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In Reply to: RE: Streamed Music vs Stored Music posted by Jotaro on December 14, 2024 at 16:36:35
I have a largish collection of ripped CDs and SACDs, (Cd layer), and a few hi-rez downloads. I still buy the odd CD/SACD, generally stuff that is not available via download. You could say what I save on streaming fees goes to CD purchases.
All my music files are stored on a Synology NAS accessed via LAN hardwired cables. Multiple backups are maintained.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Follow Ups:
I do occasionally listen to CBC Music Playlists, (see link; only works in Canada). CBC provides dozens of pre-programmed playlists in many genres. I listen mostly to their Classical genre selections.But note that these are all preprogrammed. Also CBC is no clear about their bitrate but it's not hi-rez, perhaps 250 kbps; very listenable for background music.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Edits: 01/02/25
On my PC system which is simply a pair of AudioEngine speakers connected via USB to my computer listening the higher quality MP3 or lossless is or is about the same.
One of the reasons I wanted lossless streaming was when demoing music on free youTube or Spotify on my PC I could be tricked into buying some pretty crummy sounding records. There is a big difference even on my PC system between lower quality mp3 and lossless. Only since I went to Tidal have I been knowingly exposed to highest quality MP3 (320 kps).
Kind of off topic- searching for mp3 quality AI delivered up the following -
Audio quality
128 Kbps is considered CD quality, but it sacrifices audio quality. 256 Kbps offers better sound quality without taking up too much disk space.
File size
128 Kbps songs are around 3.5 MB, while lossless songs are around 30 MB
Confusing to me as I've always considered CD quality to be the same thing as lossless. As far as storing music in my music library it's all lossless or better.
320 kbps is pretty good though, but only lossless is CD quality.
Dmitri Shostakovich
I like your system configuration graphic. Does your PC limit your audio system's resolution?
The only caveat is that I'll be 80 y/o in couple of months; I know I hear nothing above about 9 kHz.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Does your DAC indicate sample rate or sample rate/byte size?
That is, not the rate of the input to the computer.
Dmitri Shostakovich
It depends on the program, of course, but Jriver indicates input and output info. So does Roon.
Good but what's showing up at the DAC is what I'm trying to confirm. If the streaming services says 192/24 (and on the app) and that shows on the DAC at least I would know it's getting through the PC.Say the DAC is limited to 192/24 and the streaming service says 384/32 how would the DAC handle it. Assuming the PC is passing it in the selected resolution? Would it down convert and display whatever it converted to or just not work at all.
Maybe the app would know the limits of the DAC and downsize as needed?
Edits: 01/03/25
but it may not tell. What app are you using?
In fact, it is one reason to use such a PC-based set-up in stereo or, even, in multichannel.
I'm using an RPi with moode OS and a Cambridge MXN10 streamer and neither of them can do the highest audio resolutions (based on device spec)- the RPi is a USB HD server to audio system DAC.From my PC at best is capable of 192/24 with the Realtec sound card and a little less using the AudioEngine speakers. However this is based on the spec of soundcard or the AudioEngine speakers. I can find no spec indicating the PC is capable of high resolution audio data transfers.
That said in each of the above setups, except the MXN10 which is relatively new (and dependent on the internet) I get intermittent playback stoppages lasting for a couple of seconds to several seconds and I have assumed these were the OS of the devices (Windows and Moode) addressing other system services.
And that's happening just reading and filling buffers with lossless FLAC files from a hard drive to be processed by an external device (DAC). So unless my assumption that the OS is being distracted is incorrect, higher resolution data rates would lead to more intermittent playback pauses. If this was happening on the MXN10 I would first suspect internet but it not it's happening there or I haven't noticed it yet. Originally my RPi setup was with a keyboard and monitor connected and I never noticed these pauses and I suspect they started happening after I enabled internet services (this when I upgraded RPi version). Of course my PC is my workstation and I'm not optimizing it for audio playback. These pauses are annoying but not show stoppers, one usually within a few minutes of the start of a listening session and maybe(maybe not) another one or two every couple of hours.
Edits: 12/29/24
From my PC at best is capable of 192/24 with the Realtec sound card and a little less using the AudioEngine speakers. However this is based on the spec of soundcard or the AudioEngine speakers. I can find no spec indicating the PC is capable of high resolution audio data transfers.That is because the PC is processing data, not audio, and is concerned only with moving bits. You do not state what music software is running is running on your PC but that might be a constraint. Attached hardware, such as a soundcard or digital speakers, are also possible constraining factors.
That said in each of the above setups, ..... I get intermittent playback stoppages lasting for a couple of seconds to several seconds and I have assumed these were the OS of the devices (Windows and Moode) addressing other system services.
That is entirely possible if your PC is busy with other tasks and/or is really puny. If it is a modern PC with adequate resources, it should be capable of handling hi-rez audio.
And that's happening just reading and filling buffers with lossless FLAC files from a hard drive to be processed by an external device (DAC). So unless my assumption that the OS is being distracted is incorrect, higher resolution data rates would lead to more intermittent playback pauses.
It is a matter of data rates and possible limitations in connections (ethernet, WiFi, BlueTooth, S/PDIF, etc.).
Of course my PC is my workstation and I'm not optimizing it for audio playback.
That implies a potent PC but, also, that it might be performing other demanding operations that are taking priority over the (audio) data processing.
Bottom line: There are no audio resolution limits in a PC because it is processing only data. Higher res and higher channel count increase the data stream but, in the absence of competing tasks, should not stress a modern PC. Are you doing any up- or down-sampling or on-the-fly DSD/PCM conversions?
FWIW, I have 2 PCs I use for music and they can easily handle DSD256 in 6 channels without buffering or interruptions.
Edits: 12/29/24 12/29/24
Yes that's my point both my PC and my RPi appear to be be unable to deliver uninterrupted lossless playback because they are providing other services. And for the RPi I didn't see this when I was running Linux music player without internet services enabled with a monitor and keyboard attached.
I was interested in the PC in the OPs system and optimizations he may have made in order to avoid the "pauses" I am experiencing. For the PC audio system I am using Foobar, or free online stuff like youTube and Spotify plus my paid lossless+ provider (currently Tidal).
On the RPi side (in the main audio system) one reason I didn't attempt to get the get Tidal or Qobuz working through Moode was because of the "pauses" in playback (among other issues) when playing the music library. Choosing instead to pic up the MXN10 streamer which luckily doesn't suffer the issue or at least I haven't run across it yet.
Maybe I'm overdue for a new PC. Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-8100 CPU @ 3.60GHz 8GB Ram.
I was interested in the PC in the OPs system and optimizations he may have made in order to avoid the "pauses" I am experiencing. For the PC audio system I am using Foobar, or free online stuff like youTube and Spotify plus my paid lossless+ provider (currently Tidal).
I make no mods or optimizations but I don't do heavy-weight video or gaming. I've used foobar in the past but now I use Jriver and Qobuz, as-is. Have not hit the audio limits yet.
Maybe I'm overdue for a new PC. Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-8100 CPU @ 3.60GHz 8GB Ram.
That should be enough for audio unless your PC is doing lots of other stuff.
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