Thanks Ranjeetrain. Will look into them. I expect a lot of things to change over the next few years. So would not want to plonk too much money into digital now. I would expect streaming to take over big time considering how the market is moving.
Thanks Ranjeetrain. Will look into them. I expect a lot of things to change over the next few years. So would not want to plonk too much money into digital now. I would expect streaming to take over big time considering how the market is moving.
If you play headless on a pc, you have to deal with many issues..
- You need to use some app to turn the pc on and off.
- Most playback softwares are not so user friendly via an app. slow loading times etc..
- How do you plug in a usb device if you control the pc via an app ?
- Internet radio control via an app ?
I struggle with an audirvana app everyday..
If you are comfortable with a regular pc in your system with a monitor and all that, it is a different story !!
With an all in one system like the sony, you are stuck to one dac. If you are okay with that, an all in one device is the way to go.
I am personally leaning towards players like auralic aries etcwhich are essentially optimised linux pcs with fantastic custom developed playback software and app for remote control. You need to connect an external dac which gives you flexibility. These type of devices also accept usb devices and do internet radio etc..all controlled via an excellent remote app.
No idea what you tried.
For digital playback, more expensive is not necessarily better. A computer with just about the right amount of computing power for the need is the key. Then you need a software stack that does just sending out the bits. Just the right amount of software, no bloatware. The key in digital playback is in keeping it simple.