Lester Wilson Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Hi have decided to upgrade my digital music library from old desktop pc running Windows XP with audiogy soundblaster platinum. This has been brilliant but is out dated noisy slow & bulky, want to convert files to either flac or dvd audio. Or big wav files seeing as space is no longer an issue. Was after a decent media player DAC with display to choosw songs songs where I can have a 4TB raid storage device hooked up to a good dac 32bit would be good with either xlr outputs or RF outputs to go to vintage amplifier. I've looked at several different dacs & have a netgear eva9000 that is ok but need to turn tv on to scroll through songs PITA. Would like to find one that has its own display and give me access to the external storage through usb or scart fibre optics. Don't care about video this was purely for audio. Thanks heaps for any tips on what to buy. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steam Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Do you have a price range? There is now a lot of option in this space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhobba Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) Yea - price range is important. But I can give a few suggestions anyway. Under $2k - my favourite DAC is a new one a guy on the Gold Coast builds for about $800.00. Another guy and I couldn't really tell the difference between it and my over $5k uber PDX with Bybees, Duelunds and all sorts of expensive stuff. It's very new, and I am burning mine in right now just prior to doing some comparisons. I wouldn't do anything until those are written up and if it still appeals the maker offers a one week free trial in your system. In about the $5-7K range: 1. The PS Direct Stream. Extremely good detail and if correctly fed sounds very good. However if not well fed can on a very revealing system sound thin, recessed, tinny and fatiguing. But if fed correctly, you keep noticing things in the recording you never heard before. I however would feed it via an Off-Ramp via its HDMI I2S. 2. The Killer DAC. The exact opposite. Extremely musical and enjoyable to listen to. Check out the comparison to an EMM DAC (see post 200): http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/49946-bill-hobbas-killer-dac/page-7 It's my favourite - but I am in the musical camp. 3. The Konverter also made by the guy on the Gold Coast. Its adopts a middle road between the Killer and DS. Won a blind shootout with a number of other DAC's: http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/62473-dac-shootout-gtg-saturday-15th-march/page-6 I rated the Konverter above the Killer - but I thought the choice of music bad. That Lenoard Cohen track sounded really bad on the Killer - its a gimmicky recording and the guy that made my Killer, who was also there, thought it simply reflected what's on the recording. Not knowing that music I cant say. Later I played Peggy Lee - Fever and many couldn't believe it was the same DAC - really good. Forget the stuff in the thread about the earthing - it wasn't the big deal some made it out to be. 4. The Playback Designs MPD 3. Very very good via DSD - vies with the Killer - very real sounding but not quite as musical. To my ears not that crash hot on PCM. Thanks Bill Edited October 22, 2014 by bhobba 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 Not on the DAC question, but can I ask what format are you wanting to convert the files from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocky500 Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 (edited) Not sure if there are many with big displays to select your files and are of reasonable value. I would look into the idea of setting up something like JRiver and buying a iPad (If you do not have one already) that you can use to control it using jremote. http://www.jriver.com/ http://www.jremote.net/ Then you could buy a good Dac that is not to expensive. There are many many great Dacs around now. Currently I'm using an Emotiva Stealth DC1 Dac that I think is good value and sounds excellent. Edited October 23, 2014 by rocky500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Equaliser Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 The M51 can be squeezed in there, much less expensive here for what it sells in the States. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted October 22, 2014 Share Posted October 22, 2014 There's a nice Benchmark dac2 for sale here . http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/72639-fs-benchmark-dac2-hgc/ Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocky500 Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 (edited) Sounds like you are after some sort of Media Server with an inbuilt Dac that does not need to have the TV on to select all your music. I think there are some new ones on the horizon. Something like the Pro-Ject http://www.audiostream.com/content/box-designs-pro-ject-stream-box-rs http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/aries/1.html Edited October 23, 2014 by rocky500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhobba Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 I would look into the idea of setting up something like JRiver and buying a iPad (If you do not have one already) that you can use to control it using jremote. They are as rare as hens teeth. I was thinking of something along those lines from an Ipad, Thanks Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Not on the DAC question, but can I ask what format are you wanting to convert the files from? OK, so must be too busy, so I'll say that if you are intending to convert MP3's or the like to flac or dvd audio, I wouldn't bother personally. Best to rip the CDs again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lester Wilson Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi, Thanks for your tips on dacs & media servers. Will have a good look at these after writing this. Most of my music is on cd's or mp3 or flac, It ranges from nero pro at a massive 96kbps. ripped when a 500mb hard drive was massive. most of my digital library ended up as 256kbps or 320kbps mp3's in the end. Upgraded a few times in file size, as computers grew in storage size, ended up saying F#&k-it will wait a bit, Now I'm sure 4tb will see me out. When I ripped my cd's was before broadband & download speeds were 4 to 6 kbps It was slow! Even pirates could row faster! Got into the quality of sound over quantity. Now I am older and to lazy to get off my arse to change cd's Have tried the massive carousel cd players. Great invention! A media server would be the go with a big arse 4TB raid storage device that backs up your music,it would be fantastic to be able to control that storage device with ipad ipod or Android, Bluetooth lcd screen. Or whatever lets you see your library