Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Load audio from disk or from memory? (Read 5852 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

So I'm using JRiver 19 with a Wadia 121 DAC.

There's an option for the device to both prebuffer (6 is recommended, I have it at 10 seconds) and to load audio from memory or from disk. Which is better?

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #1 –
Makes no difference.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Kogami on
Quote from: saratoga on
Makes no difference.


Why not?



That makes zero difference as the audio is the same regardless if it's from the RAM or storage device.  With audio a certain amount may need to be buffered to avoid drop outs or stuttering.  In fact it's wasteful of system RAM to have whole entire albums loaded where there is no need for it, such as the average desktop, laptop, or portable audio player that uses flash for example.

Loading a whole bunch of audio into the system RAM is something digital audio players that use tiny hard drives do for a variety of reasons, such as reducing damage from jogging, preventing skips from jogging and extending battery life a little, these players may load up to an hour or so of music (less so if the cache becomes full faster from larger files) and then turn off the hard disk until the cache starts to become exhausted.  Likewise portable CD players do this too but it's only for skip protection as those devices are a lot less fragile than your iPod's hard drive for example, so there is no need to spin down the CD.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #5 –
Quote from: saratoga on
Hard drives are fast enough to keep up with the several kilobytes per second needed for audio.


For me, the fact that even optical drives are fast enough more than clinches that one.

It's not enough, though, to calm the hysterical imaginings that some people have about what is happening inside pcs.
The most important audio cables are the ones in the brain

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #6 –
Just because an option is available it doesn't have to make sense. Today it is not enough to offer a bit perfect software player. The competitors often have knobs and magic inside with they claim better the sound. Some reports on the net by believers and the marketing of players like Jriver is forced to react and offer the same.
In the case of playing from RAM i can imagine it helps in some situations to prevent stutter while doing hefty copying. Even Win 10 acts weird with file cashing when i copy much data.
Is troll-adiposity coming from feederism?
With 24bit music you can listen to silence much louder!

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Wombat on
Just because an option is available it doesn't have to make sense. Today it is not enough to offer a bit perfect software player. The competitors often have knobs and magic inside with they claim better the sound. Some reports on the net by believers and the marketing of players like Jriver is forced to react and offer the same.
In the case of playing from RAM i can imagine it helps in some situations to prevent stutter while doing hefty copying. Even Win 10 acts weird with file clashing when i copy much data.


At the basic level something that just works with all the basics covered (commonly used file formats supported, full replaygain support, user friendly interface that allows both file tree browsing and central database use) is quite nice.  At the more advanced level something that can be customized to user taste is quite nice (changing the look of the interface, ability to write plugins).

I'm aware of all the knobs and magic stuff is way beyond what is necessary for a good player.  Any good player should at least cover the basics, this I believe is good enough for most users.

This is just my honest opinion of how it should be.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #8 –
It's not the optional extras that are the problem. Everybody is welcome to their gadgets and all the bits and pieces they like to play with. I like playing with DSP sometimes, and just occasionally, I seem to be able to EQ to accommodate different levels of bass in speakers or headphones, or, with more difficulty, my own HF hearing impairment, without making the music sound worse. Often I fail at that, and learn that these, where these tools are concerned, ease of availability doe not equate to ease of use for the untrained.

The problem (for want of a better word), is all the untested bias stuff, and all the differences which are highly dubious, and the whole audiophilication  of the PC.
The most important audio cables are the ones in the brain

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Thad E Ginathom on
The problem (for want of a better word), is all the untested bias stuff, and all the differences which are highly dubious, and the whole audiophilication  of the PC.

Something like this? Wow!
Is troll-adiposity coming from feederism?
With 24bit music you can listen to silence much louder!

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Thad E Ginathom on
It's not the optional extras that are the problem. Everybody is welcome to their gadgets and all the bits and pieces they like to play with. I like playing with DSP sometimes, and just occasionally, I seem to be able to EQ to accommodate different levels of bass in speakers or headphones, or, with more difficulty, my own HF hearing impairment, without making the music sound worse. Often I fail at that, and learn that these, where these tools are concerned, ease of availability doe not equate to ease of use for the untrained.

The problem (for want of a better word), is all the untested bias stuff, and all the differences which are highly dubious, and the whole audiophilication  of the PC.


DSPs use that falls under standard stereo to mono to conversion (encountered situations where this was actually necessary) or stuff for the hearing impaired should fall under the basics for accessibility and functionality.

I never liked using EQ.  I just use a pair of headphones that sound good to me on the cheap and let my ears get used to it.  I know some do like using it.

