Cocktail Audio

Mikey081057

Does anybody have any experience with Cocktail Audio? Any thoughts?

They seem to have an interesting product line that spans a lot of digital needs/functionality.

http://www.cocktailaudio.com/

Clipdat

There was some discussion about them here recently: https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/2503948#Comment_2503948

tophatjohnny

Looks like a decent unit. If it lived in my house my ripping schedule would destroy that portion on the unit..other than that...I"d like to know how it sounds.

Mikey081057

I think they have units that support USB external ripping drives... Is there a drive out there that you can stack cd's in and "let 'em rip?"

joecoulson

^ I too have been curious of the "jack of all trades" machines that Cocktail makes. I would love to get a decent ripper, but other than these, there really isn't much out there for component rippers. The fact that they have SO much tech in them makes me wary.
You find anything, let me know Mikey.

tophatjohnny

Mikey081057 wrote: »

I think they have units that support USB external ripping drives... Is there a drive out there that you can stack cd's in and "let 'em rip?"

USB hubs and have a party. I do. 😂

Mikey081057

Ya know for .70 per cd this might be worth consideration.

https://www.musicshifter.com/packages.php

Mikey081057

Were you going to show us a link? Or are you really tantalizing us?

rooftop59

Mikey081057 wrote: »

Ya know for .70 per cd this might be worth consideration.

https://www.musicshifter.com/packages.php

I agree for someone with a large library that is a great option. Heck, I only have 400-500 CDs and that was a pain to rip. I can't even imagine poor Johnny, except I think he enjoys it!

On the other hand, as a card-carrying cheapskate, I don't think I could bring myself to pay $330 to have my 500ish CDs ripped...

kharp1

Just my 2 cents...I completely understand the desire for an "all-in-one, Jack of all trades" piece of equipment, but (and here's the 2 cents part) I've never been completely satisfied with any I've looked in to. Inevitably I've found that none of them mastered all aspects they were trying to cover. Something somewhere will suffer. You'll have to decide which aspect is more important and then decide if that one piece does that aspect well enough.

I over estimated. That's a 3 for a nickel piece of info at best.

tophatjohnny

DSkip wrote: »

Derp.

http://ariamusicserver.com/

Dang Skip.. Looks cool.

Mikey081057

$7K for the Aria...

tophatjohnny

Mikey081057 wrote: »

$7K for the Aria... [/quote

Ouch!! Big Not 4 me😂😂guess I'll have to settle for the mega Lightning app😂😂

Mikey081057

Honestly I was looking at the reasonably priced X14 as a ROON endpoint/desktop music streamer and maybe adding an external USB drive to it. I have plenty of storage and liked the feature set of the http://www.cocktailaudio.com/home/sub01_10.php. It retails for ~$900 smackers.

joecoulson

Mikey I was looking at that one too and you can pick one up used (eBay, Audiogon etc) for around 6-700
My worry is that it’s lacking in good instructions and not enough adopters to work through troubleshooting
The only other option for me that’s plug and play and not $7k is the Bluesound vault.

kharp1

I've been watching this segment of the market and I'm leaning towards using computer/other makeshift means and waiting it out. I feel like things are making huge strides and within the next couple of years someone will get it "right."

I know that's not what any of us here want to embrace, I know I'll probably do what I do and get a hair and buy something one day prematurely.

joecoulson

Well said Kerry.

tophatjohnny

kharp1 wrote: »

I've been watching this segment of the market and I'm leaning towards using computer/other makeshift means and waiting it out. I feel like things are making huge strides and within the next couple of years someone will get it "right."

I know that's not what any of us here want to embrace, I know I'll probably do what I do and get a hair and buy something one day prematurely.

I did and with zero regrets as it is future proof in the Dac department!🎩not to mention the crazy clock add on should one get frisky😀

rooftop59

tophatjohnny wrote: »

kharp1 wrote: »

I've been watching this segment of the market and I'm leaning towards using computer/other makeshift means and waiting it out. I feel like things are making huge strides and within the next couple of years someone will get it "right."

I know that's not what any of us here want to embrace, I know I'll probably do what I do and get a hair and buy something one day prematurely.

I did and with zero regrets as it is future proof in the Dac department!🎩not to mention the crazy clock add on should one get frisky😀

I’m glad you like it Johnny but I don’t think there is any such thing as future proof in the DAC department. That’s like saying a 1080p tv 10 years ago was future proof🤣

rooftop59

kharp1 wrote: »

I've been watching this segment of the market and I'm leaning towards using computer/other makeshift means and waiting it out. I feel like things are making huge strides and within the next couple of years someone will get it "right."

I know that's not what any of us here want to embrace, I know I'll probably do what I do and get a hair and buy something one day prematurely.

You can get a SB Touch on eBay for >150. Add the enhanced digital output, upgrade to a switching power supply and send it to a really good dac and while you might not have a high end streamer, mine sounds awfully close to my Bryston BDP-1...

That would be my choice if one wants to wait it out...

tophatjohnny

rooftop59 wrote: »

tophatjohnny wrote: »

kharp1 wrote: »

I've been watching this segment of the market and I'm leaning towards using computer/other makeshift means and waiting it out. I feel like things are making huge strides and within the next couple of years someone will get it "right."