and has a frienly menu, with play lists. But still have it hooked up to analogue vintage gear through a good dac fed into amp or preamp. Through RF leads or XLR cables. Really going for the best of both worlds where sound is the more important thing. I use the fibre optics for home theatre and from cd player.But much rather hear music through a classic 2 channel vintage amp and speakers over the 5.1 coloured sounds of home theatre. Thanks for your help. Cheers and thanks Lester Wilson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 You have the CDs, very cool that you also don't have it all in a lossy format so re ripping is not out of the question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acg Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 a big arse 4TB raid storage device that backs up your music Hi Lester, A RAID array is not backup and should never be considered such. You should still backup your files from the RAID array if you wish to never lose them. Cheers, Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hochopeper Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Hi Lester, A RAID array is not backup and should never be considered such. You should still backup your files from the RAID array if you wish to never lose them. Cheers, Anthony I learned that lesson the hard way. It'll never happen, I said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lester Wilson Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Thanks for info on raid drivers, what if you partition the hard drive and store music files on different part of drive used to use partion magic if C:/ drive crashed music was still safe on drive E, even with fresh install of operating system. Wondered if raid drivers were at beginning or root directory, would still use a few external drives just in case of drive falling over. Thanks for the links, very good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lester Wilson Posted October 23, 2014 Author Share Posted October 23, 2014 Sounds like you are after some sort of Media Server with an inbuilt Dac that does not need to have the TV on to select all your music. I think there are some new ones on the horizon. Something like the Pro-Ject http://www.audiostream.com/content/box-designs-pro-ject-stream-box-rs http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/aries/1.html This is most helpful thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jventer Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 Thanks for info on raid drivers, what if you partition the hard drive and store music files on different part of drive used to use partion magic if C:/ drive crashed music was still safe on drive E, even with fresh install of operating system. Wondered if raid drivers were at beginning or root directory, would still use a few external drives just in case of drive falling over. Thanks for the links, very good to know. I would not partition one drive as a backup strategy. Ifyougo with one 4Tb drive I think you will be stuck if it goes. If you have a 2 Tb and a 2 Tb then one could be the backup of the other. Would still make a backup to take offsite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logicaldisconnect Posted October 23, 2014 Share Posted October 23, 2014 There's a nice Benchmark dac2 for sale here . http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/72639-fs-benchmark-dac2-hgc/ Cheers Without wishing just to promote my own sale (you can always buy new), the DAC2 HGC is really excellent. It measures extremely well so should be (more than) audibly transparent, which to my mind is what you want from a DAC. It's also very versatile - has a preamp with XLR outputs, 2 analog, 4 coax and 2 optical inputs, built-in headphone amp, native DSD support etc. It's a pretty amazing combination of features for the price, even the new price. And build quality is great - it's built like a tank as you'd expect from a piece of studio gear. I just don't need all of those features anymore so I feel like I can probably downgrade even though I know I won't be getting something as good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lester Wilson Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Hi, thanks for your help in finding a dac / media player / streamer, after much looking & looking. Fiund a device that suits my needs. a Cambridge streammagic 6 V2. It sounds much better than how I had it hooked up. "Ipod with 3.5 split into RF leads" much mor. detail & its smoothed the marantz cd player out. Was a bit bright on some recordings, This stream magic can be controlled through android or windows or apple so that ticked the box of an lcd screen. it can be hooked up to external drive directly no computer "no bloody fans" , can be used as a pre amp this was good thing to be able to control volume on vintage amp. Wifi is streamed at 24bit 384 kbps, version 1 does not have this feature, it could use a few more RF outputs, The NAD51 would have been a good. Some were worth more than my car. This Cambridge sounds good to me does what it says. Thanks for your help. Very much appreciated. Cheers Lester Wilson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lester Wilson Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Not on the DAC question, but can I ask what format are you wanting to convert the files from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lester Wilson Posted October 25, 2014 Author Share Posted October 25, 2014 Hi,what format would you suggest to covert the cd's to. I was messing around with dvd A and big wav files,only want to have 2 channel, some of the software has 5.1 but my home theatre changes signal to 7.1 really only play music on vintage hi fi quadraphonic sometimes. But mainly 2 channel. Was after some advice on raid nas drives, the wd my cloud 4tb seems ok. Do you know of a decent external harddrive without a fan. Cheers and thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Muon Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 I guess as long as it is lossless, and metadata can be read by the device you use It's up to you otherwise. I was only concerned that there was going to be lossy files converted back to lossless, which has no advantage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest fordgtlover Posted October 25, 2014 Share Posted October 25, 2014 I'm a fan of FLAC. My files are typically 30% smaller than the equivalent WAV files, yet FLAC is much better with metadata. Despite what you read in crazy audio magazines (TAS ) and read on whacky audio forums, FLAC is a lossless compression that when extracted is demonstrably identical to the original WAV file. I use EAC with FLAC to rip CDs. EAC doesn't manage cover art, but I just do this manually when I I get some spare time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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