Again it's just my opinion.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #12 –
Quote from: Chibisteven on
Quote from: Thad E Ginathom on
It's not the optional extras that are the problem. Everybody is welcome to their gadgets and all the bits and pieces they like to play with. I like playing with DSP sometimes, and just occasionally, I seem to be able to EQ to accommodate different levels of bass in speakers or headphones, or, with more difficulty, my own HF hearing impairment, without making the music sound worse. Often I fail at that, and learn that these, where these tools are concerned, ease of availability doe not equate to ease of use for the untrained.

The problem (for want of a better word), is all the untested bias stuff, and all the differences which are highly dubious, and the whole audiophilication  of the PC.


DSPs use that falls under standard stereo to mono to conversion (encountered situations where this was actually necessary) or stuff for the hearing impaired should fall under the basics for accessibility and functionality.

I never liked using EQ.  I just use a pair of headphones that sound good to me on the cheap and let my ears get used to it.  I know some do like using it.

Again it's just my opinion.


Call it tone controls with a very fancy interface! Mostly I just boost the treble a little, so I can hear what I call the tinkly bits. Of course, when I go to concerts, nobody turns up the treble because I'm in the audience.


Quote from: yourlord on
Quote from: Wombat on
Something like this? Wow!


I don't want to live on this planet anymore...


I know how you feel. I do recommend avoiding that site. I do, just in case I catch something nasty!
The most important audio cables are the ones in the brain

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #13 –
I have absolutely no idea why audiophiles seem to think that storage and transmission (analog or digital) of audio is so damn hard to get right. Compared to something like analog video, which has significantly tighter tolerances and require much higher bandwidth, yet can be transferred in higher than HD quality even over a humble VGA cable (which was originally only meant to carry 800x600 pixels at the most), audio is an absolute walk in the park.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Wombat on
Quote from: Thad E Ginathom on
The problem (for want of a better word), is all the untested bias stuff, and all the differences which are highly dubious, and the whole audiophilication  of the PC.

Something like this? Wow!

Checksum Crusader!

 

That idiot's moronic adherence to sighted evaluation revelation dogma drove some of us out of a perfectly good hobbyist hardware forum.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #15 –
And when you think it can't become more fantastical they pull the still image example. Bit identical Pics stored with a linear PSU powered PC look better.
I thought about this a while and i have the feeling there are enough boneheads believing in these things and order enough linear PSUs after some friendly PMs to make a living for some. Forums are the perfect place.
Is troll-adiposity coming from feederism?
With 24bit music you can listen to silence much louder!

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #16 –
Quote from: KozmoNaut on
I have absolutely no idea why audiophiles seem to think that storage and transmission (analog or digital) of audio is so damn hard to get right. Compared to something like analog video, which has significantly tighter tolerances and require much higher bandwidth, yet can be transferred in higher than HD quality even over a humble VGA cable (which was originally only meant to carry 800x600 pixels at the most), audio is an absolute walk in the park.


Because, if it is easy, then they have not done anything difficult, clever, or even expensive to achieve it. All about ego.


Quote from: copperblue on
Quote from: Wombat on
Quote from: Thad E Ginathom on
The problem (for want of a better word), is all the untested bias stuff, and all the differences which are highly dubious, and the whole audiophilication  of the PC.

Something like this? Wow!

Checksum Crusader!

 

That idiot's moronic adherence to sighted evaluation revelation dogma drove some of us out of a perfectly good hobbyist hardware forum.


I was wondering, the other day... didn't it start out with some fairly good advice about tuning Windows 98 [???] to stop it interfering with audio playback?

The computer (although long resisted) is an absolute gift to audiophiles. Most people are completely mystified by what goes on inside, and yet, unlike most consumer electronics, they can open it up and change things around. Welcome to fantasy land!
The most important audio cables are the ones in the brain

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #20 –
Quote from: Wombat on
Quote from: Thad E Ginathom on
The problem (for want of a better word), is all the untested bias stuff, and all the differences which are highly dubious, and the whole audiophilication  of the PC.

Something like this? Wow!


Thanks!  That reminded me of an Audio Myth video I learned of from this forum.  Any audio test that was not run blind (A/B) is worthless.  Your mind will hear what it expects to hear.  That must be great for sales.

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #21 –
After checking some of those links, I'm left wondering,"When do they get the time to enjoy the music?".

Load audio from disk or from memory?

Reply #23 –
Quote from: KozmoNaut on
Quote from: Cukedaddy on
After checking some of those links, I'm left wondering,"When do they get the time to enjoy the music?".


Audiophiles listen to equipment, not music.


I don't even buy music anymore. I just listen to white noise (loaded into RAM of course) so nothing distracts me from the equipment.
Be the bits you want the world to hear.