MQA Sounds Really Good!

[Sal1950]

I'll always buy a hard copy of things I really like. What happens when the internet is down?

 

[Snarfie]

I don't get what the file location has to do with a target curve.

Using Roon, I can apply PEQ to any audio source, whether from my NAS, Tidal, or other.

If you use Roon or as me foobar i can choose if i use a target curve incombination with the build in dsp if i use Tidel or any other streaming service they could broadcast their content upfront using a target curve is the assumption. So than you are forced to listen to music with a target curve as you are forced to listen to radio broadcast with compression. Than file location at least give you a choice.

 

[watchnerd]

they could broadcast their content upfront using a target curve is the assumption.

I have seen no evidence that Tidal etc do this.

 

[restorer-john]

I'll always buy a hard copy of things I really like. What happens when the internet is down?

Me too Sal. One thing you can be 100% certain of at some stage is data loss or inability to access data. It's a fact of life with digital storage, be it non volatile ram, spinning discs, SSDs, whatever.

A physical optical disc trumps all that. A most you can lose/damage a few, not your entire music library. What you lose in so-called "instant access", you gain in distributed media, known quality source, ease of replacement or disposal and the ability to never be held ransom to companies jacking up streaming prices, which they will definitely do, once the physical CD is no more in the marketplace. Your listening rights are in perpetuity and the collection can be willed/sold on forever. You are also way more likely to listen to more than just one track - you'll likely explore the whole album.

 

[Snarfie]

I have seen no evidence that Tidal etc do this.

Ok that is a good thing for now. But they could if they want. I don''t want to be depended if they do.

 

[watchnerd]

Ok that is a good thing for now. But they could if they want. I don''t want to be depended if they do.

There are a lot of reasons to want to have local FLACs on a NAS (i.e. no DRM, works if internet is down, to have music that doesn't exist on streaming), but fear of target EQ is quite the red herring and highly unlikely.

After all, it would cost them extra money to do so, for dubious profitable upside.

 

[watchnerd]

Me too Sal. One thing you can be 100% certain of at some stage is data loss or inability to access data. It's a fact of life with digital storage, be it non volatile ram, spinning discs, SSDs, whatever.

I thought everyone with a sizable FLAC collection used a RAID with redundant back ups.

At least I do....

 

[restorer-john]

I thought everyone with a sizable FLAC collection used a RAID with redundant back ups.

At least I do....

One nearby lightning strike and it's all gone on a NAS, RAID or not.

It's one of the reasons I stay physical media and dedicated players.

When you've had routers actually blown apart with pieces everywhere from a nearby strike, you'd be less likely to pursue a big NAS on 24/7. I don't use my Synology 5 bay NAS anymore as it was too noisy in any case with three internal fans. Just use a small single bay and back it up to another unplugged unit every six months or so. If it gets taken out, I can just fire up the backup NAS.

We get heaps of storms, wild electrical storms, especially in summer. Out home is on a ridge, high up and all the power around here is above ground, so strikes/surges are common. I lose a router every year or two, along with heaps of LED lightbulbs and random other stuff. That's why all my main gear, (laboratory, HiFi and AV, and network hardware) all have double pole relay isolation switches and it all gets shut off if the storms roll in over the border ranges.

 

[Chrispy]

I thought everyone with a sizable FLAC collection used a RAID with redundant back ups.

At least I do....

I use two hdd backups for my collection and all of it on various thumb drives as well. No fancy NAS/RAID stuff, I just use a laptop generally.

 

[Snarfie]

There are a lot of reasons to want to have local FLACs on a NAS (i.e. no DRM, works if internet is down, to have music that doesn't exist on streaming), but fear of target EQ is quite the red herring and highly unlikely.

After all, it would cost them extra money to do so, for dubious profitable upside.

IMO streaming services are not targeting high-end users they are targeting mainstream listeners so a Nice laidback sound could be what is important for mainstream listeners an known from research that for instance b&k or Harman curves are than appropriate to use.

 

[Wombat]

One nearby lightning strike and it's all gone on a NAS, RAID or not.

It's one of the reasons I stay physical media and dedicated players.

When you've had routers actually blown apart with pieces everywhere from a nearby strike, you'd be less likely to pursue a big NAS on 24/7. I don't use my Synology 5 bay NAS anymore as it was too noisy in any case with three internal fans. Just use a small single bay and back it up to another unplugged unit every six months or so. If it gets taken out, I can just fire up the backup NAS.

