Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

[joekraska]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

*shrug*

If you think that's friendly, try this:



I know that's not what is meant by "media server," but category products often compete cross category. And that's what devices like the one shown are competing with, when you start talkin' abo' grandma.

Joe.

[Flint]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

They don't get much friendlier than this:

http://www.olive.us/

Well this is cool. Kind of a souped up Squeezebox? And a competitor with Sonos, mentioned above.

[ligs]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

John,

You make me feel wistful with your mention of Speakerlab. Pat Snyder was my first real crossover guru. He put out the Technical Notes and I still have them here somewhere and use his methods, like cascading hi-pass networks off of the bandpass network in a three way to get greater lf attenuation in the high-pass... something that I almost never see done anymore. It makes a very clean sounding tweeter network. Also his thoughts on sealed alignments were pretty good. Mila Nestrovik's designs were way too smart for the masses. Somehow it was more fun because of the challenges back then.

Man, I'm feelin' old here. Good, but old.

Dave

I still have a beautiful Speakerlab catalog. Among the pages there is a section on real-life crossovers recommended for their drivers. If someone wants to scan it so more people can see it I will be happy to loan the catalog out free of charge as long as I get it back.

[philiparcario]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

They don't get much friendlier than this:

http://www.olive.us/

They aren't exactly rolling in the dough.

Dave

dave an ipod is under 249 this is over 1200 that is not friendly to grandma's wallet.

[dbe]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

dave an ipod is under 249 this is over 1200 that is not friendly to grandma's wallet.

I know, the grandma that I live with loves her iPod. I think it sux because of the quality, but I don't have to listen to it.

Don't forget the qualifier:

"Build a high end media server that is user friendly enough for your grandma to use and you will make money."

iPods ain't high end. To me they are just a cut above FM radio because you can choose your programming.

That's just me, though. :D

Dave

[philiparcario]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

I know, the grandma that I live with loves her iPod. I think it sux because of the quality, but I don't have to listen to it.

Don't forget the qualifier:

"Build a high end media server that is user friendly enough for your grandma to use and you will make money."

iPods ain't high end. To me they are just a cut above FM radio because you can choose your programming.

That's just me, though. :D

Dave

Myself I like the unit. Too much $ for me. I am using My mac mini with a 200gb itunes library in apple lossless located on my internal 640gb hdd. I have an out board usb dac it all works nicely.

[Face]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

Myself I like the unit. Too much $ for me. I am using My mac mini with a 200gb itunes library in apple lossless located on my internal 640gb hdd. I have an out board usb dac it all works nicely.

How much did all of that cost?

[DS-21]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

They don't get much friendlier than this:

http://www.olive.us/

They aren't exactly rolling in the dough.

Dave

Perhaps because their product costs a whole lot more than competition that's at least equally easy to use as a music/video server. And considerably more useful beyond that, too.

I know, the grandma that I live with loves her iPod. I think it sux because of the quality, but I don't have to listen to it.

That's not the hardware, which is capable of high fidelity with the right (lossless or at least high-bitrate AAC) files. Certainly higher fidelity, than, say, any rock dragged through a petrochemical groove. There's lots of misplaced snobbishness in audiophilia...

[dbe]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

Myself I like the unit. Too much $ for me. I am using My mac mini with a 200gb itunes library in apple lossless located on my internal 640gb hdd. I have an out board usb dac it all works nicely.

As much as I whine and moan about audio quality, I find myself enjoying CD's in my truck humming down the road immensly. I guess it is because I don't have any expectations of great audio, per se, so I just 'groove to the toons'.

I'm in the process of building a new audio - A/V system. I sold all of my Cary gear and my speakers so I am back to square one. I have new battery powered tube electronics on the way and I'm going to build a music server using an OPPO BDP83SE as a media hub and DAC with a MacMini with 2TB external HDD for storage and backup. I rip to 24 bit, 88.2 WAV files and even on my office computer it sounds very good through my M-audio 2496 soundcard (modified, of course). I have finally stepped in to the 20th century. Ill worry about getting into the 21st later. I have to admit that convenience has finally passed ultimate quality in my list of priorities. Personally, I'm loving it.

