Linn stops making CD players
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13952 Registered: Dec-04 | http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8368895.stm |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11277 Registered: Feb-05 | Been reading about that on 2 other forums this weekend. From what I gather, it's very close to the end. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13953 Registered: Dec-04 | That was fast. When my media server is loaded, that may be it for me. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11279 Registered: Feb-05 | I will continue to maintain and buy cd players as long as they are available. I will also explore other ways to listen. I may eventually sell or trade my Apollo for a DAC like the Cambridge DacMagic for my office. We'll see. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13954 Registered: Dec-04 | With your extensive library, Art, of course. I am building on files, with 1000 albums coming in 2 weeks on HD. I would have to be bedridden or under house arrest to sit and rip all of that. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11281 Registered: Feb-05 | Very true, Nuck. |
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Silver Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 397 Registered: Dec-06 | You still need CDs to copy to your PC, even if you are running a server. Until I can download full quality albums, for all albums in existence (which I can't yet, and I don't care for cr@ppy 128kbps mp3's offered by Apple), then I don't see how the CD is even close to dead yet. Of course it will happen one day, but not now. There are some hi-res download sites out there if I'm not mistaken, but last I checked their selection was pretty weak. Linn getting out of the CD player business makes it a little more profitable for the Rega's and Naim's of the world. Of course, as acknowledged, that's short term at best. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3284 Registered: Feb-07 | I agree Dan. I won't pay to download low-res files, especially when I can bit-torrent pretty much anything I want for free. Fact is, I'd rather pay hard-earned cash for CD quality sound than get sub-par crap for free. At this point in time it still means ordering CDs online from Amazon. I'm like Art, too, I enjoy collecting the actual physical media. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13957 Registered: Dec-04 | Free crap is still crap indeed, David. I like the deal where you buy the vinyl and get a free HQ download as well. Thats where it is at. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3286 Registered: Feb-07 | That's a brilliant marketing scheme. If I still had an analogue rig I'd go that route. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13960 Registered: Dec-04 | ACDC did so with black Ice, and sold a bunch of vinyl. Everybody should do this with lp's, IMO. I would buy a lot of stuff then, if the thing is under 22$ |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3565 Registered: May-05 | In a way, I like Linn's thinking and others should follow. I'm NOT saying that companies should stop making CD players. What I mean that its about time a hifi company is actually listening to the market and moving forward. A lot of sources believe hifi is dying. Hopefully Linn can bring in a new crowd, the next generation, or whatever you want to call it. At Audio Circle's Bryston Circle, people were briefly discussing what needs to be done to bring in the younger crowd. I think its products like the Linn Sneaky and Naim Unity. Both are expensive and will never become mass market items, but if lower priced companies companies like NAD, Cambridge and Rotel would follow suit and actually advertise a little, who knows. BTW, since I got the Apple TV up and running, my Apollo gets less and less playing time. The Apollo sounds better, but the Apple TV makes things far more convenient. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzGold CoastAustralia Post Number: 2651 Registered: Nov-05 | There you have it Stu - when we begin preferring convenience over quality, then that'll be all she wrote! |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11289 Registered: Feb-05 | Linn has been failing for quite sometime and this is simply an attempt to shed it's liability in the face of a stronger Naim and Rega, two companies which seem to have all the right moves of late. Wishful thinking perhaps but how I feel none-the-less. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3566 Registered: May-05 | "There you have it Stu - when we begin preferring convenience over quality, then that'll be all she wrote!" The difference in SQ is pretty small, Rantz. Its not like I'm listening to the lowest bit-rate mp3. In some ways, the Theta DAC is actually better. But the Apollo has a little bit of toe-tapping the Theta doesn't quite have. I still listen to the Apollo, just not nearly as much as I used to. When/if I get the Bryston DAC, the Apollo will be sold. The BDA-1 will leave it for dead. As it should, considering it costs twice the price. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzGold CoastAustralia Post Number: 2652 Registered: Nov-05 | Fair enough Stu - I'm a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to dac's and streaming so I guess at some time in the future there'll be another learning curve. I just can't be bothered at this stage. My hope is that cd supplies will outlast me. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11290 Registered: Feb-05 | Keep in mind that as decent as the Apollo is, it ain't anywhere near the Saturn. The gulf is huge. I think that the whole DAC thing can sound as good and Rega will likely have one soon that will match the qualities of it's cd players however I still need the physical media...I too am a dinosaur...lol! |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2821 Registered: Jun-07 | I still feel physical media and WAV format can live in harmony. Right now, I go buy the CD. For example : I just purchased Pearl Jam's new album this weekend. Then I bring it home and put it in my music server, rip it and allow it to library it with the other 500 albums I have on there. Then I put the CD in my collection for backup or if I feel like using the Apollo. I also, bring out the cd and read through the booklet while listening to it through the Media Center. *Pictures will come* I have learned that a 500 dollar DAC giving the right setup can knock the socks off a 1200 dollar CD player. Rightfully so, as any 1200 dollar cdp has probably not even put anywhere near that into its DAC section * I could be wrong about this *. Stu's Apple tv is another amazing unit. I have played with it a couple times now and it is fun. Like Stu says, the reason for the quality not quite toping his Apollo is the DAC. I have heard both the Saturn and Bryston cdp and would take the Bryston any day. This is just my opinion people so don't hang me for it.lol. The Bryston DAC sounds identical, so that tells me that the Apple TV Media/ Bryston DAC combo would be absolutely stellar. Anyway, I am just babbling on here.lol. I read these articles and here people say they rather have the physical media. I just think/hope that physical media can stick around while we move forward into the future sources for it. For Hi Fi's sake. