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previous generation audio lover requesting new tech needs advice


I used to listen to CDs but now am moving from the country and want to convert all my Cds to Flac. What equipment would I need to listen to the music from these files? Just so I can easily understand, from my following set up what do I not need, what should I keep and what else should I buy in order to be able to listen to these FLAC files? (Sorry for typos in the heading - no way to correct it once posted, but I hope you understood what I meant)

My current equipment;

Wadia 270 CD Player
Wadia 27 DAC
Krell KRC 3 Preamp
Krell FPB 250M Mono Amps
Totem Mani speakers

Would like to go with a little above entry level equipment - Reducing toys at this stage of my life.
arun3101
n80
2,116 posts
 
I don't think you should get rid of anything but you don't need to buy much more if you want to do this on a budget. Here is my low end setup:

Old iMac using iTunes as the library/server. Rip CDs into old iMac using XLD which is a free app for ripping CDs. BitPerfect is a cheap app that can run using iTunes but bypassing all other interference from iTunes. Get a good quality USB cable to run from your computer to your DAC. 

That's all you'd need. You can run it all remotely using your smart phone via Apple Remote. If you are concerned about SQ issues with iTunes there are a number of relatively cheap apps like JRiver that can be used in its place and supposedly sound better.
arun3101 OP
13 posts
 
Thanks for the info: I have a few questions:

My DAC does not have a USB connection. It has Inputs: two ST-type glass-fiber optical, two coaxial S/PDIF on BNC jacks, AES/EBU, TosLink optical. Outputs: balanced on XLR jacks, single-ended on RCA jacks

1) Are there adapters that can connect to the DAC on one end and the computer on the other?

2) I have a PC. I have about 400/500 Cds to convert. Thinking of FLAC files. What is the best way to convert so that I can have a library from which it is easy to search for a song by a given composer and conductor etc?

3) Cd player is something I can safely get rid of if I am not going to carry all these CDs abroad. correct?

4) Is there any device that can serve as a DAC and also as an amplifier that can connect to speakers?

xrayz
105 posts
 
1. there are many usb to spdif converters of all prices
mahler123
3,337 posts
 

the most idiot proof way to do it is to get a CD ripper/streamer/storage in one.  The Bluesound Vault2 would fill your need.  For about $1200 it will store about 5 times your collection size in its 2 TB HD after ripping them to flac.  The app to control works well and you can also use it for Internet Radio, Tidal, and Qobuz, and a whole lot more  It has an internal DAC but your Wadia will prob ably beat it.  You already have an pre amp and amplifier so I am not sure why you are looking for a product that has that included.

You may want to retain the CD player as a backup in case something goes wrong with your stream or your internet connection, depeneding upon the quality of the Internet connectivity where you are relocating

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