Undertaking a rather long coach journey this weekend, I decided to purchase I copy of the latest HIFI world (the only mag worth reading) for something to fill the dull hours..
Therein I noticed an article comparing a new breed of source component - The HIFI Hard Drive.
I'm not saying I haven't come across the idea before, sure enough, there was a chap on HFC trying to flog a similar product of his over a year ago. However, this article got me thinking about who would want such a device!
As it happens, I've been trying to put together a decent 'hifi proposal' to the folks.. My old man is a fan of music and wants to have a decent set-up (who wouldnt?) So when I saw the Cambridge Audio CDP/Hard drive I initially thought of the parents.. no more faffing with CDs, just find the track and play it.
Buuut.. where do the CDs go? Sure enough, you need the CDs to load on the music, then what? They sit around in the attic? Get thrown out? (But what if the thing crashes and the music is lost?) And who wants to throw their CDs out? - That's like buying a picasso, taking a picture of it, then thowing out the painting! - So if the CDs are going to stick around.. why not use them?
Then there's the cost.. the CA unit is £600 - a fair price considering the technology, the size of the HD etc.. But the 640v2 CDP is only 250! And I suspect the CDP would provide as good/better sonics .. I'm not questioing CAs pricing.. both items look like stunning VFM.. but when compared against each other.. is it worth paying 350 extra - if you want to keep the CDs anyway? I'll say again, I'm not targeting CA, but rather the notion - the reality - of paying a lot more money for a HD machine
I also reckon that hifi snobbery is gonna kick in if the prices get much higher.. who wants to play a hard drive through their Wilson Sophias?
With the mp3 generation growing up with music on their computers (most of it from friends or kazaar I expect) I think these devices will become popuar.. but probably not for about 5-7 years
opinions?
Therein I noticed an article comparing a new breed of source component - The HIFI Hard Drive.
I'm not saying I haven't come across the idea before, sure enough, there was a chap on HFC trying to flog a similar product of his over a year ago. However, this article got me thinking about who would want such a device!
As it happens, I've been trying to put together a decent 'hifi proposal' to the folks.. My old man is a fan of music and wants to have a decent set-up (who wouldnt?) So when I saw the Cambridge Audio CDP/Hard drive I initially thought of the parents.. no more faffing with CDs, just find the track and play it.
Buuut.. where do the CDs go? Sure enough, you need the CDs to load on the music, then what? They sit around in the attic? Get thrown out? (But what if the thing crashes and the music is lost?) And who wants to throw their CDs out? - That's like buying a picasso, taking a picture of it, then thowing out the painting! - So if the CDs are going to stick around.. why not use them?
Then there's the cost.. the CA unit is £600 - a fair price considering the technology, the size of the HD etc.. But the 640v2 CDP is only 250! And I suspect the CDP would provide as good/better sonics .. I'm not questioing CAs pricing.. both items look like stunning VFM.. but when compared against each other.. is it worth paying 350 extra - if you want to keep the CDs anyway? I'll say again, I'm not targeting CA, but rather the notion - the reality - of paying a lot more money for a HD machine
I also reckon that hifi snobbery is gonna kick in if the prices get much higher.. who wants to play a hard drive through their Wilson Sophias?
With the mp3 generation growing up with music on their computers (most of it from friends or kazaar I expect) I think these devices will become popuar.. but probably not for about 5-7 years
opinions?