What a hi-fi system looks like for listening to liquid music

In recent weeks we have been focusing on the enjoyment of liquid music in Hi-Fi. Earlier we talked about about the platforms that allow us to stream our favorite music; after that we moved on to those that, instead, allow us to download to store locally or in the cloud the best songs. But the question we are asking today is: how is a Hi-Fi system designed to work with high-definition liquid music structured?

Everything in the electronic chain that goes from the amplifier onward (whether it is integrated or whether it consists of the pre and power amp combo) remains unchanged. What changes conformation is what comes first: the source and everything about it. We are used to having a CD player or a turntable as our source, usually. With the talk about liquid music, the tables are turned and the protagonist of our Hi-Fi system will become a Personal Computer. This is where we will keep our locally saved playlists or listen to music via some streaming service.

In the first case we will have to rely on software to play the songs; there are a variety of them, and in all likelihood we will elaborate on this in a separate article, but for now we will just point out the most popular (as well as free) one: Foobar2000. Using a PC as a source is, without question, the best technical solution. But it is one of the least straightforward you can use, both hardware and software side. The first aspect is related to the fact that, if you want a PC designed specifically for listening to music, you will have to fall back on specific cases capable of curbing the noise and vibrations emitted by ventilation. On the software side, on the other hand, you will need to remove everything that is not necessary for music listening in order to have optimal performance.

That done, the fundamental next step is to purchase a DAC of the highest level. The one installed in the vast majority of PCs is lousy and risks being a heavy bottleneck for everything else in the system. There are, in any case, level sound cards that can avoid having an external DAC. They tend to be used less for two reasons: the first is that these cards can be used only with the PC, while the external DAC allows use with other sources; the second is that they are poorly shielded from the interference generated inside the PC. So if we opt for the DAC, it will have to be connected, via USB cable, between the source and the amplifier.

Another component that is not fundamental but of definite interest is DSP. DSP stands for digital signal processing; by these three words we denote the processing of signals represented in number form in real time. The DSP is therefore a microprocessor dedicated exclusively to processing a continuous signal after it has been sampled, which therefore does not replace the sound card, but stands alongside it. The first advantage of having this component in one's system is the reduction of the load present on the computer's CPU. However, this is something that, given the computing power achieved today by even a mid-range PC, is going away.

Second, we assume that the analog signal is converted into a stream of numbers. The computing power for digital signal processing allows many advantages over analog processing, such as detection and correction of errors in transmission, and also data compression. All of these operations, aimed at improving dynamics, reducing distortion, and improving the signal-to-noise ratio, are therefore carried out before going through the DAC, which converts the signal back to analog format.

A DSP thus brings undeniable benefits to our listening. But its application is even more interesting the moment it is combined with a microphone. With this combo, through some DSPs, it is possible to "probe" the listening environment to make the changes made to the song by the processor render high, mid and low frequencies equalized according to the context in which they are emitted.

So is there no escape for those who have no pleasure or no time to devote to a computer set-up? No, fortunately there are other viable ways to take advantage of liquid music while having a more "classic" Hi-Fi system. The solution goes by the name of "network players." these players are increasingly being combined with other components in the audio chain, such as CD players. A network player is ultimately a high-quality digital music player.

This is a great solution for anyone who listens to streaming music, web radio, and digital music stored on a local server, but who does not want to use a PC as a source. Once we have our network player, the scheme of the Hi-Fi system for listening to liquid music will look similar to that described above. Even the network player is advisable to connect it to a DAC via coaxial or optical cable; in Hi-Fi, the more the components are separated from each other to exert, each, its own specific function, the more, tendentially, the quality of the emitted sound will benefit.

Not only that. Even using a network player we will be able to rely on some DSPs (but this is a rare circumstance), which, however, allow a less wide range of customization than is possible with a computer. The main problem associated with network players is their longevity and pliability. Many platforms for listening to high-definition streaming music already exist, and many more will emerge (just as some will disappear). The fact that almost all network players do not boast their own operating system in favor of greater convenience of use could make these transitions traumatic, barring firmware updates from the manufacturer. Even with the bowls firm, in fact, it could happen that the network player you want does not support the platform you are used to using. In short: you have to weigh the pros and cons carefully.