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Do friends let friends listen to iPod docks?


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A group of business friends are coming over to our house next month to hear our sound system. They've asked if they can bring their IPods so they can listen to their music. While I want them to hear the music they want, the idea of demo'ing our system with 128kb mp3's is almost (probably is) more than I can bare. Kind of defeats the purpose if they want to hear a quality sound system.

 

I don't have CD 's of their music and they don't either.

 

What would you do?

 

Joel

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A group of business friends are coming over to our house next month to hear our sound system. They've asked if they can bring their IPods so they can listen to their music. While I want them to hear the music they want, the idea of demo'ing our system with 128kb mp3's is almost (probably is) more than I can bare. Kind of defeats the purpose if they want to hear a quality sound system.

 

I don't have CD 's of their music and they don't either.

 

What would you do?

I think you should stop being a prima-donna audio-snob! Listening to music is about a shared mutual enjoyment.

 

It always makes me sad when people feel like this. Its almost as bad as having a personal listening room where the wife (or husband) isn't allowed because a second person in the room will spoil the ambience (extreme example).

 

Let them listen to their music, then play some of yours!

 

If you want to help them play back their music at the best quality possible, then add a Apple TV (or AirPort Express) to your set-up so they can use AirPlay.

 

Oh and if they are iTunes downloads they are lively to be 256k AAC not 128k MP3...

 

Eloise

Eloise

---

...in my opinion / experience...

While I agree "Everything may matter" working out what actually affects the sound is a trickier thing.

And I agree "Trust your ears" but equally don't allow them to fool you - trust them with a bit of skepticism.

keep your mind open... But mind your brain doesn't fall out.

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^ My suggestion to the OP'r is to log onto a music streaming service *right now* and play Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb. From the album The Wall. LOUD. And listen and sing along to the words.... then play out the track with a tennis racket air guitar along with one of the most famous guitar riffs of all time :)

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Wait til one of them compares your system to that amazing Bose Lifestyle System recently heard at Best Buy or a friends house! You may have a mini-stroke unless you take a Xanax first. Or, as Eloise so clearly pointed out, you could come off your very high horse and enjoy your time spent listening to music with others. I can't remember the last time someone came to my home and had any interest at all in music, never mind my gear. "Yeah, that sounds nice .. want to watch a movie?" Enjoy yourself and let them listen to anything they want. You can re-mount your high horse when you come back to post on your experience and we'll be riding high waiting for you to join us back here at the OCD Forum.

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A group of business friends are coming over to our house next month to hear our sound system. They've asked if they can bring their IPods so they can listen to their music. While I want them to hear the music they want, the idea of demo'ing our system with 128kb mp3's is almost (probably is) more than I can bare. Kind of defeats the purpose if they want to hear a quality sound system.

 

I don't have CD 's of their music and they don't either.

 

What would you do?

 

Joel

 

It listens to lossless or it gets the hose again!

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Sorry that you are getting flamed here. I think I understand where you are at as I have been there. People know that you are into audio and you want them to appreciate some of what you do in so that they understand and "get" it. Maybe then you can quit worrying about them thinking you are stupid, crazy or weird for expending as much time, money and energy on something. Sadly, few will get it. Play their iPod music and take note. Be quick and come up with some really well recorded stuff akin to it and play it. Make sure it isn't too long or too anything else and be prepared for a let down. The loudness wars exist for a reason.

 

 

A group of business friends are coming over to our house next month to hear our sound system. They've asked if they can bring their IPods so they can listen to their music. While I want them to hear the music they want, the idea of demo'ing our system with 128kb mp3's is almost (probably is) more than I can bare. Kind of defeats the purpose if they want to hear a quality sound system.

 

I don't have CD 's of their music and they don't either.

 

What would you do?

 

Joel

Forrest:

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I had a guy visit to buy a pair of Definitive Technology tower speakers (with built-in active sub-woofers) I had for sale. He played some MP3-formatted dub-step music that I'd never heard and we both enjoyed the experience through my system. Afterwards it set me off looking for CD, and above, versions of the music we'd listened to.

