Getting the most from my setup? 8 Questions

[happythoughts]

Over the past year I've been collecting equipment for a most excellent home listening experience

Currently I have the following kit:

- JDS Labs Atom Amp.
- SMSL SU-8 DAC
- Massdrop THX AAA 789 Amp (unopened)
- Senheiser HD 58x (stock cable)
- DIY interconnect RCA cables (Connectronics Deluxe RCA & Canare L-4E6S Star-Quad)
- DIY interconnect XLR cables (Neutrik NC3MX-B & Canare)

(Into 3D printing? Link to my file here: RCA / XLR soldering 3rd hand)

I'm slowly working on building back up my CD collection and hope to archive them at the highest quality to my unRAID server. I mostly listen via USB to the SMSL DAC at my Windows 10 desktop. So here are some questions:

1. How do I know what settings to use in Windows 10 for the "proper"quality? (example: windows sound settigns? XMOS USB DAC Driver Control Panel settings?)

2. What is your recommended software to use in to archive CDs? (I have 26TB or free space so file size is no concern)

3. What is your recommended workflow to archive using that software?

4. Is there a way to monitor the audio output quality of the track currently playing?

5. Is is bad practice to listen to files that are on a remote server? Should I expect any bottle-necking with 1GBs network?

6. How do I know if the DC I'm copying is a "good" recording? (I've been finding many at Goodwill for .99 cents.)

7. There are a few "Filter" and "Sound" settings in the SMSL SU-8 DAC. Which one should I use for the most natural/original sound?

8. I like the HD 58x so far. But I'm would't mind having a deeper / more bass heavy set. Any recommendations?

Thanks and have a wicked awesome day!

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Haven't we seen this before?

 

[happythoughts]

Haven't we seen this before?

Yes Sorry for the double post. And thanks for the quick response on the other thread.

 

[GrimSurfer]

6. How do I know if the DC I'm copying is a "good" recording? (I've been finding many at Goodwill for .99 cents.)

There are many indices one may use*, but I have had great success by searching the DR for the right pressing.

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=&album=

* the preservation of dynamic range in recorded material is usually a good indication that professional restraint was employed during the last step of production (mastering). Many things can be screwed up before that point but DR compression is one of the most over abused mistakes being made in recordings of the past 20 years.