2. digital
  3. 125508-10159

Why a digital media player instead of a dedicated computer?

I’ve been trying for some time now to better understand the value of adding a digital media player to one’s system. This is of interest to me because I listen to music entirely from high-resolution digital files. I keep reading glowing reviews of digital players like the Bryston BDP-2 but I must be missing something, because if you have a computer and a good piece of software I fail to see what the media player adds to the equation. But if there is some kind of advantage to be had, I’d like to know!

I currently store all my high-resolution music files on an external hard drive, which I then connect to a dedicated Macbook Pro running Audirvana Plus. The Macbook outputs the files to an external DAC via USB, then on to my preamp and the rest of my system. I’ve been very satisfied with this arrangement, and it can handle almost any type of file I throw at it, from 16/44.4 to DSD 5.6.

Other than being able to control the playback wirelessly, what would be the advantages, if any, of using a digital media player instead of a dedicated laptop? Is there any sonic improvement to be had over my current arrangement? Or is this simply a matter of convenience and not having to tie up a computer in my music system?

Thanks!
zm

Showing 6 responses by erik_squires

erik_squires
15,647 posts
 
@tbg There is something inherently wrong with UI designers of JRiver and MediaMonkey.  Very little works as I wold expect it or obfuscates file location and data in such a way as I'm constantly left groping to understand what files I'm working on, listening to or re-tagging. 

Your not alone. 

Erik
erik_squires
15,647 posts
 
I really wish there was a streamer available today I thought delivered good value and features. 

The Auralic Aries mini for instance is very close, but offers no Android support, and I honestly don't think they'll ever commit to Android. 

Everything else is a combination of too expensive for the value, software I don't like or again, iPhone only. 

I'm using an 8 year old Logitech Squeezebox Touch with a linear supply and no one is prying it away from me. I like how it works, there is active open source development for phone clients as well as the media server part of it. They just added DSD streaming and the AMD A10 based server does other things for me such as games. Now there are also SB emulators ( SqueezeLite ) which let's me turn any PC or old Android device into a Squeezebox.

Honestly media servers have regressed in my mind. It's a decade after the SB and prices are still at the $2,000 level or higher without reaching the level of software maturity and features of the SB. Get the Aries into the $500 range with Android support and then I'll be less cynical. :) 
erik_squires
15,647 posts
 
@mapman I did too, but after trying and failing to get my ARC DAC 8 to sound as good as it did in the store I have come to the conclusion that despite the reasonably good Stereophile measurements it was not working as well as I would like.

I strongly recommend either using it with a USB 2.0 DAC, or getting the Wyred4Sound Remedy. 

I'm using the Remedy, but I have a Mytek in the mail. ;) Now I'll have all that plus DSD and MQA.

We'll see!


Erik
erik_squires
15,647 posts
 
Just to be clear, I am moving away from the SB Touch, but keeping the Logitech Media Server (LMS) infrastructure. I'll be using that with Squeezelite to drive my new DAC via USB 2.0 directly.  Yahoo! :)

Erik
erik_squires
15,647 posts
 
@swampwalker Sorry I do not, however used or NOS Squeezeboxes do come up for sale on Audiogon and Ebay with some frequency.

I have been seeing NOS Transporters I was tempted to pick up, but with USB 2.0 outputs becoming standardized, a Touch is a better option. You can now convert the Touch USB output to 2.0 Asynch output and work with any DAC that supports driverless Mac/Linux installation.

Also, now they supposedly support DSD as well, with the latest LMS 7.9 builds. So I’m really really not motivated to move except to a PC. I’m getting a Mytek this week so I’ll let you know how it works.

Best,

Erik
erik_squires
15,647 posts
 
Well, you can make a very cool server out of a Raspberri Pi 3 and Ubuntu, so why not? It certainly has very low power consumption so it can be left on all the time, and has USB 2.0 ports as well.

Add Squeezelite with a Logitech Media Server 7.9 and you'll have high resolution includind DSD playback. :)

I actually think it's worth most audiophiles attempting this.  It will certainly de-mystify a lot and help reduce the perceived value of a lot of what are essentially the same idea with expensive cases.

Best,

Erik
More to discover