Do you plan to integrate a computer into your music system?

Although standalone music systems will always be part of the audio hobby, it appears that computers are becoming increasingly important. Improvements in data transmission and storage are reported almost daily, and several services now offer downloads of music. When will a computer become part of <i>your</i> music system?

Do you plan to integrate a computer into your music system?
No! Never!
35% (90 votes)
Maybe someday.
45% (116 votes)
Soon.
8% (21 votes)
Did it recently.
4% (9 votes)
Have had one for years.
4% (9 votes)
Other? ( . . . )
4% (10 votes)
Total votes: 255

COMMENTS
Joe Hartmann's picture

I have a database of my recorded music for years. Recently I have become aware of the additional functions my PC can used to control my music system as well as other sysytems in my home. I plan to explore these alternatives over the next 12 months.

Tim Portlock's picture

You all should cover the use of computers to process digital signals. Win98 will stream digital data thru USB ports, DVD drives are under $200, UDMA CD-ROM drives are cheaper. What does this sound like feeding a high-end jitter box and D/A converter? Who makes PC boards that can massage the digital data, and why not??

Joseph Clements's picture

As soon as multiple-session recordable CD media is available and software comes down in price and increases in functionality, I'll add one to my system.

Mark's picture

Definitely someday, but not anytime remotely soon. I can't begin to imagine what audiophile quality peripherals are going to cost me!

rrogers's picture

why?

Zoutsos Aristides's picture

Computer systems offer not even high fidelity

Victor Jones's picture

Unless there are some significant new advances, it seems to me that integrating stereo into my computer is a more resonable pursuit. I am not convinced that a computer is ready to add much to my current stereo system

Joe Evans's picture

What on Earth for?!!!

Anonymous's picture

*&%&*@#***!!!

Reverend Tim's picture

Never the twain shall meet.

frank holderfield's picture

A definite NO! I just recently relocated our computer system to the guest room. It was in the den with the stereo. Just like my video system they all deserve their own domain-but never together. Now that my audio system is by itself so will I be-listening to my latest treasures.

Mark Mason's picture

I still haven't found the computer as a serious contender in quality sound reproducton. I love the life, feeling, snap, and pace my highend system provides me. Especially my Pro Ac speakers. Computer multimedia and high end audio are two completely different experiences. one is information, the other feeling. Computers feed the brain, music feeds the soul. When I am tired and burned out at the end of the day, after too many hours managing information at work, I can no longer think effectively and do not enjoy any activity that involves coordination or mental concentration. In this state, I can lay back and enjoy music. It is as if the emotional content of the musical message (which I will never call software) can flow into me and deliver it's healing qualities without effort on my part. It is as if the brain is not involved. As if the music is already in an format capable of communicating with our emotional self, without the need of decoding.

Kurt Segur's picture

It is possible, if it is used as some form of cataloging or processing. Perhaps we will need it to figure out what format we will want to play. You know, Format-of-the-Month Club. We could get monthly updates as to when we will have to throw out all of our equipment and software (records, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, DATs). Maybe we can run everything through our PCs with pirated software to end-run all the nonsense the recording and electronic industries are throwing at us. It doesn't make sense when we already have perfect sound forever . . . you know, LPs.

Lung-Singapore's picture

Are you serious??

Peter Wendell's picture

What possible reason could there be to do so? And I'm a computer professional, BTW

Bertus Wiltvank's picture

No comment. It speaks for it self.

Peter Symes's picture

Not sure that I see the point of this idea, Nothing will replace my two channel set up, which I am now listening to while I write and surf.

dana2@gate.net's picture

Computers are wonderful for the creation, alteration and subsequent digital storage of music, if you're into that sort of thing. And some of my friends use their computer system to play background music when they're puttering around the house. But we're a long way away from the computer being the central device used in the serious reproduction of reference quality sound.

Mike Rupertus, Philadelphia's picture

Everyone who has a CD player already has a computer, since a CD player is one. Seriously, a computer is great for cataloging a collection, and that's it.

jr's picture

Isn't a CD player enough??

David L.  Wyatt's picture

I love my Mac, but I didn't buy it to listen to music.

Mark Stranczek's picture

I listen to audio because I enjoy the expereince it gives me, mainly because I don't have to do much to enjoy it. I just put it on and press Play. Listening to music is generally a passive excercise, even if one would consider oneself to be actively listening. Computers are, by nature, interactive devices. However much I would like to say I enjoy computers, I don't. They generally piss me off! Why mix the two and bring one wonderful experience down to the level of mediocrity?

Mike Abrams's picture

I didn't like digital when CD's first came out and your first instincts are usually right. So why should I want my computer anywhere near my stereo?

Lyman G.L.  DeLiguori, Sr.'s picture

Heh-heh . . . you can't be serious. Computers and my audio system? No, I think not. I repair systems on a daily basis, and the last thing I want to do is to have to modify or repair the Registry in NT or '95 (due to corruption of one sort or another) so I can relax and enjoy music. I don't need the aggravation of sitting down after a hard day at work . . . with a favorite artist on CD . . . coffee in one hand . . . get a few seconds into the music, and see the NT Blue Screen Of Death. Anyone who wants to mix the two should first have a thorough exam by a qualified psychiatrist.

EarlR Gellings's picture

Why on Earth?? Why on focking(SIC) Earth?? Us tubers sniff at such goings on!

Art Hodas's picture

I'm no novice to computers, and I sure as hell don't want screwed-up programming to carry over into my enjoyment of music.

P.S.  Lam's picture

Maybe but unlikely. Computer is for mental exercise whereas music system is for intellectual relaxation.

Richard Nixon's picture

Computers are for data, not music. HT systems are for movies, not music. The industry should stop trying integrate ironing boards and sewing machines.

John-Edward Alley, Jr.'s picture

I have three computers for business & "pleasure," and all of them have audio systems built-in. But my dedicated audio & video systems perform so well I have no interested in introducing systems crashes etc. to a part of my life that reduces stress, not induces it. Because of this I feel for now I want to keep those parts of my life separate. Thanks!

Anonymous's picture

Only to download to DVD or 128Kcd

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