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Media Center 17 and audio playback
flac.rules:
--- Quote from: preproman on October 31, 2011, 11:27:29 am ---Weird claims? Like FLAC opposed to MP3 or this DAC rather than that DAC. Or maybe Asynchronous USB over Adaptive USB? These are not weird claims, these are tried and true observations that have become fact - and there are many others.
All the OP and myself was asking was to give the audio portion of the program some LOVE as well. Jim already made it clear that MC changes it focus from time to time. The focus will shift back to the audio side in due time.
--- End quote ---
Differences between FLAC and mp3 and different DACs are exaggerated greatly by many, but there is a difference between the former two, and it might be a difference between the latter two in some circumstances. However I am talking about claims like very expensive speaker cables are needed, a very expensive CD-player is needed, digital cables make a difference, and so on.Not to mentioned the more exotic claims like volume knobs that alter the sound, cable-holders and all kinds of weird stuff. There is nothing wrong about focusing on audio, but IMHO focusing on claims without any kind of backing from listening tests or science is wrong, it makes audio less about science which in turn makes companies make worse products, since they are not judged on what matters, sound quality. Instead random subjective evaluations are done, and the net result is worse quality. I love music and sound, that is why I am so passionate about this.
But as pluto has pointed out, what can be done to improve audio? IMHO, better filtering, and algorithms is the main point where improvement is possible, and also possibly a bit better documentation of some features-
gtener:
The original post was never intended to cause a debate about audio playback, cables vs cables, mp3 vs wav, or any other audio related science or science fiction. It was simply cautionary towards a road that could lead to a perception of J River becoming bloated and turning off some 2 channel audiophiles. It seems that some people on this forum will take any opportunity to "grind a very old axe."
flac.rules:
--- Quote from: gtener on October 31, 2011, 12:34:08 pm ---The original post was never intended to cause a debate about audio playback, cables vs cables, mp3 vs wav, or any other audio related science or science fiction. It was simply cautionary towards a road that could lead to a perception of J River becoming bloated and turning off some 2 channel audiophiles. It seems that some people on this forum will take any opportunity to "grind a very old axe."
--- End quote ---
Maybe I have drifted too far off topic, but I think the points that have been mentioned also are valid in this particular case:
1. Should one try to implement features that are not based on any "real" improvement, only perceived?
2. What are the suggested improvements? Pure unfiltered 2-channel playback hardly seems to have much room for improvement in MC as far as I can tell.
Vincent Kars:
If you want to apply room correction, a common practice is to measure the response, transform this in a target response and load this in your room correction system
MC does have a parametric equalizer but I don’t see any option to load such a file.
Don’t think I will do 20.000 steps by hand.
So there is room for improvement.
Likewise memory playback.
It is gapped at 256 Mb so a track like Canto Obstinato by Simeon ten Holt simply doesn’t fit in.
Likewise playback starts the moment you press play instead of waiting for the track the be fully loaded.
Probably the track is loaded as is, instead of being converted on the fly to raw PCM first.
The idea about memory playback is to minimize system activity during playback.
So there is room for improvement.
Although I do think there is a difference between talking sense and talking the audiophile talk, if one offers an option like memory playback than go all the way (or leave it out).
flac.rules:
There is room for improvement, but my claim was that there hardly seemed to be much room for improvement on unfiltered 2-channel playback. That doesn't mean that other audio-enhancements are not important, however audiophiles mainly prefer 2-channel unfiltered playback.
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