD transport is going to lose to computer based ones.

Computer based has poorer mechanism and transport chain. Even CD player in computer sounds better from storage so how could CD transport lose against unless person who said it doesn't use real hiend system or doesn't know how to make hiend equipments sound right?

For easier to understand, how can you make ripped songs from CD sound better than playing directly from CD in your computer?

FYI: Vibration and resonance control of CD ripper drive can affect sound quality of ripped data.

[Marcin_gps]

Mani, recording is very much different process, so can't be compared.

Windows X, it's a good thing (I guess) that we don't have $100k systems, so we don't think that PC audio is inferior In fact, it's better at the given price range and there is a comfort factor in plus, which you're aware of.

Besides, I don't think you've tested enough platforms, audio interfaces etc to tell for sure and maybe you're looking for some other type of sound presentation that you prefer from e.g. Esoteric. Remember, everything is subjective. My friend has $200k system and gave up traditional CD transport for music server with XXHE onboard, and he said that he'll never go back to CDs...

[Windows X]

Yes, It's really a good thing. I'm quite unlucky to realize this. Actually, I don't find that being very inferior in my system. Just about 90% of Esoteric P-05 or something in my room with my equipments. But in there.....may not last to 70%.....Let alone $500k or $1m system............who knows?