netchord wrote:
> perhaps you'd have a point if the results were random, meaning i
> randomly preferred one format over the other. but that's not the case;
> I routinely prefer AIF over ALAC. there are times when the differences
> are small, if any, but where there's an audible difference, the
> preference is ALWAYS for the non-compressed file.
netchord wrote:
> i don't understand this demand for "proof." it's my system, my ears, my
> music- all i said was i can hear a difference, and it would not surprise
> me that others can as well (the dude referenced in the OP). your
> position seems to be "it can't be so." that's fine too.
>
> and as to this who've claimed that the difference is caused by a faulty
> piece of equipment, which piece of equipment in the following chain do
> you suppose is at fault?
>
> mac mini running squeezecenter
> 7.7.2-->ethernet-->Transporter-->Wireworld Eclipse Single Ended-->MF
> A5-->Ocos-->Vienna Acoustics Beethovens.
>
> two different file types enter the transporter, different music emerges.
Lots of good responses already.
Let's say for the sake of discussion you're absolutely correct and your
impression of sonic differences are accurate (ie. ALAC sounds different
from AIF).
Given you're not even using natively-decoded FLAC on the Transporter
itself, it's hard to imagine what is happening here since the only thing
different is the Mac decoding ALAC on the server side vs. just sending
the uncompressed AIF straight through.
So, unless I'm mistaken, the problem here is that you're saying the Mac
you have is creating a sonic difference streaming to the Transporter
since as Ralph and Mnyb noted, the data's the same as far as the DAC
(Transporter) is concerned.
The logical question IMO is "What's wrong with your Mac?!" How come it's
not decoding the AIF or ALAC properly? Is it transcoding one of the
formats or doing digital processing unbeknownst to you?
I hold this same opinion in general when people feel they hear
differences between lossless compressed vs. uncompressed files... IF
there is a difference, then it's more likely that something is wrong
with the hardware or software settings than some kind of inexplicable
issue with the data itself. Since ultimately it becomes an indefensible
position, for an audiophile to say something like "I guess your hardware
isn't good enough to hear the difference" or to think maybe others don't
have "golden ears" is akin to putting the cart before the horse. If the
problem is jitter or interference caused by decode processing (which
should be <5% of any decent CPU for something simple like FLAC), then
you really have to ask what's wrong with the decoding device? Surely a
decent engineer, especially of expensive hi-end gear can ensure decent
jitter rejection, and shielding from electrical noise, right? If so,
there should be absolutely no difference between the lossless formats
especially with better / presumably more expensive gear! Yet it's these
same audiophiles with high-priced gear who insist on a difference... How
odd.
This reminds me of the time a friend started doing audio streaming and
kept insisting the WiFi streamed audio sounds bad vs. CD despite a
strong network. Turned out he forgot to turn off transcoding to low
quality MP3. He was silent after I brought this to his attention ;-)
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