media player for audio

[akd]

There is no easy way out

WiFi capable players are costly - Musical Fidelity M1 click costs close to 75K, thats serious money

Squeezebox is overpriced, I don't think just for playing a digital file one should spend 18K

Media players are meant for HD video, and majority of them do a shoddy job of audio reproduction, then there comes display problem, why someone has to switch on TV to play music? Those with tiny display (Popcorn etc.) hardly serves this purpose

USB DACs are excellent prospect but one needs computer

I have found portable players like COWON D2+, Sansa fuze etc. (with SDHC addition) provides not only excellent SQ, but also gives a reasonable disc space, and they are quite easy to use, and displays aren't problem as they can be kept in hand, this is the best way if one doesn't want to spend too much for digital players.

Arnab

 

[haisaikat]

Cambridge audio NP30 is another option for networked music play with built in DAC and display, no TV required. But its DAC is 24/96 only. Price is high around 30K.

 

[Kevian]

@akd
30K for NP30, 50K+ for NR7001, 20K+ for Sonos et al are there to play a simple digital file(flac/wav) only. SBT does the same thing @14Kish. Difference is DAC. People with deep pockets can afford mid/high end DACs. Otherwise, SBT's DAC does a decent job with a Touchscreen, Album Art display, Spectrum Equalizer, Lyrics Plugin, Vast collection radio stations of all genre and many more..all on your finger tips and even better if you own an android phone/iphone already.

Thad already gave us an answer in his question.

People are using the Touch as a stand-alone media server: is it the best thing for this job?

I'd say the above even if I upgrade (Jeb mein khujli) to those 30ish and 50ish devices to play my simple digital files.

Cheers!!
Kevian

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I am a fan of the Squeezeboxes, and have a Duet. If it had been available at the time, I might have bought a Touch, but, on the Duet I do not have the option to directly attach a USB external disk.

On the other hand, if my PC was within cable's reach of my hifi, which it used to be, I would not have bought one at all.

 

[anm]

I just love mine - it costed me 12k from UK - I don't need any other computer to be on, has ultimate remote control (even when screen is off) and great on screen UI (very simple and intutive).
It has 2TB hdd attached to it and it plays from it.
It may not be audiophile grade, as it has only optical out, and inbuilt dac may also not be the best. However, I am currently using HDMI to connect with my receiver. But I have used optical in the past and it sounds great. And it is bit perfect, if that matters.

It is out of production though. Available on ebay as used or NOS.

 

[hemantwaghe]

I just love mine - it costed me 12k from UK -.

u r referring what? I hope it is not a double meaning statement.

 

[Kevian]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:hyeah:

 

[anm]

lol yes I love mine, right now it is in standing position

 

[adie]

guys help me understand comparison of media player (asus oplay mini) digital out (optical) with avr (dac of avr) sq against same system with external dac introduced after media player.

 

[hemantwaghe]

lol yes I love mine, right now it is in standing position

ananth - this is attack on my adolescent mind!!

BTW can I know brand of yours which u referred earlier?hyeah:hyeah:

 

[anm]

it's a hidden secret - it's an apple tv first generation. With atv flash (I purchased, so add that to the cost) will allow you to attach an external hard disk via usb. Then you sync with your laptop and you are good to go. No need to connect with a laptop anymore.

But once done, it works like a champ.
And apple remote is too good that works on ipad/ iphone/ itouch.

 

[akd]

I just love mine - it costed me 12k from UK - I don't need any other computer to be on, has ultimate remote control (even when screen is off) and great on screen UI (very simple and intutive).
It has 2TB hdd attached to it and it plays from it.
It may not be audiophile grade, as it has only optical out, and inbuilt dac may also not be the best. However, I am currently using HDMI to connect with my receiver. But I have used optical in the past and it sounds great. And it is bit perfect, if that matters.

It is out of production though. Available on ebay as used or NOS.

As far as I understand apple TV is a media player (just like ASUS O play, WDTV....) meant to pair with a HD TV. Can you please explain how one can navigate directory structures without switching on the TV and simply by using the remote, as I only know that the stock remote that comes with it doesn't have a display, really curious

I personally don't think its a dedicated stereo equipment, though it may perform/sound excellent. This is a valid point as we are all exploring digital media play back devices for pure music

I have a O play HDP R3, I also can play MP3/FLAC from it via rca/optical w/o switching on the TV, courtesy one fine feature of the media player, however, I can not navigate directories which is essential for me.

Arnab

 

[hydra]

@akd, he's probably using an iOS app (on an iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad) to navigate through directories and control the Apple TV.

 

[haisaikat]

@akd
SBT does the same thing @14Kish. Difference is DAC. People with deep pockets can afford mid/high end DACs. Otherwise, SBT's DAC does a decent job with a Touchscreen, Album Art display, Spectrum Equalizer, Lyrics Plugin, Vast collection radio stations of all genre and many more..all on your finger tips and even better if you own an android phone/iphone already.