 

After he'd played several tracks I played some higher res tracks, and he could hear the difference in definition, especially in the bass area.

 

Virtually all the music I listen to is 16/44.1 and greater, yet when he played his files I really enjoyed being introduced to 'new' music. Once he had the speakers set up at home he started looking for higher res versions of his music, partly because he now knew what the speakers were capable of reproducing. :)

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A group of business friends are coming over to our house next month to hear our sound system. They've asked if they can bring their IPods so they can listen to their music. While I want them to hear the music they want, the idea of demo'ing our system with 128kb mp3's is almost (probably is) more than I can bare. Kind of defeats the purpose if they want to hear a quality sound system.

 

I don't have CD 's of their music and they don't either.

 

What would you do?

 

Joel

 

Not sure what the problem is. Play theirs and then play some of yours that are higher resolution. Sounds like a perfect teaching moment to me.

 

Especially if you have a Wadia Dock which takes the digital signal out of an iPod and then into a Dac.

David

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There are a number of devices out there that take the digital stream out from the ipod (HRT streamer makes one, so does TEAC) and that's probably what I would use. The iPod's dacs are pretty serviceable, though. I have an iPod dock I listen to at night via a cue acoustic model radio r1 plus s1; honestly, the SQ is nothing to sneeze at esp. if the music is ripped at a decent bit rate.

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Btw, I'd probably get the HRT iStreamer since as it works with either the old or new dock and so is more future proof than the other ipod docks.

Macmini (as server)-> AE Express/SB Touch-> Dacmagic plus -> Outlaw RR2150 -> PSB Image T6 (dedicated 2 channel audio system)

Macmini (via toslink)-> NAD T747 -> PSB Imagine B/SVS SB2000 subwoofer (home theater)

Macbook Pro-> Peachtree idecco->PSB Imagine Minis, Energy ESW-M8 subwoofer, Beyerdynamic DT880 (home office)

IMac->audioengine D1 dac->airmotiv 4 (work system)

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I think you should stop being a prima-donna audio-snob!

 

If I lived it Utah, I would ask you to marry me.

 

But, seriously, this would just put them off. At worst, you may have fewer business friends (colleagues?) or they might start to question your judgement. The differences are subtle. I can pick them out, but it takes some effort usually. I have to know what the uncompressed recording 'should' sound like, for example.

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I think you should stop being a prima-donna audio-snob! Listening to music is about a shared mutual enjoyment.

 

It always makes me sad when people feel like this. Its almost as bad as having a personal listening room where the wife (or husband) isn't allowed because a second person in the room will spoil the ambience (extreme example).

 

Let them listen to their music, then play some of yours!

 

If you want to help them play back their music at the best quality possible, then add a Apple TV (or AirPort Express) to your set-up so they can use AirPlay.

 

Oh and if they are iTunes downloads they are lively to be 256k AAC not 128k MP3...

 

Eloise

 

Now I feel bad for telling my wife not to sing along. (She readily admits she can't carry a tune in a bucket, and she also gets many of the words wrong - she never gets a chance to realize the words are wrong, as she likes to sing along off-key fairly loud. She does say I'm stifling her enjoyment....)

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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Wow. Talk about not anticipating the response my post would get. Here's a little more detail. The get-together we're having is part of a monthly business association meeting a group of us have. While we typically discuss business and other matters, this group has heard enough about my passion for audio that they're curious what it's all about. Of the meeting we'll be having at my house, I have one hour for a "demo". I want their jaws to drop when they hear audio done really well. I even have an slim hope that one or more might consider investing in a starter audiophile system if they like what they hear enough. And whether you agree with them or not, that's what virtually every manufacturer and dealer at almost every show shoots for, albeit with generally less popular music. You can disagree with my thinking and say letting them hear their music reproduced well is more important than hearing music they likely don't know reproduced really well, but that's the thought behind my post and that's really the question.