Dave

http://doddaudio.com/battery_powered_amp.aspx

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-83/

[dbe]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

Perhaps because their product costs a whole lot more than competition that's at least equally easy to use as a music/video server. And considerably more useful beyond that, too.



That's not the hardware, which is capable of high fidelity with the right (lossless or at least high-bitrate AAC) files. Certainly higher fidelity, than, say, any rock dragged through a petrochemical groove. There's lots of misplaced snobbishness in audiophilia...

My grandma roomie has no desire to deal with setting up a Mini as a server, hooking it all up to a ripper and outboard storage and USB DAC and then dealing with Media Monkey or some other library tool. she is quite happy with her iPod and docking station or headphones. When you get all of the gear necessary to make a Snow Leopard Mac server into a self contained media server, the economics are less biased than just looking at the Mac by itself, too.

As for a rock dragged through a petrochemical groove, what kind of vinyl playback system do you have or have heard that you are comparing all of this to?

Dave

[DDF]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

I think that one thing people need to consider is the actual consumer...Given the priorities of most consumers, there are better ways to entertain themselves ....

+1 squared. ;) Take this in context with Daves "Somehow it was more fun because of the challenges back then."

This stuff has gotten pretty easy. What used to be a 10 year learning curve is now 10 months. It used to be getting good sound was hard. Then getting good sound cheap was hard. Now this is all pretty academic. Thats all good BTW but for me it's shifted priorities.

Tired of boxes! Don't see many drop dead gorgeous speakers that sound amazing. Things like the Cremona or the leather clad baffles are about as far as the basic box form have been taken in industrial design.

What we need next to move the state of the DIY art aren't cheaper speakers that sound great but speakers that make WAF a thing of the past and still sound great. That in itself would be a serious acoustical and system design challenge, and a shift in priorities that would pull the value of what we do into the mainstream.

Dave

[Guest]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

John,

You make me feel wistful with your mention of Speakerlab. Pat Snyder was my first real crossover guru. He put out the Technical Notes and I still have them here somewhere and use his methods, like cascading hi-pass networks off of the bandpass network in a three way to get greater lf attenuation in the high-pass... something that I almost never see done anymore. It makes a very clean sounding tweeter network. Also his thoughts on sealed alignments were pretty good. Mila Nestrovik's designs were way too smart for the masses. Somehow it was more fun because of the challenges back then.

Man, I'm feelin' old here. Good, but old.

Dave

Is that the same Nestorovic that made a huge 150wpc tube amp??
The dealer had it hooked to a pair of DQ10's (decades ago)... they had to escort me from the building at closing... :o

[badman]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

Perhaps because their product costs a whole lot more than competition that's at least equally easy to use as a music/video server. And considerably more useful beyond that, too.



That's not the hardware, which is capable of high fidelity with the right (lossless or at least high-bitrate AAC) files. Certainly higher fidelity, than, say, any rock dragged through a petrochemical groove. There's lots of misplaced snobbishness in audiophilia...

It seems unlikely that you've spent any time around proper vinyl playback. The best sounds I've heard have been on wax.

[Æ]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

Frugal Failures: When DIY goes wrong.
I came across this article, not about loudspeakers, but about doing it yourself. Slightly humorous. Trying to save a buck is why a lot of people are into DIY.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/frugal-failures-when-diy-goes-wrong.aspx?page=1

[dbe]

Re: Long live DIY/what is wrong with audio...

Frugal Failures: When DIY goes wrong.
I came across this article, not about loudspeakers, but about doing it yourself. Slightly humorous. Trying to save a buck is why a lot of people are into DIY.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...ng.aspx?page=1

Alan,

A friend of mine is a remodel contractor and he has told me one more than one occasion that 50% of his business come from "fixing weekend warrior's ****ups".. He drives a new 4X4 dually every year, paid for with cash. In this economy his business is booming. Tells us a lot about Mr. Joe Homeowner's capabilities.

Dave