A ready-made media player makes sense if you aren’t computer savvy. Setting up a cutting-edge computer solution can be quite challenging for the casual computer user even with assistance from a competent tech. Such a setup is highly tweaky and may consist of diy dual low-power fanless PCs with high quality usb cards, high-end sata cables, low latency memory, individual linear/battery PSUs for cpu, SSD, sound card plus emi/rfi shielding, vibration control and other measures. Some also utilize additional extreme software measures to reduce noise and jitter by eliminating or tweaking processes by using Windows Server 2012 os in core mode (i.e. no GUI), Jplay for streaming and rendering, Audiophile Optimizer and Fidelizer, Process Lasso, etc. The advantage is that such a setup can be very cheaply accomplished, be continuously upgraded and I have heard several that competes with world class analog setups. However, I’d never recommend such a setup to the casual user.
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!
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!