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11291 Registered: Feb-05 | No need to hang ya Nick! I haven't heard the Bryston at all, but if it has the Bryston house sound I would still prefer the Saturn. What we do know is that everyone who now produces cd players will also produce a DAC. No doubt as well that their sound will likely be representative of the qualities that the manufacturers find important. Also no doubt that I will own one...and who knows where it will go from there. For now, I'm all about the cd and cd player, I have 30 cd's coming by mail this week which will drive the number of titles I have to 2490...no turning back now! |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3288 Registered: Feb-07 | That's a lot of CDs Art. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2823 Registered: Jun-07 | Rega ...better than Bryston...?huh?? LOL I am bugging just bugging Art. We all have our tastes. The Saturn is an amazing player indeed. 2490 titles? Wholly crap man that is a lot of music. MmmmMM Music Server with 2490 cd's on it mmMMMmm. lol. I can see you taking a few days off for continuous cd insert action. Your arm might get tired.  |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13962 Registered: Dec-04 | 3 TB of memory!!! |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13963 Registered: Dec-04 | The liner notes are available from the media center to put up on the big screen. The mc will also seek out original videos and store them as well. Just push play... |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11293 Registered: Feb-05 | A few days, Nick! Man I'd have to take a leave of absence from work. A whole bunch of those titles are multi disc affairs. |
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Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 2824 Registered: Jun-07 | lol Art- The media center I built is set up to rip on insert. It also libraries the multi-disk units perfectly. It takes about 20 seconds to rip a 15 song CD in uncompressed WAV. On average an album is about 400mb's. Someone correct me if my math is off : Arts collection would need/take an average of: -996 GB (just under 1TB) of drive storage -13.83 man hours to rip Art you can do it in one day man...lol just dont eat, sleep, or tend to anything else for 14 straight hours.lol. Oh! and bring some Rub A535 or Ice Gel rub for your arms and back. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13966 Registered: Dec-04 | Hire a starving student |
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Bronze Member Username: EzntnGreeneville, TN Post Number: 66 Registered: Apr-09 | I rip CD's to the iMac upon arrival & opening. They play via airport to the Rotel, where the internal DAC does its thing, however ..... The Saturn .. it gets all the airplay right now. So how much is lost ripping in AIFF or Lossless from the iMac? Not saying I can foresee the future, but way back in the mid 70's, I foresaw the demise of vinyl to a USB style format. Damn if it ain't taken 30 years .. but here it is. If I'd only bought WallMart stock back then, or invested in gold. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13969 Registered: Dec-04 | That Microsoft thing might have been a good buy... |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11294 Registered: Feb-05 | I'm already feeding the starving students...you have no idea how many starving students I see on a weekly basis! |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13971 Registered: Dec-04 | have them start ripping cds... |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3567 Registered: May-05 | I like the Saturn a lot. I like the Bryston BCD-1 and BDA-1 more. Its a preference thing. Honestly, they both sound pretty similar to my ears. Who would have thought Bryston's sources would have a touch of warmth and smoothness to them? They sound very analog to my ears. The whole new Bryston lines sounds like that. Its not a departure from their house sound, just a refinement of it. While saving up money (yet again!!!), I hope Rega comes out with a DAC that'll sound right, re-clock, and be priced under the BDA-1. The music server thing is pretty complicated IMO. But Apple made it very very simple with the Apple TV. You have to rip everything to iTunes and synch the Apple TV, but that's about it. No complicated settings, driver selection, etc. Just set it to import as Apple Lossless and that's it. I had a lot of my music ripped to iTunes in lossless format anyway, due to my iPod. Every time I get a CD, I listen to it in the car on the way home, and rip it to my external drive immediately. If I had as many CDs as Art has and didn't have anything ripped, I'd be putting it off too. Apple lossless does compress in that it takes up less space, but it isn't sonically compressed. Its like a zip file. It uncompresses as it reads. You don't need a computer constantly running nor a TV in the room. It can be controlled by the iPhone or iPod Touch if you have wifi in your home. I use my TV. If you have an Apple store in your neck of the woods, go in and play with one. Its pretty cool. Just don't listen to the less that informed sales staff. I asked a few of them a question, and everyone had a different answer. Luckily there was a guy who owns one and uses it as a music server who answered things the right way and unintentionally embarrassed the rest of the staff, including the manager. Sorry if I brought the conversation off track a little. I don't want to see the CD's demise either. I like buying a disc and everything that comes with it. I'd definitely feel ripped off if I didn't get anything but a computer file. I just downloaded the Metallica concert I went to last week in the Garden from Metallica's live website. It was a FLAC file and they also had artwork, notes, and CD labels. $12 for it. Not bad at all. The sound quality was pretty good for a live disc. I'd have rather bought the CD in a store. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3289 Registered: Feb-07 | Have you ripped the FLAC files to a CD? |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3568 Registered: May-05 | I downloaded a program that converts FLAC to Apple Lossless. It'll supposedly convert any file type to any other file type. Can't remember what it was at the moment. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3295 Registered: Feb-07 | My default CD burning software (Nero) doesn't do FLAC to CD out of the box. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13974 Registered: Dec-04 | CD eX does that. |
