User marcoc1712 started 'this thread' (http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?104198-Disk-and-folder-browsing&p=828137&viewfull=1#post828137) in the developer forum. The tread is primarily about possible bugs associated with trying to stream pure pcm or wav format files. In order to keep that thread focused on the actual functioning of the software, this thread, here in the Audiophile subforum, is discussion about the possible claimed benefits (and disadvantages) of "raw" pcm vs. flac.
Technically wav isn't a very good format for streaming, so anyone using it probably has reasons for doing so. The usual reason is the audiophile folklore about "uncompressed" sounding better than lossless compression. Often the folklore is based on misunderstanding the nature of lossless encodings, but a slightly more sophisticated argument is based on the supposed extra CPU load caused by flac decoding. This ignores the added processing and IO load (not just in the player application, but also in the kernel and device drivers) caused by the redundant data - and assumes that small differences in CPU load would cause audible differences. Archimago 'measured the effect of cpu load on jiitter' (http://archimago.blogspot.com/2013/03/measurements-hunt-for-load-induced.html) in 2013, and concluded that "symmetrical jitter sidebands are no different whether CPU or GPU load high". So far I have not seen any measurements or controlled listening tests showing any audible difference. I would welcome pointers to either. "To try to judge the real from the false will always be hard. In this fast-growing art of 'high fidelity' the quackery will bear a solid gilt edge that will fool many people" - Paul W Klipsch, 1953 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Julf's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=42050 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=104227 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles
