Jerry's ongoing system blog

[jandl100]

Well, the Dual Core thing is just a DAC and a basic pre-amp with some optional extra digital processing.

As a DAC with the extra doodads turned off it is excellent, imo. I don't have a problem personally with taming bass resonance peaks in the digital domain, I suspect it is quite a transparent process. What it is doing in to the in-room frequency response is clearly presented by the device, and it looks all good. The audible effects are quite subtle on most music*, it doesn't seem to compromise the music in any significant way that I can hear.

(* On London Grammar's Hey Now track, the bass used to get a bit out of control, I now suspect the synth bass is around 50Hz, coinciding with the room's main resonance peak - with the processing switched in and bass corrected it is far superior and believably more 'correct'. But mostly, on my classical choices, it is the imaging that has improved, becoming more focussed and coherent across the stage.)

But then as you may recall I've never been a particular proponent of the KISS / purist approach to music reproduction. I've had some seemingly needlessly complex gear that I have enjoyed (e.g. some of my vintage stuff), and I tend to prefer active to passive pre-amps, for example.

I don't adhere to any particular school of thought - lots of approaches have merit, ime, although the Flat Earth has always left me cold. I just like to try things and see if I like them or not.

[jandl100]

Jerry goes streaming.

TIDAL hi-rez straight from my PC via USB into my DAC-de-jour.
Only just started playing with it.
Shee-it. There's a classical music treasure trove on Tidal.

I'll do a proper sound quality assessment over the next few days, comparing CD with the same streamed Tidal file, but it is certainly very listenable.
You'll have to take my Tidal subscription from my cold dead fingers.

[_D_S_J_R_]

Fugg sound quality assessments - Do you like the MUSIC coming out???

[Fretless]

A friend of mine has Tidal and the SQ is extremely good. I had Qobuz (also FLAC quality) for a while - but used it too little to justify paying the subscription.

Only niggle I have with Tidal is that sometimes tracks are left out of albums.

[wallace]

Considering the cost,is it twice as good as spotify,which i think is good enough...

[Fretless]

I am still a fanatical CD-buyer, so I would only use a streaming service to check out new music (which can also usually be done via Youtube) and Spotify is certainly good enough for that. Anything I really like I will then purchase.

I also believe that performing artists deserve to be paid for their efforts - otherwise there will be no (interesting) musicians left and only the likes of Adriana Grande and One Direction will be able to make a living from whatever it is that they do.

[Daniel Quinn]

Fretless ,little bit of a contradiction there .

Artist remuneration is a complicated matter Jay z and phil collins have enough money in my opinion and collins as sold the same album 6 or 7 times in differing formats . Clearly new artists need money and not all will want to go down the rita ora path of showing your T&A at a different party ever nite for endorsements .

However , you will find many who say you tube and spotify [ especially free] are a major culprit in new artists not being able to make a living for themselves because it impacts upon the number of product sold and they do not share revenue , it thus allows listening without revenue and not every listener is a purchaser .

And besides this , jerry only listens to that rubbish music with no lyrics made by people who have been dead for 200+ years and were they get all giddy over the same music being played by a different people in a different room with a different recording .

it is funny how in classical music , it is listen to this marvelous new interpretation of wagner by this LSO and in rock music they are called tribute bands

[Fretless]

Valid point DQ. It would appear that streaming services are finally getting around to paying artist royalties. Although I worry that they will acquire a 'stranglehold' position within the music industry, where they determine what and how much artists will be paid.

As someone actively involved in amateur classical (vocal) music I can only say that it is a very fulfilling experience to perform great music well, and to be able to express yourself by giving it one's own individual interpretation.

[Daniel Quinn]

classical vocal , well i never

I am going to listen the 10 year old's primary school music evening tonight [ he plays guitar ] I am not expecting much individual interpretation

[Macca]

I don't see what's wrong with 'artists' having proper jobs and making music in their spare time because they enjoy it. That is what 99.9% of musicians do (i.e those not signed to a label) and always have done.

if you are popular enough you will make income from touring and merchandising. The T shirts were always the sweetest plum.

I've always thought there was something quite absurd about beign able to make millions from writing some crappy three chord pop song and then getting residuals every time it is on radio ior TV forever after. A few quid fair enough but temns of thousands?
We all recall the Napster debacle where struggling artists living in garrets like, erm, Metallica and Britney were unhappy that some deadbeat teenagers were actually listening to music for nothing. My heart bled.
'Home taping is killing music' ? No. But it is killing the record companies and good riddence.

rant over. relax.