Audiophiles: Dead or Dying?

[botrytis]

12 hours ago, sandyk said:

 

 Utter rubbish ! Even the PSU area of a computer can  change a little how a Digital Music file sounds, even changes to the PSU area for the OS SSD such as a much cleaner low noise +5V supply.(see attached +12V to Dual +5V PSU <4uV noise)

I am by far from the only member that has reported marked improvements by using a Linear PSU, or improved voltage regulation to the ancillary devices such as SSDs and USB areas. for a PC or Server too.

The front end matters whether you want to believe it or not. Do you really believe that the 100s of A.S. members that retrofitted the Uptone Linear PSU and reported marked improvements in SQ were hearing a different stream of 1s and 0s before and after the changes ?

I don't doubt that you believe that all the reports were due to EXPECTATION  BIAS , which is highly insulting to those many members, as well as the majority that post in Rajiv's massive thread in the Music Servers section of the forum.

A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming 

I note that you also appear to believe that high res is also a waste of time, despite the numerous reports to the contrary , and measurements by highly qualified members like Jussi , and YES, I was able to hear and report back ,clear and accurate differences between Frederick V's posted X and Y files where an original 24/96 file was converted to 16/44.1 and back again.. 

  A recent suggestion by one and a half to securely earth the cases of the internal SSDs in my Desktop PC by measuring the mV difference between their cases and the 0 volts of the internal SMPS PSU, and reducing it by earthing improvements resulted in MARKED improvements in SQ via Coax SPDIF WITHOUT any change in the exported Binary Data. In fact, the original saved file on my old internal HDD, now sounds markedly worse than when this file is copied from there  to another internal SSD/HDD  or USB Memory stick when played from System Memory after these changes, when played with JRiver 26.

 NO, I did NOT expect any more than minimal changes at best, when I followed Gary's advice.

 

I would also recommend that other members using Desktop PC's try one and a half's suggestions. It won't cost them any money either, just a few minutes of their time.

(The 0 volts of an SSD or HDD is internally connected to their metal case)

 

To me, hasn't been proven at all. It is another classic 'Urban Legend' from audiophiles. If you can't hear it, then why bother?

 

 

I mean Benchmark has stated period that Linear PS are not need as a well designed switching supply gives less noise than an LPS. I can't argue with them.

 

People wonder why there are fewer and fewer Audiophiles? Just go to Axpona and one will see why. Too many prejudge on looks and not sound.

 

 

[botrytis]

14 hours ago, GUTB said:

I don't think failing to appreciate good quality audio is an ability issue. Well, I guess you could be hard of hearing or have some neurological condition. There are people definitely more discerning in their senses than others; for example, most people who hear high-resolution music can tell it's better, but may not be able to clearly define what, specifically, is better about it.

 

People who deny the existence of high quality audio aren't deaf, they just have a ego / identity to protect so they don't try finding it for themselves. Take whatever low-end chip-amp, switching power, opamp consumer 10-lbs speaker trash systems they have: sit them down in front of my or any of the audiophile's systems on this forum and is he SERIOUSLY going to claim he can't immediately tell the vast superiority in sound?

 

I think the issue is people don't want the big boxes around any more. Most people like their phones and headsets and that is where it is going. I went to ah headgear meet up once and it was an eye opener. I mean mostly college age people with 1-8 pairs of expensive headphones (between 500 to 2500 USD a pair) and DAC/headphone amps. Yes, they were listening to high res files (mostly) some still used MP3's but heck it is what it is. It was a neat meet.