 

Joel

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Wow. Talk about not anticipating the response my post would get. Here's a little more detail. The get-together we're having is part of a monthly business association meeting a group of us have. While we typically discuss business and other matters, this group has heard enough about my passion for audio that they're curious what it's all about. Of the meeting we'll be having at my house, I have one hour for a "demo". I want their jaws to drop when they hear audio done really well. I even have an slim hope that one or more might consider investing in a starter audiophile system if they like what they hear enough. And whether you agree with them or not, that's what virtually every manufacturer and dealer at almost every show shoots for, albeit with generally less popular music. You can disagree with my thinking and say letting them hear their music reproduced well is more important than hearing music they likely don't know reproduced really well, but that's the thought behind my post and that's really the question.

 

Joel

 

Is at least part of the function of the business association meeting networking, or do you care about the other members' opinions of you? Then do both (yes, you can manage this in an hour - all you really need for your piece of this is two songs, one to wow them, a second to show the first wasn't a freak). Play at least a few of their songs first. They'll enjoy them, because it'll likely be the best they've heard them sound. Then bowl them over with a couple of yours, and leave the rest of the time up to them - whether they want to hear more of theirs, or of yours. Also, don't be bothered if they want to chat while the music's playing.

 

Short answers: (1) You've got 'em interested, don't lose them by being (in their eyes) a less than gracious host; and (2) Rapt uninterrupted contemplation of only the best versions of the particular songs you love is for you and/or the rare audiophile friend, which these folks aren't, yet.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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I think Jud's advice is on the mark. My tip: Avoid using Varèse or Stockhausen for the demo.

 

Seriously, even from the proselytization standpoint, it's good to let people hear music they're familiar with and can definitely relate to. If you can come up with CD or higher res, that's great, but 256 AAC isn't going to be at all bad for the audience you're describing.

 

--David

Listening Room: Mac mini (Roon Core) > iMac (HQP) > exaSound PlayPoint (as NAA) > exaSound e32 > W4S STP-SE > Benchmark AHB2 > Wilson Sophia Series 2 (Details)

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If I lived it Utah, I would ask you to marry me.

 

. . .

 

There might be hope for you even in CA, Legalize polygamy: Marriage equality for all. - Slate Magazine

Macmini (as server)-> AE Express/SB Touch-> Dacmagic plus -> Outlaw RR2150 -> PSB Image T6 (dedicated 2 channel audio system)

Macmini (via toslink)-> NAD T747 -> PSB Imagine B/SVS SB2000 subwoofer (home theater)

Macbook Pro-> Peachtree idecco->PSB Imagine Minis, Energy ESW-M8 subwoofer, Beyerdynamic DT880 (home office)

IMac->audioengine D1 dac->airmotiv 4 (work system)

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Oh no... Never bad to ask your wife not to sign along... Unless you happen to be married to Nina Simone or Frank Sinatra...

Now I feel bad for telling my wife not to sing along. (She readily admits she can't carry a tune in a bucket, and she also gets many of the words wrong - she never gets a chance to realize the words are wrong, as she likes to sing along off-key fairly loud. She does say I'm stifling her enjoyment....)

Eloise

---

...in my opinion / experience...

While I agree "Everything may matter" working out what actually affects the sound is a trickier thing.

And I agree "Trust your ears" but equally don't allow them to fool you - trust them with a bit of skepticism.

keep your mind open... But mind your brain doesn't fall out.

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I think Jud's advice is on the mark. My tip: Avoid using Varèse or Stockhausen for the demo.

 

Seriously, even from the proselytization standpoint, it's good to let people hear music they're familiar with and can definitely relate to. If you can come up with CD or higher res, that's great, but 256 AAC isn't going to be at all bad for the audience you're describing.

