2. digital
  3. 123975-68221

Looking for a Network Music Player

I am looking for a reasonably priced Network Music Player, or plans for one that I can build.

These are my requirements

1. App for tablet/cellphone, Android & iOS (required)
2. Ethernet (required)
3. WiFi (preferred, but with an ethernet input an Access Point in client mode could be used)
4. Analog outputs for pre-amp (required)
5. Digital output, coax to connect to my pre-amp or future DAC (required)
6. Built-in storage (preferred, but not required)
7. Built-in DAC (not required)

An example of such a Network Music Player is the Sony HAP-51, but there are a few reasons that I can’t/won’t purchase this unit.

1. Price ($1000 is more than I can spend for such a unit)

2. An amplifier is built-in (Although it has analog outputs so it can be used with a pre-amp, the fact that it comes with 40 watt/channel amplifier means that too much of the cost of the unit went into something I don’t want and wouldn’t use. If that money were spent on a better DAC, it would be more desirable to me.)

3. No digital output (The unit comes with a DAC, and even if it is halfway decent, at some point I would probably want to use another DAC. It can’t be done with this unit because there are not digital outputs.)

The things I like about the Sony HAP-51 are:

1. Connectivity (Ethernet & WiFi)

2. Storage (Although not a requirement for me, it does have 500 GB hard drive, and should be enough storage for me at this point in time.)

3. App, both Android and iOS (It does have a great app, which is one of my main requirements for such a unit.)

I don’t know if a reasonably priced unit such as this exists, or if there are plans for a computer to be used as Network Music Player. I think I could build such a unit using a computer right now, but the main problem would be that I don’t know how I could access the music from an android or iOS tablet.

I would appreciate any help you can give me along these lines.

Thanks

Edincleve
128x128edincleve

Showing 1 response by richardp01

richardp01
28 posts
 
I have experience with two network music players:
WDTV Live and Marantz 6005. 

The WD product is very inexpensive and effective.  Mine is an older model no longer in production.  The newer models will stream several internet sources but will no longer stream Netflix.  As for music it will play various video sites, Tune-in, Pandora, and music files from your network via either wireless or ethernet.  It will stream most formats including Flac 24/192 files.  It now has only HDMI and digital audio outputs.  Mine has analog audio as well.   I use the digital output through my separate DAC.  The internal DAC on mine sounds just okay.  What can you expect from a device that costs less than $100?  I guess the latest model doesn't even have a DAC.  The problem with streaming higher resolution files is that the digital output on my device is converted to 44.1 kHz.  These sound good through my external DAC but they are not the highest resolution.

I would try to find out if the newer models convert the higher resolution files or not.  For the money I would say the WDTV is a great value.  You might try a discontinued unit for more functionality. I've had mine for seven or eight years.  I had a Roku (mainly a Video streamer) that crapped out after two years.

Now for the Marantz 6005 media streamer.  It has lots of bells and whistles but the iinternal (infernal) software is buggy.  When it works it's great but I have spent hours trying to unlock it after it locks up without having to reset the unit to scratch and reenter all my information.  The service people are responsive but unhelpful.  I have had to reset it twice to factory settings and then reenter all my network info and music souces.   Highly unrecommended.
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