please help me find a simple hi fi solution for playing files from hard drive (with some special requirements)

[lastpork]

Hello,

I have been listening mostly to LPs lately, but have a great amount of music on my computer, and since LP buying budget is limited for all the music I would like to hear, even if quality suffers a bit, I would like to be able to play these files on my hi fi with as much quality as possible.

I am new to this digital audiophile scene, so I started searching and see that now there are quite a few options around, and basically I came upon the network streamers such as the Marantz NA7004 and the Pioneer N-50. After comparing options and reviews, I think they are good options and fit my budget, even if I am a bit unsure if the Pioneer's screen size is not too small for me.

However they actually have too many features that I won't use and these add to the price. So my reasoning is that if you eliminate all the extras I will probably get a much better machine for the price.

Basically these are my "conditions":

-I don't want to use wifi (in any part of the loop), I will be playing files from the hard drive. So it does not have to be a network player at all.

-I don't want tv, screen, or computer next to the wifi, so whatever the option, it will need to have a screen to select the music. Also I don't want wifi remotes with screens or iphones or otherwise. I know everyone loves them but No wifi!!

-Radio is optional, be it streaming or am/fm

-If I will be investing in hardware with a recent DAC, it would be nice to be able to connect my cd transport to it since I have a dated DAC, which means digital inputs, preferrably coaxial

-In a device like a network streamer or similar, where the transport is strong but the dac might have room for improvement in the future, digital outs would be nice

-It would be great to play high quality 24/192 files, which leaves room for the future

So basically I just want something like a cd player, but for reading hard drives!

Are there any DACs that accept usb memory? that would be the most simple solution. Or a high quality digital file reader with a good dac incorporated, with or without hard drive. Or a 2 box system in which a digital file transport that connects to a good dac.

Hope you guys can help me out. If I leave out the network players, I don't really know where to look. All I see as music servers are the quite expensive Olive range. From what I understand the transport on squeezebox is good but requires a PC or NAS. I wouldn't mind so much investing in a nas but that will lower my budget for the rest of the items, so this has to be taken into account. I am also one to invest in the best component I can get, one at a time, but would require the system to be usable from the beginning of the investment.

Thanks in advance!

Pedro

-

 

[bigboss]

What's your budget?

 

[bigboss]

What about something like this? Ignore the wifi bit. You can connect a hard drive to its USB port.

 

[lastpork]

Hello and thanks for the reply. My budget is around 400-500 euros, which is about the price you can get a pioneer n-50 here, even though it is rated at 500£ by whathifi reviews. Prices fluctuate greatly between countries and sellers, so suggestions around that value are welcome.

The system you suggested seems to have even more features than the network media streamers I mentioned that I don't need, namely amplification, which I imagine detracts greatly from the quality and value of the rest of the components. Also it has no coaxial in, which for me is a probable must, and no coaxial out, which I would like.

For reference my system is a Teac AG H500 integrated amp and Monitor Audio Studio 2 speakers. I also have a lent audiolab 8000A which I am yet to set up and try.

 

[skippy]

Just bought a Panasonic bdt-230 (bluray player) which accepts flac on USB drive.

Impressed with the sound quality, the only problem is you need the TV on to get it going unless you could memorise the steps to get it going and you can set it up to shuffle?

 

[pauln]

I would like something similar, I've looked but don't think such a thing exists. Maybe there's little demand or maybe manufacturers are guiding the market - I'm not sure that they really know what people want. Or perhaps they do but it's not what they want to make and sell. Naim make an HDD player but it's very expensive and does a lot of other things you say you don't want. Car entertainment systems offer what you're looking for but are hardly practical. In the end I think a laptop connected via a decent dac is the easiest option.

 

[Overdose]

Brennan JB7

or

Cocktail Audio

 

[pauln]

Brennan JB7

or

Cocktail Audio

They do exist then... I wonder why no established audio company has made one? (To my knowledge)

It's a pretty basic single purpose PC really. Not hard to do I shouldn't think.

 

[Overdose]

Brennan JB7

or

Cocktail Audio

They do exist then... I wonder why no established audio company has made one? (To my knowledge)

It's a pretty basic single purpose PC really. Not hard to do I shouldn't think.

Given the cost of these items, using a dedicated netbook/notebook as a streamer has a definite appeal. Fitting a larger HDD and running a media based OS such as OpenELEC, would seem to be an excellent alternative solution. Obviously a DAC would be needed, but a simple USB device such as the Beringher UCA202 would suffice and at only £30 or so, would make an excellent addition.

If you are feeling a bt more ambitious, you could try putting together a Raspberry Pi for the same duties.

Like you say though, one has to wonder why there are not more solutions like these.

 

[lastpork]

Thank you all for the input. Taking in mind the devices mentioned, all of them still have many extras. In my mind the network streamers such as the marantz and pioneer are still probably a better deal for what I'm looking, since what they have as extra is basically wifi and radio tuner, which are probably not as expensive as fitting in a cd player or amplifier into a unit, meaning the end product will probably be higher quality for similar price.

I have also thought about setting up a PC, probably the cheapest, such as Raspberry or BeagleBone, so I can invest in as good a dac as money allows. I would also have to add a mini lcd and usb remote, but they are not too expensive. My main issue with this is the lack of reliability a PC has in comparison with dedicated hardware. I have recently seen a custom built audio pc that has a way of working when it feels like it. That is what I like about dedicated hardware, there is less chance of this happening. I am also unsure of the low specifications that such a cheap computer as Raspberry has, the quality of the circuits, and processing power for playing higher resolution audio. But it seems to make sense to invest most of the budget on the dac, this is one of the big advantages of this approach.

Is anyone able to comment on the sound of the network media players I mention against dacs in the 300-400£ range? Also on the quality of Raspberry Pi as a source for a DAC? From what I understand transport quality stop mattering once you have an asynchronous dac, is this correct?

I guess I need to head to a local shop and do some listening. But for now my main options seem either the pio/marantz, or the dac and cheap computer.

 

[John Duncan]

Have you considered the Synology 212 NAS? It can be used effectively as a media player and can be plugged into a DAC via USB. Really needs a smartphone or iPod Touch as a controller though.

Other than that, I'd probably go for the Cocktail.

 

[lastpork]

Yes that is a solution to consider. However would there be any way to connect some kind of device to control it, a remote, mini tablet or so, that would transmit through IR or at the most RF signal, maybe through a receiver on the usb port? I know this is miles away from where the industry is pointed but there is always a way around... I hope!

 

[bigboss]

Yes, you can download DS Audio app to control Synology (through wifi though):

http://www.synology.com/dsm/home_mobile_support_ds_audio.php?lang=us