Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems Do you use a CD player any more?

Agreed.

Still prefer listening to physical media...

Sooloos is in the house for the fam to enjoy. Out in the studio
I still use the Meridian 808, the Wadia 781i SE and a Naim 555.

(yes, I have a problem....)

Don't spin as much vinyl as I use to though!

Crion,

That is tremendous info for me. Please keep posting your experiences.

Thank you!

For me its iMac /Front row, 518 ,568II as in my banner
I spin on secondary systems throughout the cottage.
I am heartily pleased @ 50% + return using servers
When I joined this forum 3 yrs ago there was much antagonism against the Hard Drive source.
The convenience alone....
As for fidelity ,the progress to 3 matched D6ks and Trifield makes me content after a lifetime of searching for some sort of electric nirvanna.
Roger

I've moved pretty much to music server for all CD playback; having invested quite a bit of time getting metadata and setup correct, my 1400 CD collection is much more accessible through J River Media Center than it was in jewel cases on shelves. The one thing I still really miss is liner notes on classical CDs - I put my CDs and booklets in thin sleeves, and I sometimes go get the booklet when I've found something to play on my server.

I will say that music server software still has quite a way to go to be as good as it should be. In particular, getting/entering accurate, comprehensive metadata, and using that metadata in navigation/searching, is much more of a pain than it should be. And for me, that kind of advanced metadata/searching is not optional. About 900 of my CDs are classical, with the rest Rock, Jazz, Blues, and Soundtracks. Using standard artist/album/song navigation, or a cover art display grid, is simply an incoherent mess with my collection.

I'm currently using a Weiss AFI1 multi-channel Firewire digital interface to output stereo and hi-res multichannel into my 861, with great results. Beware, though - no Vista x64 drivers available yet.

My Switch-Box modified Oppo remains in my system, as an SACD spinner. I'm hoping that most of the classical labels currently making SACDs will eventually make them available as high-res downloads as well, but I've already got a couple hundred classical SACDs.

I split off the CD storage to a seperate thread.

Several people have mentioned the importance of CD booklets to help them understand the music or performance. Perhaps the preference for CD or download is affected by the type of music that is favoured. I assume that the provision of booklets, which with opera should include the libretto, may be most significant for those who listen to "classical".

The kind of random play, or selection of tracks by genre or even tempo, that iPod provides is not really viable with classical. I usually want to hear the whole madrigal, mass, cantata, opera, symphony, concerto, quartet etc.

Tesco has opened a new online download music store. They kindly gave me �1 to spend. A superficial visit suggested that they only have chart fodder and very little back catalogue (no AC / DC!). Everything is MP3. [I know there are better sites elsewhere, including getting hires direct from the music companies]

Asa
Can you tell which Companies offer High Res (or even Lossless) Downloads??

I'm aware of MusicGiants (not available outside the US), AIX, Linn and a few other companies with VERY Limited Catalogs

Just want to make sure I'm not missing any

Thanks

Hi Ronnie

I think that Gimell do (rather specialist classical). I am not sure about Naim.

In general, the lossless or high-res download catalogs are quite limited still - but there are a lot more than there were just a year ago, especially in classical. Some other companies other than the ones you mentioned:

Classical Shop: http://www.theclassicalshop.net/mp3index.asp
Passianato: http://www.passionato.com/
HDTracks: http://www.hdtracks.com/
Deutsche Grammophon: http://www2.deutschegrammophon.com/

Of those, HDTracks is accumulating the most diverse collection of music styles and labels.

Ronnie,

FYI
http://www.acousence.de/Seiten/index_EN.html > manufactor
http://www.linnrecords.com/label-acousence-classics.aspx > distribute also more companies

explaination about the download quality and more
http://www.linnrecords.com/download...-de-la-nuit--debussy-l-isle-joyeuse.aspx


Acousence offers also DVD+FLAC file
on a standard playable DVD(Video) and additionally lossless FLAC file for your server/pc.
http://www.acousence.de/Seiten/digital_cd_en.html

They also have to download a test DVD where you can check
if your DVD player not downsample 96kHz to 48 kHz.
http://www.acousence.de/Seiten/test_download_en.html


Hope that helps

Robert