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Bronze Member Username: EzntnGreeneville, TN Post Number: 68 Registered: Apr-09 | I use TOAST .. works quite nicely. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3572 Registered: May-05 | Nero has a plug in that'll do FLAC. Metallica's Live website recommended it actually. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3320 Registered: Feb-07 | I'll have to give that a try. I read that there's a plug-in for Nero. Just never really had the need to burn FLAC to CD. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 3576 Registered: May-05 | I used dbpoweramp. I had to download a seperate Apple Lossless part for it as well. I never had the need for it either. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 643 Registered: Oct-07 | I used WinAmp, handles FLAC fine. At least until I went Mac. Now, Itunes / Apple lossless. Album covers and meta data are all preserved. What are the perceived benefits of Apple vs FLAC lossless formats? I see FLAC->Apple, but is there an Apple->FLAC converter? I asked for an AirPort Express for Christmas, so than can run optical to stereo and control the computer via Touch. At some point, fairly soon, I'd like some backup system, too. Any suggestions? Firewire or USB? |
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Silver Member Username: HawkbillyNova Scotia Canada Post Number: 736 Registered: Jul-07 | Firewire if you can swing it Leo. You probably know this already, but don't scrimp on the disk space either. Buy more than you need and buy quality. The cheap drives just don't seem to last. The good ones seem to last forever. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 648 Registered: Oct-07 | Chris, I worked for WDC for 15 years, in fab, making chips for there drives. Always had good luck with 'em, too, from my 1st 4gig on up. Once bought a 40gig Maxtor and it lasted about a week after I did all the transfer. BOOOOO Current drive is a 1tb in the Mac. It is also a WDC drive.....As a former employee I can tell you we knew the initials stood for 'We Don't Care'. Mac has ONLY 9pin firewire, (FireWire 900). I had to get a new cable for my camera and also be careful about which plug any proposed drive has. (4 or 5 additional USB) Apple makes a remote storage drive called time capsule which may require wireless networking. Or not? This'll all have to wait until after the Holidays. |
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Gold Member Username: SoundgameToronto, Ontario Canada Post Number: 1061 Registered: Jun-08 | The DAC thing has caught my interest but I'm slow to move. I don't have a huge selection of CDs or Vinyl for that matter but I have enough and it's growing. There is something about a CD and all the more with vinyl...a certain tactile, sensory pleasure with playing a physical disc that makes listening to music all the more enjoyable. That said, I'll move when the time is right but for now and enjoy it while it's still here. |
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Silver Member Username: KbearCanada Post Number: 403 Registered: Dec-06 | I can't see myself moving from physical media until I have no choice. I totally agree with George about the feeling of it. Downloading an mp3, nah, it just ain't the same. My preference is a habit that's been formed over the last 20-25 years. I use Nero. It has never let me down. I use it to burn music from the CD's I buy onto CD-R's that I listen to. I combine only the songs I want onto a particular disc, for example I have a disc of my favourite test music for when I am listening to some new gear or testing something out on my own system. I also download a lot of concert bootlegs (mainly GN'R), it'll either be video that gets burned onto DVD or audio that'll be in FLAC format and burned onto a CD. I use Nero for this, including using it to create DVDs of the concerts I download (with menus and chapters). Nero plug-ins can be found here: http://www.bitburners.com/nero-audio-plugins/ |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13996 Registered: Dec-04 | The pilot says his high end cdp in the chopper ges wonky too... http://www.flixxy.com/helicopter-cable-inspector.htm |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3335 Registered: Feb-07 | Neat. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 13998 Registered: Dec-04 | not for the faint of heart! |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3338 Registered: Feb-07 | No kidding! |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3339 Registered: Feb-07 | Takes a darned good pilot, too. Usually high-tension wires and helos don't mix well. |
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Gold Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 2236 Registered: May-06 | http://www.signedrock.com/catalog_search.php?p=1&cat=2&id_sub=0&id_nivel_padre=1 7&id_nivel3=295 |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzGold CoastAustralia Post Number: 2667 Registered: Nov-05 | Usually high-tension wires and helos don't mix well. Yep, a friend of ours flew his chopper into high tension wires. You know the outcome. |
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Platinum Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 11361 Registered: Feb-05 | Ouch...for a bit... |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14000 Registered: Dec-04 | Condolences. |
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Bronze Member Username: EzntnGreeneville, TN Post Number: 73 Registered: Apr-09 | I could get a charge out of that |
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