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In Reply to: So. . . I notice you have a Mac Mini listed in your system posted by Chris from Lafayette on June 17, 2015 at 15:02:47:
Sure....
Thanks for asking.....
Below are my opinions, based on my experience, that I don't expect to have any value to anyone else...and I endeavor to be open minded, understanding that my opinions are going to change in light of new experiences.
Computer:
It's a noise box for sure. I optimized one of my squeezeboxes and after careful listening, could hear differences, and the Mini beat it: but the differences weren't dramatic. Any commercial computer is essentially a "noisebox." For PCs, it's the power supply, PCI bus, Hard Drive controller, and motorized hard drive. Chip fans? OMG!!! EMI is through the roof. CD/DVD drives are incredibly noisy, there's no damping materials in the case, cheap USB buses that have variances in their output, video cards, - sometimes with fans, some built into the mainboard... MACs are not much better, and have similar issues. i believe that one can drop north of $5K or $6K on computer mods and by disabling almost all aspects that make it fit the definition of "computer," (so it in essence becomes exclusively a digital file player), and still have it not equal the better network players. I believe a computer can be modded to give one very good sound: but not worth it, comparatively.
Over the weekend, a friend gave me his Auralic Aries, and i have been comparing it to the Mini, - first impression is that it's significantly better than the Mini, - especially in dynamics & soundstage.
Traditionally, the high end was separated by a rough, general, loose, moving, (how many qualifiers can I use)? {Cause I take S$&T when I say it} classifying price of $1K per component. I think that there are several items that cost less than $1K and several that suck that cost more than $1K, that are hi-end, mid-end respectively. (That largely came from Stereophile).
The companies of NAD & McIntosh, no matter how expensive, are mid-fi companies that make mid-fi products. NAD cuts treble, McIntosh can't make treble sound right, and boosts low mids to an unnatural level. Oppo is a mid-fi company. Their SACD players sound OK with SACD, but their redbook playback is mediocre at best. Some high-end companies like Wadia, Meridian, etc. make both SOTA products, as well as low cost products.
In general, (I agree with TBone, many reviewers, and others who've heard a lot of products), {Not saying that I have as much experience as many of them}; that there's a significant separation between the Audio Aero's, Wadia's, Linn, Meitner, Berkeley, Lindeman, Ayre, Cary, Zanden, APL, Esoteric, and the Sony's, Marantz, Project, Cambridge, Anthem, Oppo, Yamaha, Pioneer etc..
"Asylums with doors open wide,
Where people had paid to see inside,
For entertainment they watch his body twist
Behind his eyes he says, 'I still exist.'"
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Follow Ups
- RE: So. . . I notice you have a Mac Mini listed in your system - Sordidman 09:59:59 06/18/15 (1)
- Thank you very much! Very interesting! - Chris from Lafayette 20:05:18 06/18/15 (0)
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