I know that's not what any of us here want to embrace, I know I'll probably do what I do and get a hair and buy something one day prematurely.

I did and with zero regrets as it is future proof in the Dac department!🎩not to mention the crazy clock add on should one get frisky😀

I’m glad you like it Johnny but I don’t think there is any such thing as future proof in the DAC department. That’s like saying a 1080p tv 10 years ago was future proof🤣

Let me restate that for you. According to Xuanqian (creator of the G2) yes future proof in the DAC department that He will offer. And if unable to perform any said upgrades (if that's even possible to get it better) by way of firmware updating, then at owners expense, send it back to the bench for said upgrade..again it's hard to imagine it any better but I'm sure the clock unit would give a little boost. So unlike your 1080i comparison I'm pretty sure Xuanqian knows his stuff..and even if that was bs...the thing is a flipping monster and it sure ain't leaving my little set up anytime soon..not even for an upgrade!! Hope that clears up your thoughts as to why I used the term Future proof..it came from the top of the Auralic Chain. Just a matter of time and I will know when firmware updates post. I'll sure try to keep all posted .

Clipdat

rooftop59 wrote: »

I’m glad you like it Johnny but I don’t think there is any such thing as future proof in the DAC department. That’s like saying a 1080p tv 10 years ago was future proof🤣

What additional things do you need a DAC to do in the future that it doesn't do currently? It converts digital signals to analog, and it always will.

Are you referring to it being able to convert things like MQA?

pitdogg2

IF you have eeenough cocktails... ALL audio starts to sound good.....just sayin

EndersShadow

Meh, I did my entire library in a couple weekends just spending a couple hours each evening ripping while I was also browsing the web, so its not like I was really working that hard.....

dbpoweramp and mediamonkey worked great for those purposes.

Free 30 day trial and I didnt even need it all. (Millions of threads on this forum about ripping if you search).

Put a CD in, start the rip, it finishes and spits it out, rotate in the next one.

Mikey081057

joecoulson wrote: »

Mikey I was looking at that one too and you can pick one up used (eBay, Audiogon etc) for around 6-700
My worry is that it’s lacking in good instructions and not enough adopters to work through troubleshooting
The only other option for me that’s plug and play and not $7k is the Bluesound vault.

So I ordered a NEW x14 from an ebay authorized re-seller for $676 shipped....We will see if it does all I want it to do on my desk or if it goes in to the FS.

rooftop59

Clipdat wrote: »

rooftop59 wrote: »

I’m glad you like it Johnny but I don’t think there is any such thing as future proof in the DAC department. That’s like saying a 1080p tv 10 years ago was future proof🤣

What additional things do you need a DAC to do in the future that it doesn't do currently? It converts digital signals to analog, and it always will.

Are you referring to it being able to convert things like MQA?

My analogy was inapt. I am not referring to any new formats or capabilities, but to the sound quality. DACs that cost $2000 8-10 years ago are easily bested by $500 DACs now. No area of audio is evolving faster, as @DSkip will note. Who knows 5-10 years from now what you will be able to get for a few hundred bucks??? That’s all I was saying, no offense meant to Johnny or his sweet new toy!

kharp1

Future proof is nearly impossible to assure in the changing digital world. As Drew stated, sure, it will continue to read 1's and 0's, but, probably won't compare to dacs just a few years out. First there was the chip DAC, then FPGA, now there is new a new style of decoding that I'm hearing about.

Clipdat

rooftop59 wrote: »

My analogy was inapt. I am not referring to any new formats or capabilities, but to the sound quality. DACs that cost $2000 8-10 years ago are easily bested by $500 DACs now. No area of audio is evolving faster, as @DSkip will note. Who knows 5-10 years from now what you will be able to get for a few hundred bucks??? That’s all I was saying, no offense meant to Johnny or his sweet new toy!

Thanks Paul, I see what you mean now.

tophatjohnny

rooftop59 wrote: »

Clipdat wrote: »

rooftop59 wrote: »

I’m glad you like it Johnny but I don’t think there is any such thing as future proof in the DAC department. That’s like saying a 1080p tv 10 years ago was future proof🤣

What additional things do you need a DAC to do in the future that it doesn't do currently? It converts digital signals to analog, and it always will.

Are you referring to it being able to convert things like MQA?

My analogy was inapt. I am not referring to any new formats or capabilities, but to the sound quality. DACs that cost $2000 8-10 years ago are easily bested by $500 DACs now. No area of audio is evolving faster, as @DSkip will note. Who knows 5-10 years from now what you will be able to get for a few hundred bucks??? That’s all I was saying, no offense meant to Johnny or his sweet new toy!

Lol brother. Never even smelled offence but curiousoty. Time will tell if the updates will improve on the sound and if so how cool would that be. If not..the thing sings just right as it sits😀🎩

tophatjohnny

No Cocktail audio owners here?? I know we have more then our share of cocktail drinkers!!

PSOVLSK

tophatjohnny wrote: »

No Cocktail audio owners here?? I know we have more then our share of cocktail drinkers!!

So true. Enjoying one now