 

--David

 

I think this is a very good point. Audiophiles of a certain age have the 'source first' mentality drilled into us (in the UK it can be dated from the first Linn Sondek) but the corresponding reviewer's cliche that a good system will "ruthlessly reveal any flaws in the source material"... Well frankly I've only rarely experienced this (from some cheaply produced vinyl, if you must know), and have never found material that sounded good on cheap plug-in speakers but suddenly becomes unlistenable on a better system. I'd even go so far as to suggest that "ruthlessly unforgiving of poor sources" is often a reviewer's code to be used when they're trying to be tactful about a product they really don't like much, and such systems are in reality, quite rare.

 

Anyway, to get back to the point of the topic: If you're at all 'evangelical' about good sound, it is enormously satisfying when a guest hears 'their' music (ie from their own iPod or whatever) on your system and says "Wow, that sounds great", as I suspect is very likely.

 

PS FWIW, I'm a little inexperienced in matters of the heart in Utah. But if you like sheep, I'd recommend Aberdeen, where they'll do a very romantic ceremony for you and your wooly loved one. However I'm unaware of any countries that would countenance a union between two prima donna audio snobs. That would be perverse.

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PS FWIW, I'm a little inexperienced in matters of the heart in Utah. But if you like sheep, I'd recommend Aberdeen, where they'll do a very romantic ceremony for you and your wooly loved one. However I'm unaware of any countries that would countenance a union between two prima donna audio snobs. That would be perverse.

 

When the David Letterman show (US late night TV - he may be syndicated elsewhere, don't know) was new and rather experimental, one show I saw featured items for which (legal) 24 hour delivery was available in the New York City area. One of those items was a sheep.

One never knows, do one? - Fats Waller

The fairest thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. - Einstein

Computer, Audirvana -> optical Ethernet to Fitlet3 -> Fibbr Alpha Optical USB -> iFi NEO iDSD DAC -> Apollon Audio 1ET400A Mini (Purifi based) -> Vandersteen 3A Signature.

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PolygamistFamilyPhoto_zpsb83eddda.jpg

 

 

Here is a pic of.... wait, what were we talking about again?

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If one of your aims is trying to persuade your friends to invest in Hi-Fi: then I have a couple of further suggestions...

 

First off, you will have to help then embrace their AAC if that's how they have been buying music. Demonstrating your system as then adding "oh and as well as $2,500 for an entry level system you'll have to spend $100s more to get lossless music" is likely to turn them away from the idea.

 

Second and as part of the above: maybe get then to being their iPod, but also bring some files on memory stick / CD-ROM which you can play back through your own computer / DAC. Let them see what a step up that can be.

 

Finally set up a short demo with two or three tracks and versions in 256k AAC (or MP3) which would be typical download quality. The same tracks at CD quality lossless or uncompressed and finally a HiRes version.

 

Eloise

Eloise

---

...in my opinion / experience...

While I agree "Everything may matter" working out what actually affects the sound is a trickier thing.

And I agree "Trust your ears" but equally don't allow them to fool you - trust them with a bit of skepticism.

keep your mind open... But mind your brain doesn't fall out.

Link to comment
A group of business friends are coming over to our house next month to hear our sound system. They've asked if they can bring their IPods so they can listen to their music. While I want them to hear the music they want, the idea of demo'ing our system with 128kb mp3's is almost (probably is) more than I can bare. Kind of defeats the purpose if they want to hear a quality sound system.

 

I don't have CD 's of their music and they don't either.

 

What would you do?

 

Joel

 

Ask them to load Hi-Rez files only....Android does Hi-Rez from a lot of phones with the right outboard DAC...

 

My portable music rig is a Droid Razor HD>an OTG USB cable>Fiio E07K DAC/Headphone amp and then out to either headphones or other audio sources. I use the USB recorder app to bi-pass the phones 16/44.1 DAC as ALL phone DAC's are junk.

 

I play 16/44.1 and 24/96 files mostly.

 

I have zero experience with Pod docs as I believe the apple portable players are years behind state of the art.

I have found you an argument; I am not obliged to find you any understanding – Samuel Johnson

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