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I downloaded high-res files and...

My best player is my Audio Research Ref CD9. 

The Reference CD9 incorporates four digital inputs: Asynchronous USB 2.0HS, AES/EBU, RCA, and Toslink. All inputs handle 24 bit / 192k resolution.

I recently downloaded a few albums in FLAC and WAV files that I would really like to play via the CD9.

But how? 

Try 1. I purchased some 700MB TDK CDR, with a view to burning the tracks onto the discs to become standard cd's.

But, as you know, traditional cd players, esp this one, ONLY play Redbook cd's. And the files of these cd's are .CDDA. So I started to convert the files using an online service and it delivered me a .cdda file. All good, I guess.

Then I went to 'test it' by trying to play the single .cdda track I had back on my Mac. Nothing would play it. Nothing. Not VLC, Not Apple Music. Nutz. Test 1. Fail.

Probably, I need to convert whatever the CDR will hold, probably 18-20 tracks and then burn them onto the CDR, run over and insert into the cd9 in the living room, and push play...

Now I am thoroughly sick of thinking about what will it take to play these great tracks through the CD9.

As far as the digital inputs in the CD9, the only media player I have right now is a spare Apple Macbook Air that I could probably use. I have a nice USB cable... but the MBA is not an ideal and potentially noisy digital player. It is what it is... I also have an Apple 4K tv not in use, if that helps?

Does anyone have any thoughts about driving this pursuit to completion? Especially how this can become a longer term solution for all my digital files to play through this analog (and DAC) CD9 unit? 

The options seem endless yet the experience is also start-less! Oh, I do have my LG tv optical connected to the CD9 to play Tidal, not too badly.  

 

 

128x128johnread57
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johnread57 OP
203 posts
 

I was going for this unit: M50 Topping, as a very simple link between my SSD and my old school ARC Ref CD9 player with awesome DAC sound via coaxial... when I came upon this discussion of cross talk that seems to tank this unit: link

to quote:

"I can also confirm the problem: playing a channel identification test (Stereophile Test CD 2) from an SD card with the M50, there is a considerable amount of crosstalk. To make sure, I detached my left speaker when the 'Left only' track was playing, and it was clearly audible in the right speaker. Please keep us posted on any reply from Topping. Does the M50 allow for firmware upgrade?" No upgrades noted anywhere...

But if I am staying in the digital domain and transferring to a separate DAC, will crosstalk be an issue from the Topping?

ghdprentice
6,354 posts
 

Appropriate companion streamers for a Audio Research CD9 DAC is a Aurender W20SE. Or the really good but not as good the Aurrender N20. This is matching equally capable components. 

johnread57's avatar
johnread57 OP
203 posts
 

An update of this journey...

1. Reflected on my Oppo 205SE sitting there with 2 USB 3.0 at the rear and one at the front. Grabbed a USB Drive and my WD 2TB SSD.

i) Well the USB Drive worked except one of the three folders is only .dsf files and it didn't play those. The others were flac files and wav files and no issues there. 

So then I took coaxial out to coax in on the Ref CD9 and I dropped the same cd in each, the CD9 then swapped it over to the Oppo and compared audio. Well the coax from the Oppo sounded harsher and more shrill, like it was somehow compressed compared with the cd playing in the CD9 itself. So I didn't get much of a glow out of that process.

I haven't tried the files fed from the Oppo into the CD9 as yet. I got too distracted playing Hubert Sumlin Blues that was so well recorded via Tidal. Again the options are somewhat tiresome, everything has dual - do it all - functionality. My HT Marantz has HEOS/Tidal, my phone has MConnect Lite with Tidal that can be streamed UPNP much better the Airplay, and so on ad nauseam.

ii) The SSD would not be recognised by the Oppo despite it was powering up ok.

Still to try in this lot, files to CD9 via coax and streaming via phone to Oppo to CD9.

2. All of this activity testing just after making an online purchase of a used Topping M50 off eBay from a local sale. Cost $160AUD. At least it was cheap. Let's see if it adds any value over the Oppo. If not it can bounce back on sale again...

Use cases are the situation here. Let's see what this Topping has to bring.

Even for me, the idea these days of watching old movies on disc, is not continuously attractive to drive the investment. Despite having some 500 approx movies. I've seen them all and have no burning desire to see them again that often...given the convenience of Netflix etc. Yes the video and audio quality is so much better, but how often can you watch a movie? My 7 year old granddaughter is not attracted to many of the movies and everything she watches including Sing, Zootopia, and similar are on Netflix etc.  Its like I haven't opened a vinyl or set up my TT in 18 months. On the other hand we recorded an amazing video together looking like two rockers to the Live at the Fillmore Santana track last week, she playing on her toy guitar throwing her long hair back and forth over her head and me bashing it out on a darbuka hand drum (like a djembe only middle eastern). That inspired me to unpack one of my two conga drums...

Changing tastes and shifting convenience do battle in my audio spaces.

More in this story as it unfolds after the Topping is installed...

 

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