We get heaps of storms, wild electrical storms, especially in summer. Out home is on a ridge, high up and all the power around here is above ground, so strikes/surges are common. I lose a router every year or two, along with heaps of LED lightbulbs and random other stuff. That's why all my main gear, (laboratory, HiFi and AV, and network hardware) all have double pole relay isolation switches and it all gets shut off if the storms roll in over the border ranges.

I now understand the avatar. I couldn't believe it was due to benchwork.

Digital spinner, here, too.

 

[restorer-john]

Digital spinner, here, too.

I like that term. Digital spinner.

 

[watchnerd]

One nearby lightning strike and it's all gone on a NAS, RAID or not.

No, it's not.

I have redundant backups of the NAS in both the cloud and a monthly archive in the fire safe.

If my house burns down (which would destroy CDs, too), the copy in the fire safe might survive, but even if not, I have the copy in the cloud

If the copy in the cloud dies, I have the copy in the fire safe.

I have to have my house burn down *and* have the cloud have data failure to lose it all.

 

[watchnerd]

IMO streaming services are not targeting high-end users they are targeting mainstream listeners so a Nice laidback sound could be what is important for mainstream listeners an known from research that for instance b&k or Harman curves are than appropriate to use.

What is the EQ curve for "nice laidback sound" that applies equally to listening on a mobile phone, laptop speakers, headphones, an Amazon Echo dot, through a TV, and other "not high end" platforms?

And do all listeners want a laid back sound, anyway?

You're inventing a scenario that doesn't exist, none of the streamers are doing, and is technically hard to pull off in a way that isn't ham-fisted.

 

[Snarfie]

What is the EQ curve for "nice laidback sound" that applies equally to listening on a mobile phone, laptop speakers, headphones, an Amazon Echo dot, through a TV, and other "not high end" platforms?

And do all listeners want a laid back sound, anyway?

You're inventing a scenario that doesn't exist, none of the streamers are doing, and is technically hard to pull off in a way that isn't ham-fisted.

With Laid back sound i meant "the target frequency response that average listeners would like best" enclosed more info about the Harman Curve with negative an positive findings.


https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/217-where-are-we-at-with-the-harman-curve

I'm not for or against a target curve but i want to be in charge when i use them as I do now with my DSP. Point is if i don't have my own music files/library I'm left too streaming services who eventual could decide how I have to listen (possible target curves) what i have to pay for their services etc etc nothing more or less.

I'm not inventing a scenario I'm cautious. We have till today still the compression/loudness war going on between radio broadcast stations with the aim to get the most attention. We really don't know what streaming services are up to to maximize their profits. I really don't wanna be part of that.

 

[watchnerd]

With Laid back sound i meant "the target frequency response that average listeners would like best" enclosed more info about the Harman Curve with negative an positive findings.


https://www.soundstagesolo.com/index.php/features/217-where-are-we-at-with-the-harman-curve

I'm not for or against a target curve but i want to be in charge when i use them as I do now with my DSP. Point is if i don't have my own music files/library I'm left too streaming services who eventual could decide how I have to listen (possible target curves) what i have to pay for their services etc etc nothing more or less.

I'm not inventing a scenario I'm cautious. We have till today still the compression/loudness war going on between radio broadcast stations with the aim to get the most attention. We really don't know what streaming services are up to to maximize their profits. I really don't wanna be part of that.

Why would I apply a headphone curve to listening from my TV?

 

[Snarfie]

Why would I apply a headphone curve to listening from my TV?

I really don't have a clue i thought we where discussing streaming Music services like Tidal, Spotify etc..

 

[watchnerd]

I really don't have a clue i thought we where discussing streaming Music services like Tidal, Spotify etc..

Non-audiophiles can and do listen to Spotify through things like TVs.

 

[Snarfie]

Non-audiophiles can and do listen to Spotify through things like TVs.

I'm with you.

 

[Sal1950]

Just use a small single bay and back it up to another unplugged unit every six months or so. If it gets taken out, I can just fire up the backup NAS.

I've got right at 6 TB of onboard storage now, about 65% full with loads of multich flac, DSD, and a few video files. I've also got a 12 TB backup off-board disc. I keep it unplugged both from the PC's USB3 line and the AC power line. About once a month I plug it in and run a few rsync commands to update the backup storage.

If my house burns down (which would destroy CDs, too), the copy in the fire safe might survive, but even if not, I have the copy in the cloud

I love the idea of a cloud solution but the thought of trying to upload all that data on a dang 12mbps max upload line scares me off. Maybe someday when I can get a good optical feed here it will be a viable solution.