What is the source component you use most in your home system?

As we transition from one format to another, some components hang on as our main source of music. What is the source component you use most in your home system?

What is the source component you use most in your home system?
CD player
23% (25 votes)
Computer
20% (21 votes)
Media server
13% (14 votes)
DVD-Audio or SACD player
14% (15 votes)
Turntable
22% (24 votes)
Tuner
5% (5 votes)
Other
3% (3 votes)
Total votes: 107

COMMENTS
Mike Rivera's picture

I also use my SACD as much as I can, but there's not enough software available yet.

Gurley's picture

In my two channel system I pretty much only listen to records. On the theater system in the den I usually listen to CDs.

rbm's picture

The likelihood of migrating from CD to SACD became more remote for me when I received a Sony evolve summer 2003 catalog in the mail recently. Its a 96-page catalog on glossy paper, with a wide range of Sony products from digital cameras to plasma TVs. But there was no mention of SACD. If Sony is not pushing SACD to the masses, then who will?

Paul's picture

Fortunately there is still some good programming on so I find myself listening to my tuner quite a bit.

Nate's picture

Simple math- more music is being released on conventional CD than any other medium. My TT is mainly used for my old music, and for occasional new LP I can find.

Rushton's picture

My listening is 99% vinyl. With sound quality this great, why listen to anything else? Vinyl clearly continues to be the highest-resolution source material. Of course, having a software library of over 6000 LPs and only 50 CDs may influence my listening choices. But then, vinyl is what I continue to buy.

Abe Tong's picture

Use DVD player as sole digital source for both audio and video.

Bill Bostancic's picture

Much more musical than my CD/Theta combo. Can get load of great used LP's for peanuts compared to the inflated price of CD's

Bengt's picture

DVD player

Joel Hall's picture

I just moved to a new home and decided to not even set up my very decent turntable. I just don't listen to them anymore. And I don't want to bother cleaning them and getting up to change sides or retrieve the tonearm at the ends of an allbum. I enjoy the convenience of CD and dislike the inconvenience of LP's. Plus I don't sit in a sweet spot for music listening. I sold practically all of my LP's and have gone completely digital. I haven't purchased SACD or DVD-Audio yet and am waiting for you guys to review a very good universal player (like the new Lexicon). In the meantime I derive all my musical pleasure from making compliation CD's (using pro cd recorders)from my favorite Cd sources which I purchase. I have the MSB "Full Nelson" DAC with oversampling and my CD's sound quite good. As mentioned above, I will invest in a good univeral player purchase a SACD once you identify one and I will continue to oversample Red Book CD's on my existing set up [The Musical Fidelity player looks great but is way too expensive. I can afford it but it is not a good value in my judgment).

Timbo in Oz's picture

Tuner—and it's a rebuilt tubed receiver with the amps off. Australia's national public FM service alone makes this worthwhile. But CD and the turntable are quite close behind.

Bruno,Slovenia's picture

Rotel Rh 10 Michi,very god sound,I use it 8 hours per day.

dimitris's picture

If I could somehow get the spiders out of my CD player , then I probably would give it a try and listen to a few CDs, if only to let the spiders get in again

Tilmann Mahkorn's picture

I own around 4000 CDs plus I can get anything which has been recorded on CD. There are bad CDs and there are those who just blow vinyl away (also valid vice versa). With the right CD/DAC combo, you won't miss any of the "new" formats.

David Schwartz's picture

My "quality" listening time at home is very limited, and since I purchased a SONY SCD-XA777ES I've been listening to SACD. I'm currently being thrilled by the new Dylan box set!

Pete Montgomery's picture

Most of what I listen to nowadays is only on CD. But where possible, I also buy the LP, both if/when I am able to hear vinyl's superiority, and for when the CDs no longer play.

Mike McGill's picture

Still draws me in emotionally more than any other source.

Bill Contreras's picture

Lately, most of my listening has been done with Direct Stream Digital encoded material. I'm addicted to the low-level resolution.

Airwaves's picture

My Yamaha TX-950 tuner provides many hours of quality listneing and at a bargin price. Before purchasing the TX-950 I thought listening to FM had to be done at significant compromise to sound quality. Now I know that is not true.

Joe's picture

My turntable and my reel-to-reel recorder are my most important sources. I buy 180g and 200g reissues and then tape them onto reel-to-reel, that way I can enjoy the fidelity of the record and keep it in pristine condition. I also do this with 78s so that I don't have to handle them.

Al Earz's picture

I would have said turntable but the cd is quicker.

R.  K.  LeBeck, Jr.'s picture

CD player (or SACD/DVD-V/CD player) is #2 ...

Mark A Engdahl's picture

Sherwood CPU 100 FM aka..(Draco Labs) Smooth sound even 20 years later and very sexy .Take a look at Shangling T200 sexy Too

Brian R.'s picture

About 98% of my software is in the LP format. There are so many affordable and great used records out there (I'm not interested in the pricey 180g reissue game) that I just can't justify spending my limited music dollars on CDs. So, my Rega 25 reigns supreme in my system while my Naim CD5 doesn't see very much use. If I had more CDs, I'd probably listen to more of them; the CDs I do have are more recent recordings I really want to listen to but which are not available used as LPs. Indeed, I will buy used CDs too, but there just isn't the selection of them that the LP back catalog offers. I'm not really into the "vinyl is better than digital" war: in my opinion CDs and records sound "different" from each other (rather than one sounding "better") and each offers advantages and disadvantages. I just happen to have a lot more records than CDs.

Ken Wolf's picture

Actually a SACD player, but using CDs almost exclusively.

Harold B.  Roberts's picture

Ivoted for the tuner,thouugh the turntable is my choice for quality listening. the SACD IS ALSO VERY GOODand certain first genaration CDs can be great

Keith Y's picture

I had to choose one. SDo the CD playeer has a 51% usage advantage over the turntable at 49%!!

Pyry Ekholm's picture

CDs and plenty more CDs—and a few blues programs on the radio. I also use my computer as a source.

Serpieri's picture

Even though I truthfully listen through my CD player more than my turntable, undeniably, the sound of vinyl still wins hands down.

sam murik's picture

universal dvd player

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