NOT DEAD YET! CD ripping AND playback w/ AURALIC

Camera: Olaf von Voss | Editor: John Darko | Motion GFX: John Darko

Back story:

NOT DEAD YET: CD playback w/ Hegel, PS Audio and Pro-Ject:

AURALiC Altair G1 (€2399):

AURALiC Firmware 7.x and CD playing/ripping notes:

AURALiC products that support CD playing/ripping:
ARIES G1 and G2
ARIES Femto & LE
ALTAIR G1
ALTAIR
POLARIS

NOLYTH CD/DVD USB 3.0 drive (€25):

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CDs featured in this video...

Andrew Weatherall - Masterpiece

Robag Wruhme - Olgamikks:

The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight (Glass Fish):

Built to Spill - Live:

Grandaddy - Last Place:

Matthew Sweet - Altered Beast:

Television - Marquee Moon:

Spiritualized - Medication EP:

Youth Group - Skeleton Jar:

Daft Punk - Homework:

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Also seen in this video:

MP3TAG:

Rosson RAD-0:

Roon Nucleus:

Hifi Racks Podium XL:

All cables by AudioQuest:

Why are comments turned OFF?

#cds #audiophile #auralic

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Darko.Audio FAQ:

What the bloody hell am I talking about?

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Darko.Audio is a web magazine covering new and exciting developments in the audio world and we aren’t afraid of indie rock or techno.

[arthurwatts]

I maintain just one CD, and I never ever play it. Fans of the movie Inception will recall that we all need a totem to ensure that we arent living in an alternative universe, and that Nickelback CD is mine. I have no memory of how it came into my possession, and I have entire days where I cant remember where I left it but its always there. I have zero Nickelback in my music collection or on my Spotify playlists - its my spinning top and nothing more.

[johnfire]

CD: pay once, own forever
STREAM: own never, pay forever

[Name-self]

CD will never die. Best music medium ever imo. Secure rip with XLD to lossless and your collection goes anywhere.

[williammay]

I don’t trust streaming service cause they can remove music anytime they want and owning your own music is the best one can achieve.

[MrRocktuga]

That error correction procedure while ripping has been available in Exact Audio Copy for more than 20 years, called “secure mode”. I’ve had amazing results at ripping heavily scratched CD’s with a Plextor DVD-RW drive, taking up more than an hour (the ripping was well below 0, 5 speed!!!), but ending up with a flac file that no dedicated audio CD player could play without skipping.

I don’t thrust anything else (as much) since then for high-quality CD rips.

But I do see a value on a more user friendly unit like this one, at least for some people.

[grahamevans]

At last, someone who actually has remembered CD's.
Ok...the loudness wars in part ruined the format, but there are still many people out there where this is still their main format for music.
Well done John.

[marciosr]

When most people talk about "music", they are talking about pop/rock songs. Streaming is very good, but not perfect on that department. But If you like jazz, you start to feel the difference. If you like Classical you know that you will never leave your record collection. Streaming services might have 10 different versions of the 9th, but you know you will never hear your favorite 9th again without your record collection

[mornecoetzee]

I bought 21 CDs today, love the media 🎶🎵💿

[markwilliamson]

Love CDs (thousands and counting!) and still support artists by purchasing direct when possible. You nailed it....so many deluxe versions, alternate discs, and mastered versions are not available on the streaming sites. Buy it, rip them straight into a Bluesound Vault 2 and manage the collection with Roon. Amazing!

[asterickjones]

I still rip a lot, buying 2nd hand CDs and the charity shop and have built up a huge album/singles collection.

[toranarama]

I'm glad you're enjoying CDs. I've done all the comparisons as well and CD via a transport into a good DAC always beats streaming or laptop/hard drive via USB into the same DAC. USB is always the worse, in any variation.

I currently run a Cambridge CXN & CXC via optical into a PS Audio Perfectwave DAC into a Hegel H95 with Klipsch Fortes. It's heaven!.

Although for pulling me mentally deep into the music and for spatial 3D depth and width of soundstage I prefer vinyl via the PS Audio Nuwave phono converter. Its doesn't have the detail or high res but communicates the experience very realistically.

Anyone who says all digital sounds the same has not put in the time or money.

[markbayles]

John, I just trialed the Auralic firmware upgrade on my original pre-G1 Altair* purchased new with a built-in 2 TB SSD. I couldn’t be happier. Or more surprised. So, many thanks for the heads up.

Spun the CD with a very cheap CDROM drive powered from an external hub and everything worked as you described. A quick scan of the product support page filled me in on the settings to listen with upsampling and rip to the SSD at the same time. 8X ripping, the slowest setting, goes into idle and waits for realtime disk playback to arrive at the next track. Sounds great on AQ Nighthawks driven by a SimAudio integrated. Next I should see if it’s possible to listen to web radio or stream Tidal while ripping; wouldn’t that be nice!

All this detail to say that your channel’s videos are essential viewing for all fans of music streaming. There’s something for everybody.

Now I have to make another run at getting PiCorePlayer to work with LMS on a RPi 3B+ topped with a Hifiberry Digi+ Pro. Seems LMS couldn’t find my player. And, further hints on adding Material skin would be greatly appreciated.

*Auralic’s website says this upgrade also applies to: Aries, Aries LE, and Polaris.

[patting]

Thank you for listing the featured CDs out, love the CDs you've mentioned.

[Nephilim-]

Another thing about CD ripping is you have the assurance your getting what you paid for, especially in terms of quality and original mastering. Personally I find a lot of original mastered CDs from 80’s a lot better sounding than remastered albums. Some streaming services don’t indicate that your getting a reissue or RM and of course an original master. Lastly. Straight up I love having a physical library.

[Wordsalad]

Here is the problem. At this point when you start worrying about power sources, what are you really doing? Are you listening to your CD or are you listening to your equipment? This setup is just way too complicated for no reason. You can enjoy those CDs with any good CD player.

[mountainslopes]

I really appreciate that you don't go down some dark hole of arguing that the laser on the CD drive affects the audio or other nonsense. There are a couple channels out here that I've straight up blocked so I don't have to hear their nonsense. Thanks for the proper info!

[mickeyparker]

I remember the time I ripped my whole CD collection over the time of two months. I did it CD by CD, tagging it very carefully by hand with proper covers because automated tools were not available back then or resulted in an utter mess. Lots of mooos. I don't know, a clean tagged rip, a clean tagged collection is absolutely satisfying. 🤓

[emreisiklar]

Big box classicals with excellent value! CD lives!

[keeferdog]

10 seconds after Darko said, “This version of Cortez the Killer” is better than the original, I was on Fleabay and purchased that cd! Thanks John for the heads up. One of the best tunes of all time people...

[pauloposts]

So I am enjoying Music again, for me your approach is working. I don’t have crazy expensive equipment but your explanations and knowledge are helping informing my decisions. My set up is singing. Thank you!