computer based music . what are my options...

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hi folks , im going to be adding a good quality cd player to the rest of my kit next week , there are a few on the short list , but i feel i have yet to fully explore the idea of a squeezebox or external dac , dacmagic etc..

im currently using a sony bdp-s363 for cd duties , going through my nadc326bee amp to my br5s , and it sounds great to my untrained ear , although i am expecting a proper cdp to make a big difference ..

anyway , im clueless when it comes to computer based music , so im hoping to get some info on my options , before plumping for a cdp ...

could i buy a dac of some sort , connect it to the sony and nad , and get the same quality of sound a dedicated cdp will give me ?

if i was to download music , what formats would a dac support ? flac ?

how would i play such files , i dont use a wireless router as my broadband is from one of those mobile modems plugged straight into the laptop , but i could still get a router to work between laptop and possible dac , or would bluetooth be better / cheaper?

are some dacs wifi ? dacmagic ? squeezebox etc ?

what about the synergy everyone talks about between hifi components ? do different dacs sound better with differing makes of amps/speakers ?

lots of questions there i know , but i really dont know much about this stuff , any help is much appreciated [Y]
 
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Anonymous

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maxflinn:
hi folks , im going to be adding a good quality cd player to the rest of my kit next week , there are a few on the short list , but i feel i have yet to fully explore the idea of a squeezebox or external dac , dacmagic etc..

im currently using a sony bdp-s363 for cd duties , going through my nadc326bee amp to my br5s , and it sounds great to my untrained ear , although i am expecting a proper cdp to make a big difference ..

anyway , im clueless when it comes to computer based music , so im hoping to get some info on my options , before plumping for a cdp ...

could i buy a dac of some sort , connect it to the sony and nad , and get the same quality of sound a dedicated cdp will give me ?

if i was to download music , what formats would a dac support ? flac ?

how would i play such files , i dont use a wireless router as my broadband is from one of those mobile modems plugged straight into the laptop , but i could still get a router to work between laptop and possible dac , or would bluetooth be better / cheaper?

are some dacs wifi ? dacmagic ? squeezebox etc ?

what about the synergy everyone talks about between hifi components ? do different dacs sound better with differing makes of amps/speakers ?

lots of questions there i know , but i really dont know much about this stuff , any help is much appreciated
emotion-21.gif
Yes, you can buy a DAC, connect it to your Sony and NAD and it should sound every bit as good as a dedicated CD player. Remember every CD player has a DAC built-in, so different Dacs will sound different just a different CD players sound different. The Dacmagic or the V-dac would both be good choices. The former is more detailed and a bit pacier, while the latter is more understated.

The Dac will work with any format you choose because it's the software on the source you stream from, computer or network streamer, that converts the file, not the DAC.

The Airport Express has wireless built-in, as it is a wireless router, plus a DAC, though I wouldn't claim the DAC is in the same class as the two DACs I've mentioned. You don't need wireless if you're happy to live with USB or S/PDIF cables running from your source, computer or streamer, to your DAC.

To give you an idea, I have my DVD player connected to my DAC for playing DVDs, and an optical cable from my mac to the DAC for playing ripped or downloaded files, as well as spotify and the BBC. Cost was £160 for the DAC and £8 for the cables.
 
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Anonymous

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cheers tarquin , what do you think of a slim devices squeezebox 3 ? id be wanting a good quality internal dac so the airport express may not fit the bill...
 
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Anonymous

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actually i would want something wireless , even if it costs more and means ill need a router (unless there is something bluetooth) , theres too many wires around here as it is , and i like the idea of being able to surf the net in different parts of the room or kitchen while controlling my music ..
 
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Anonymous

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ok , cheers tarquinh
emotion-21.gif
...

wheres the computer guru commonly known as the_lhc ??
 
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mcjwalters

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I have a sonos system, my sky router is next to the TV, HiFi etc... it is hard wired into Sonos ZP, This is connected to my Cyrus amp and then use either my laptop or Ipod touch to control the music, depending on either saved music on hard drive or Napster. I am more then happy with sound without an extra DAC as the sound is only slighlty thinner then my Cyrus CD even Napsters MP3 files are not a major problem. I use ther programme EAC to copy cd's in Wav files onto an external drive and also copy onto Itunes at the same time on my laptop. The Wav files are a true copy but don't support art work where Flac will, but I'm not interested in the covers so not an problem for me. I also subscribe to Napster for £5 a month and I must admit 99% of the time I use this to play music rather then fire up the cd or stored music. You can make many different playlists as wellas have access to, what I understand, to be the largest library of music to stream,. Total cost was £150 for sonos, ex-demo,the cost of the connecting cable and that was it. Sonos comes with disc to load onto your computer and itunes offer a free app.
So do you really need a cd player ? I am really thinking of selling mine as it has had very little use over the past year.
 
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Anonymous

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ok ta the_lhc .. im not buying anything for ten days or so , ill have a study .. meantime , anyone ???
 
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Anonymous

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i must admit i hadnt considered sonos , i thought it was a multiroom player only , obviously not , does it have a good quality inbuilt dac guys ?

i can buy a router by the way ..
 
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Anonymous

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Sizzers:Have you got any amps going as well?You mean me? Sorry, can't say, violates house rules. Learnt my lesson
emotion-1.gif
 
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Sizzers

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Tarquinh:Sizzers:Have you got any amps going as well?You mean me? Sorry, can't say, violates house rules. Learnt my lesson
emotion-1.gif


Meant Clare, actually. Know it won't have been abused! lol
 
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Anonymous

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Hi,

I sit with my laptop across the room from my hifi.

Itunes is loaded onto laptop with music stored on my hard disk (next to my listening seat). The signal fires from laptop (apple), across the room to airport express, through optical to dac and then into amp.

This means I have my choice of tunes at my fingertips and there are no wires trailing across the room. Downside is that I have a wire plugged from hard disk into laptop so not truely free to wander. Just keep the hard disk next to the sweet spot! :)
 
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