I prefer not having a computer in the system. For myself, I use a Melco N1A/2 Digital Music Library with USB out going to my DAC. That has been my favourite so far. Disclosure: we're Melco dealers, so you can take that with a grain of salt if you wish. However, over the years, I've found a dedicated device like the Melco to give the best results.
Computer, CD transport or Network Player?
I currently have most of my music downloaded on my computer as FLAC files and listen to it through JRiver or Signalyst HQ (audio players for Windows) on my Dell desktop. The sound is amazing but I have a question and it is this:
Which do you find to have the highest sound quality;
1. Redbook CD's directly played in a high quality CD transport?
2. Ripped FLAC or Apple lossless files played through a high quality PC or MAC computer based audio player (such as JRiver or Signalyst for Windows or Vox or Clementine for MAC)?
3. or music (from one's own private CD collection) loaded on a network player?
Using a DAC of course.
Which do you find to have the highest sound quality;
1. Redbook CD's directly played in a high quality CD transport?
2. Ripped FLAC or Apple lossless files played through a high quality PC or MAC computer based audio player (such as JRiver or Signalyst for Windows or Vox or Clementine for MAC)?
3. or music (from one's own private CD collection) loaded on a network player?
Using a DAC of course.
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- 23 posts total
No difference - you can go any route provided 1) The DAC is a very good one (jitter immune and with a robust algorithm that reliably process all data inputs in the same manner) 2) The source files are bit perfect and there is no manipulation of volume or sample rate by the setup prior to the bitperfect data reaching the DAC. |
Agree that you can go any route provided, but, with respect to shadorne, I disagree that there is no difference. Even with DACs that handle jitter extremely well, I've still heard the differences between the options mentioned by mewsickbuff. How much of a difference is highly dependent on the quality of the system and the components in these scenarios, but they can be different for sure. My best results have been obtained with a dedicated network server/player. If you're using a network player that doesn't have storage and are accessing a NAS, the quality of the NAS will make a difference as well. |
I agree with shadorne, but one caveat - the quality of the design and implementation will decide among any of the 3 approaches. Big money is not required, but careful attention to ground loops, noise injection and phase error will be important. USB can be a problematic interface too. The speakers, their locations, room treatments, and the SQ of the initial mastering & recording processes will all be much more important. A rel. new DAC design will give better SQ/$ than older ones, so I would avoid used if older. Your question would be an excellent one for the numerous audiophile and industry engineers at https://www.computeraudiophile.com |
- 23 posts total