Old Timer needs education!

[ToneDeaf]

   I'm retired, so I guess I'm kind of old. My system is old school. It consists of a custom built CD Transport, A heavily modified Jolida Glass FX tube DAC, a DIY 300B amp, a pair BK 16 speakers with Fostex FE166En's, 2 sub-woofers, and a Crown Class D amp for the subs.
   I remember when music off your computer was not that great and you had to build a bunch of custom stuff to get decent music off your computer. I even remember not to long ago reading that there is a lot of music on the internet, but not that much Hi-Res stuff.
   Now over on Head-Fi I see a really lot of people listen to music on everything from computer's to I-Phones. My DAC even has a USB input. Has the quality of products and the amount of Hi-Res music available gotten to the point that you can get higher resolution listening from a computer to an I-phone, then a good transport, DAC combo and well recorded CD's?Do you still have to use a bunch of add on's? What do you all know. Please time warp me to the future, or actually the present.

[Paul Birkeland]

How is your record collection?

[ToneDeaf]

   OK. You got be there! No records. Don't have room for a turntable and Phono preamp. Have my system in my Den, and it's not the best room for an audio system. So I have ordered a Mainline and will be getting headphones. Waiting on the Senn. HD820 to come out. When I built my system in my shop, I placed the speakers out and away from the side and back walls and they had a nice sound stage. In my den, I don't have that option. It still sounds great. But I'm hoping to get a better sound stage and imaging with the headphones.
    I am still curious about the internet music.

[Paul Birkeland]

You could start by connecting your DAC to a PC and trying something like Tidal's high resolution streaming.  They have a 60 day free trial I believe (not sure if that includes the lossless service) so you'll just be out some setup time and a spare computer.

The amount of data on a CD is quite finite, and ultimately streaming bit perfect music is far less taxing than streaming HD video from one of those providers.

[ToneDeaf]

   Thank you. I will give that a try.

[Sugar Man]

I'm running Spotify (make sure to adjust settings to highest quality) and Tidal Hifi through my iPhone via an Airport Express directly into my Stereomour II.  It sounds pretty damn good.  Tidal HiFi is noticeably better if you are seriously listening.  I'm wondering if running it through a good DAC would make it even better.  The ease of use and volume control off the iPhone makes listening to all types of music at the touch of a finger really addicting.  My vinyl is collecting dust at the moment.

[jjvornov]

   OK. You got be there! No records. Don't have room for a turntable and Phono preamp. Have my system in my Den, and it's not the best room for an audio system. So I have ordered a Mainline and will be getting headphones. Waiting on the Senn. HD820 to come out. When I built my system in my shop, I placed the speakers out and away from the side and back walls and they had a nice sound stage. In my den, I don't have that option. It still sounds great. But I'm hoping to get a better sound stage and imaging with the headphones.
    I am still curious about the internet music.

As others have said, the real revolution has been with Tidal streaming CD quality. Up until then, it's been lossy compression like MP3s. You can buy HiRes downloads, but my experience is that I'd rather buy the vinyl rather than the bits. MQA, which compresses HiRes into a CD quality stream is the new kid on the block and opinions vary.

But my experience is that the most recent generation of DACs are really much better with CD files than anything that has come before and for not much money. The Schiitt DACs are great and I have a Chord Mojo for portable use with headphones. Its said that the USB interface is improved, but I don't know. So Tidal to a newish USB DAC, maybe with MQA provides very high quality digital sound these days.

[Alonzo]

+1 on the Schitt DAC's, I own a couple or 4.  $100 tablet USB out to DAC to Stereomour and your done!