This is why it's time for the CD to freaking die already. It's 1970s technology

Says the guy with a blog dedicated to setting up vinyl.

The problem with hdtracks and some other places is I have no idea what they've done to the original master, or even if it is in many cases. It's easier for me to investigate a time-stamped pressing than to download a mystery file and perform a full spectral analysis. if someone can guarantee the original master's integrity and offer it up for download without media, sounds good to me. So far, most of those services have been pretty shady just like the many new vinyl releases.

Oh btw, new Miata's weight saving? No glovebox, no telescopic steering, but there's a freaking cd player behind the armrest!!

Not to mention the DACs like Ayre's that don't even have S/Pdif inputs.

Why would you need one when you can get a Hugo?! Sorry, couldn't resist.

The problem with hdtracks and some other places is I have no idea what they've done to the original master, or even if it is in many cases. It's easier for me to investigate a time-stamped pressing than to download a mystery file and perform a full spectral analysis. if someone can guarantee the original master's integrity and offer it up for download without media, sounds good to me. So far, most of those services have been pretty shady just like the many new vinyl releases.

Oh btw, new Miata's weight saving? No glovebox, no telescopic steering, but there's a freaking cd player behind the armrest!!

That's because those download stores are lazy and sloppy. Believe me HDTracks isn't a fan of me, I've been ruthless to them on my site and have gotten in a Twitter fight with them over it. That's really only an issue with classic album reissues though, new releases have no need for CD releases.

Also, while provenance is incredibly important, what ultimately matters the most is the sound - does the HDTracks or Pono or whatever sound good or not? Whether it came from original tapes or production dubs or some 4th gen copy is somewhat besides the point. Unless HDTracks is replacing their versions of albums with different versions without telling anyone, there will still be "the HDTracks" just like 'the '92 CD" and "the 2002 SACD" that can be compared with each other, just like any other format.

No one will ever use the CD player in the new Miata.

If you listen to the genres I do, you're going to want to have a turntable. I've had conversations with guys that have been making music for decades, and some of them literally are not allowed to release a CD that hasn't been destroyed by volume. The label won't let them. The vinyl is allowed to slip through because nobody cares. That's why I own a turntable.

Dave, I wouldn't mind if you put your blog on your profile. You've certainly earned the right.

From everything you guys had been sharing till recently about the USB gen 3 in the yggy, it was about as good as usb can get. Coulda sworn you had said even the OR5 didn't improve it. I'm ok with the increased convenience of usb. Though I do have a theta basic data III back in storage in the states. Maybe not as good as your laser disc based behemoth Marv. But I'll compare it to the usb once I'm back.

I've been thinking about building a dedicated arm based music machine. Using archphile or one of the other Linux distos. How do you think the Intel celeron boards compare to the arm boards like the RPi 2 Dave? What would be the reason to get the full Intel board?

Edit: I guess you would say it is so you can use dedicated USB cards with that Intel board, which you can't do with the arm ones.