OT: 'Off topic' thoughts

[Notsince67]

imo, audiophile and streaming don't belong in the same sentence, quality sound from streaming or itunes will never touch the quality of a CD or Album, plenty of cheap options to get good sound at a reasonable price by foregoing the high end stuff, as long as you have quality speakers everything else is secondary imo. I run a pair of Kinima speakers through a passive subwoofer with two 12"woofers hooked up to a 80 watt amp no bigger than a cigarette pack in my garage via a ipod dock that sounds unbelievable for what it is, almost as good as my NAD stereo in my livingroom, but at a fraction of the price..........

I disagree. I have a pretty sizable record collection but the quality of sound on a lossless format is unbelievable. I have a portable DAC made by Fiio. I moved to that when I wanted better sound quality than mp3. I digitized my music collection to FLAC. The portable Fiio looks like a clunky iPad classic but contains micro SD cards where I loaded about 400gb of lossless compressed music. One day I piped it into the input of a stereo and was floored at the quality improvement of some of the songs. That was with a smallish processor on it. Times are changing. No crackle typical of a turntable.

 

[rumman]

I disagree. I have a pretty sizable record collection but the quality of sound on a lossless format is unbelievable. I have a portable DAC made by Fiio. I moved to that when I wanted better sound quality than mp3. I digitized my music collection to FLAC. The portable Fiio looks like a clunky iPad classic but contains micro SD cards where I loaded about 400gb of lossless compressed music. One day I piped it into the input of a stereo and was floored at the quality improvement of some of the songs. That was with a smallish processor on it. Times are changing. No crackle typical of a turntable.

I’m 62 I don’t mind some crackle as long as it isn’t my knees, shoulders, neck, also my ears aren’t what they use to be so maybe I can’t hear the justification of the higher end stuff. By what you want, whenever I’ve cheaped out on not getting what I really wanted in the past I’ve regretted it which in the end was wasted money.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

on a series topic...

aliens...

who believes in them? and who has had extraterrestrial experiences?

or is that just white people bullsh*t?

I very badly want to believe but the fact that the Government is pushing the narrative just makes me skeptical of the whole thing.

I think it's likely a combination of true UFOs being a small sample, while the majority of sightings being experimental tech/drones back-engineering the alien technology.

 

[MSZ]

imo, audiophile and streaming don't belong in the same sentence, quality sound from streaming or itunes will never touch the quality of a CD or Album, plenty of cheap options to get good sound at a reasonable price by foregoing the high end stuff, as long as you have quality speakers everything else is secondary imo. I run a pair of Kinima speakers through a passive subwoofer with two 12"woofers hooked up to a 80 watt amp no bigger than a cigarette pack in my garage via a ipod dock that sounds unbelievable for what it is, almost as good as my NAD stereo in my livingroom, but at a fraction of the price..........

Anything over 96khz/24bit you hear via streaming is better than CD. SACD is still better on my setup since I have a dedicated SACD player and an integrated amp to go with it.

I disagree. I have a pretty sizable record collection but the quality of sound on a lossless format is unbelievable. I have a portable DAC made by Fiio. I moved to that when I wanted better sound quality than mp3. I digitized my music collection to FLAC. The portable Fiio looks like a clunky iPad classic but contains micro SD cards where I loaded about 400gb of lossless compressed music. One day I piped it into the input of a stereo and was floored at the quality improvement of some of the songs. That was with a smallish processor on it. Times are changing. No crackle typical of a turntable.

I have a Fiio headphone amp, the price to performance ratio is simply unbeatable.

 

[Metroid]

Any of you guys play an instrument? I've played guitar for 20+ years and can't recommend it enough as both a hobby and as a way to help with stressful shit in your life.

Been playing guitar and in bands for bout 20 years or so, made lots of friends all around world doing so. Good times. Still at it but now more low key.

 

[Metroid]

Since we're sharing our babies:

These are my 2 go to guitars. Have too many as seen in the back. One of em a 5 string Yamaha bass...also have a midi keyboard, drum set not shown... Lol I have a lot. Luckily wife doesn't care!
Rock and roll!

 

[Notsince67]

Anything over 96khz/24bit you hear via streaming is better than CD. SACD is still better on my setup since I have a dedicated SACD player and an integrated amp to go with it.


I have a Fiio headphone amp, the price to performance ratio is simply unbeatable.

Already looked at the Fiio streamer but for various reasons, the eversolo is leading my selection.

 

[Anthrax442]

Any of you guys play an instrument? I've played guitar for 20+ years and can't recommend it enough as both a hobby and as a way to help with stressful shit in your life.

I play drums. We even have a band of old farts.

 

[al secord]

on a series topic...

aliens...

who believes in them? and who has had extraterrestrial experiences?

or is that just white people bullsh*t?

It's very arrogant of us to believe that we're the only life sustaining planet in an infinite universe.

It wouldn't surprise me if Tom Cruise were sent here with a small army to infiltrate and harvest us.

 

[Notsince67]

It's very arrogant of us to believe that we're the only life sustaining planet in an infinite universe.

It wouldn't surprise me if Tom Cruise were sent here with a small army to infiltrate and harvest us.

Thought about this. Can't say im completely sold on intelligent alien life. Time is a pretty big factor. Planetary natural disasters or planetary suicidal wars could easily mute the numbers to infinitesimally small numbers. We just don't know if it is inevitable that intelligent life will wipe itself out in a suicide. Still studying the sample size.
Have to say though that the number of people here that want to gut the core of the leafs sure doesn't give me hope.