Thad already gave us an answer in his question.



I'd say the above even if I upgrade (Jeb mein khujli) to those 30ish and 50ish devices to play my simple digital files.

Cheers!!
Kevian

Isnt Sqeeze Box limited to 16 bits resolution and a sample rate of 44.1 or 48kHz?

 

[hd650gm]

Isnt Sqeeze Box limited to 16 bits resolution and a sample rate of 44.1 or 48kHz?

No. The resolution for touch is 24/96...

 

[anm]

@akd, he's probably using an iOS app (on an iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad) to navigate through directories and control the Apple TV.

that's correct. Apple's remote app on ipad shows me songs by genre, album, artists, lets me search. Basically whatever you would like to do with your songs. It is the ultimate remote app.
Like itunes, it doesn't work on "folders" but on genre, artists and albums.

 

[anm]

Arnab, why don't you think it is a stereo component? Just because it can play video as well? Or the assumption that it needs a display to play music? It doesn't require a "display" switched on - but ipad remote provides music selection, while I use its IR remote to put it to sleep, bring back from sleep. No display needed once it is set up. If you count ipad/ iphone/ itouch as display, then yes it needs one - or rather, you need one to see what you are playing.

I recently got another one from ebay US delivered to a friend in the US - it's so cool I needed a backup.

 

[haisaikat]

No. The resolution for touch is 24/96...

Sorry my mistake, I read somehwere of this limitation but I trust HFV

SB Touch is great, the only limitation of reading directly from USB is for higher resolutions, but I guess that can be ignored if one is not going over 96KHz from USB drive playback.

Logitech Squeezebox Touch network music player Measurements | Stereophile.com

 

[akd]

Arnab, why don't you think it is a stereo component? Just because it can play video as well? Or the assumption that it needs a display to play music? It doesn't require a "display" switched on - but ipad remote provides music selection, while I use its IR remote to put it to sleep, bring back from sleep. No display needed once it is set up. If you count ipad/ iphone/ itouch as display, then yes it needs one - or rather, you need one to see what you are playing.

I recently got another one from ebay US delivered to a friend in the US - it's so cool I needed a backup.

you are correct! in fact later I realized its indeed a smart solution. I've been looking for a solution for long, can you prescribe some medicine to my ailing situation

1.want to play FLAC,MP3 (vinyl, CD rips)
2.amp is Norge 1000 and speaker is WHF 10.2 - I just love the sound of this combo
3.want to use my LG 550 BDP or ASUS HDP R3 as transport via 1TB USB HDD
4.will buy a DAC (optical+coax+USB) in the 10-15K range
5.want to navigate directories comfortably from a distance of 8-10 ft (may be more), thus need a minimal display, no screen size limitation (I mean smaller), no frills, features, simple display, TV display absolutely no
6.Don't want to spend too much, apple products are too expensive for me

guys suggest me something

Arnab

 

[anm]

you are correct! in fact later I realized its indeed a smart solution. I've been looking for a solution for long, can you prescribe some medicine to my ailing situation

1.want to play FLAC,MP3 (vinyl, CD rips)
Use dbpoweramp to batch covert all flacs/ wav to aiff. Appletv/ itunes/ foobar can play aiff. It takes more space, but you can insert album details and art in each individual file, so that info is not away from you even if you change the file/ folder structure.

2.amp is Norge 1000 and speaker is WHF 10.2 - I just love the sound of this combo
Great. You can take analog out from appletv. While it can be bettered by a dac, it is not bad from analog outs.

3.want to use my LG 550 BDP or ASUS HDP R3 as transport via 1TB USB HDD
If you use appletv, you won't need to use them as transport for music.

4.will buy a DAC (optical+coax+USB) in the 10-15K range

Not sure if that will make much difference, but you can always borrow from someone and try for a few days. A CDP in that range (used) will definitely make a lot of difference to SQ

5.want to navigate directories comfortably from a distance of 8-10 ft (may be more), thus need a minimal display, no screen size limitation (I mean smaller), no frills, features, simple display, TV display absolutely no

UI is great in appletv, you should be able to see. I don't have a small display to attach to appletv, I either use ipad, or 50" TV. I don't switch on the projector for it

6.Don't want to spend too much, apple products are too expensive for me

You will get for about $100 used in ebay.com - if someone can get it for you, great. Else some other route to ship.

guys suggest me something

Arnab

Pls see my responses inline. My suggestion is still the same. Old gen 40GB or 160GB appletv, hack with atv flash to use external hdd. While you can get more programs on it to play all media formats, from network etc, I find local usb attached and native media player the most hassle free.

Also see if you can get a used itouch for a remote.