@Speed_Racer,
I really don’t mind. It seems typical of the generosity and knowledge which everyone in this community seems determined to offer - and I’m grateful.
Much appreciate your summary - it seems to sum it all up for me 
.
It does: chip is ESS ES9038Q2M chip.
I think I know what to do now:
Thanks again!
The OPPO-103 can be used to rip SACDs. I use an OPPO-103D to rip my multichannel SACDs. There are several posts with information on ripping SACDs.
Thanks, MarkU!
I have everything I need now - unless someone knows of a good and reliable multi-tray CD burner, please. (USB 3 or Thunderbolt… Mac).
You cannot change the quality of a recording. However, you can change what you hear by having some control over INPUT and OUTPUT. There are three factors that determine what you hear in a recording.
The first factor is RECORDING QUALITY. That quality cannot be improved as it is determined by the sound engineer and the equipment used at the time the recording was made.
The second factor is INPUT QUALITY. Which is always controlled by your selection of a recording.
The third factor is OUTPUT QUALITY. That quality can also be controlled by selection. It is dependant upon your listening environment, and your choice of hardware and software within that environment. Output quality can allow us hear differences in quality of original recordings, as well as the differences in quality of their reproductions. Reproduction quality is determined by the method used to make that reproduction and can become apparent when playing different reproductions of the same original on the same equipment.
If you are unhappy with what you are hearing try to determine if it is a question of input or output. Choose a familiar recording, control input quality by playing different reproductions/versions of that same recording for comparison. Then make a determination of what you hear. If quality differences are apparent, then it’s a question of controlling the INPUT quality of your selections. If quality differences are not apparent then what you are hearing, or not hearing, is OUTPUT quality related. In which case you may want to review those factors which control output.
Our PERCEPTION is determined by our own hearing ability and our own subjective opinion. What sounds pleasing to one individual may not sound pleasing to another.
The bottom line is…if you are happy with what you are hearing, leave it alone. It’s your sound system.
Hope my rather long ramble offers some thought.
Keep smiling.
Cary
Thanks, Cary - on the one hand it’s useful to have so many parameters; on the other, it makes life more complicated.
What you say makes perfect sense: if I am happy, why go looking for trouble!
If you “leave it alone”, you may not ever try something that sounds markedly better. I say play around with it and see if you find settings you like better. If not, go back to the settings you felt sounded best.
If I would have followed your advice I never would have played around with HQPlayer and never discovered the significantly better sounding setup I have now.
I see what you mean. Once I’m happy, I leave it alone. My aim with Classical music, where the recording engineers aim to ‘capture’ the exactness and nuances of the performers as faithfully as they can, is to ‘receive’ that as closely as I can .
Thanks for your caveat!
you make a valid point. if you’re unhappy your sound, then there’s nothing wrong with playing around in effort to discover something better. my point was to first determine where improvement could be made in effort to avoid “chasing the dragon”. there will always be something “better”. the trick is to avoid the “unhappy merry-go-round”. I have found content within the limits of my listening environment and choose to remain there. however everyone is different “c’est la vie” as they say. keep smiling.
you are “right-on” Mark. a “clean” listening experience is what it’s all about. keep smiling and take time to enjoy.
This topic was automatically closed 365 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.