 

[Gary Nylund]

on a series topic...

aliens...

who believes in them? and who has had extraterrestrial experiences?

or is that just white people bullsh*t?

I read a book about 25 years ago, I think it was called Disclosure. It was full of very credible people talking about their experiences. I'm talking pilots, engineers, people in very important positions in various government agencies etc. and it was impossible for me to believe that all these people are delusional.

View attachment 734973
These are my 2 go to guitars. Have too many as seen in the back. One of em a 5 string Yamaha bass...also have a midi keyboard, drum set not shown... Lol I have a lot. Luckily wife doesn't care!
Rock and roll!

Wow, that's quite the collection. Sweet!

 

[al secord]

On the subject of music and guitars...RIP Robbie Robertson.

Only Garth is left now.

 

[notDatsyuk]

Any of you guys play an instrument? I've played guitar for 20+ years and can't recommend it enough as both a hobby and as a way to help with stressful shit in your life.

Mostly through my misspent youth, I played violin, baritone, trombone, tenor and also sax, clarinet, tympani, piano, and guitar. Nowadays I mainly stick to drums and washboard.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

I play drums. We even have a band of old farts.

Do you practice at a rehearsal space or in one of your garage/basements?

 

[egd27]

Any of you guys play an instrument? I've played guitar for 20+ years and can't recommend it enough as both a hobby and as a way to help with stressful shit in your life.

Guitar and sing.......great way to blow off stress.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Do you practice at a rehearsal space or in one of your garage/basements?

It's kind of sad that there's only one rehersal space left in all of Toronto.

 

[Evilhomer]

It's kind of sad that there's only one rehersal space left in all of Toronto.

The live band music scene in Toronto is in rough shape. I look at my kids and their friends, and not a single one of them shows much interest in playing an instrument, let alone the idea of forming a band. How can they when 90% of their time is spent on a screen? I am admittedly an old bastard, but all I wanted to do growing up was play sports and guitar. Can't sing worth a lick, but I've played in so many garage bands over the years that I've lost track. I still love picking up the guitar, but the only one who seems to enjoy it with me anymore is my dog.

 

[Metroid]

It's kind of sad that there's only one rehersal space left in all of Toronto.

Theres a bunch still around. Rehearsal Factory did close all but one location, which is just monthly rooms now. (My band got lucky and snagged a room starting September)
But I do agree there definitely is less places now than before. Really good place for hourly rooms is Groove Room over at Kiplling/Evens. Nice size rooms, AC, vending machine up front that also sells beers and weed lol

 

[Canadian Finn]

a weed vending machine? from a non licensed retailer? that sounds .... unique (and awesome).

 

[Metroid]

a weed vending machine? from a non licensed retailer? that sounds .... unique (and awesome).

Well it has water and snacks as well. So it's not just a "weed" vending machine haha.

 

[Gary Nylund]

The live band music scene in Toronto is in rough shape. I look at my kids and their friends, and not a single one of them shows much interest in playing an instrument, let alone the idea of forming a band. How can they when 90% of their time is spent on a screen? I am admittedly an old bastard, but all I wanted to do growing up was play sports and guitar. Can't sing worth a lick, but I've played in so many garage bands over the years that I've lost track. I still love picking up the guitar, but the only one who seems to enjoy it with me anymore is my dog.

Yeah I miss the days when there were live bands playing in bars all over the place. Being a blues fan, I miss Alberts Hall most of all, I loved that place so much.

Theres a bunch still around. Rehearsal Factory did close all but one location, which is just monthly rooms now. (My band for lunch and snagged a room starting September)
But I do agree there definitely is less places now than before. Really good place for hourly rooms is Groove Room over at Kiplling/Evens. Nice size rooms, AC, vending machine up front that also sells beers and weed lol

Maybe it was just one within city of Toronto limits not sure, just going by what someone told me. We used to go to the place at Front/Sherbourne, I loved that place. First time I went there about 10 years ago, I opened the front door and it was like I smacked in the face by this massive cloud of pot smoke, loved that.

 

[Metroid]

Yeah I miss the days when there were live bands playing in bars all over the place. Being a blues fan, I miss Alberts Hall most of all, I loved that place so much.


Maybe it was just one within city of Toronto limits not sure, just going by what someone told me. We used to go to the place at Front/Sherbourne, I loved that place. First time I went there about 10 years ago, I opened the front door and it was like I smacked in the face by this massive cloud of pot smoke, loved that.

Ya that location was one of all.but one that sut down.

And as for the post you quoted, yeah kids now a days don't care as much. Sucks. I remember being in elementary school and gr 6/7/8 kids would be wearing band shirts , now as I take my kids to school, I don't see one kid ever wearing any band shirt (I know that's technically not really the same as kids playing instruments) but it sorta shows me they ain't in the scene. Itll eventually pick up again, when? Who knows. Until then I'm a gonna keep playing until my hips won't let me stand anymore

 

[Canadian Finn]

when Taylor Swift is the most popular thing going, actual instruments and bands are the last things thought of.

bubblegum pop rock is where it's at these days.

 

[ACC1224]

when Taylor Swift is the most popular thing going, actual instruments and bands are the last things thought of.

bubblegum pop rock is where it's at these days.

She plays a few different instruments, immensely talented.

 

[Canadian Finn]

She plays a few different instruments, immensely talented.

plays is a ... well, reach.

she strums a guitar, yes.

musicians like Miley Cyrus are better examples of pop stars who are actually immensely talented.