Behold Gentle G192 Media Player

Lumin is a Streamer/Dac, not a server.

$7K full retail for the basic one and about $11K for the topline one that does DSD2x.

Wisnon, by your definition, a server has to have a large internal hard drive? I don't know of any audio piece that has that, as well as an internal DAC and balanced analog outs. To use Lumin, you need to set up a NAS, which is very easy to do and pretty inexpensive, and that then transfers files to the Lumin as you want to play them. A NAS also automatically backs up your music files, so if one hard drive in it fails, you just insert a replacement. I personally would not want a large hard drive, a digital "renderer", and a DAC in one box. First, if the single hard drive in it crashes, as they are prone to do, you are left with a very expensive doorstop until the manufacturer replaces the drive, assuming they are still in business. Second, an internal hard drive can be noisy (i.e., mechanical noise and EMI). A NAS that is across the room or in a closet will be a lot quieter.

Of course, one now should start to see the appealing simplicity and economics of a decent headless computer connected to a USB DAC or a USB-SPDIF converter. Many Luddites in this forum are appalled by the idea of this type of setup, but it can sound very good. The owner of Ciamara uses a MacBook Pro as his source and it sounded stellar when I heard it. The folks at Computer Audiophile also seem to set up their systems this way and don't seem to believe they are sacrificing any sound quality to TOTL CD players. That is the direction I am most likely headed, and I have reasonable optimism it will work. Right now, I get stellar sound using a Bel Canto CD3t, a $1500 transport, plugged into the Behold. The combination beats the pants off my prior setup of the Perfect Wave Memory Player, Perfect Wave DAC, Aesthetix Calypso, and Pass Labs 150.5, all of which I sold for more than the cost of the Bel Canto + Behold G192.

In any case, this thread has gone way off topic. It was originally about the Behold Gentle, which is a very nice piece.

Mc,

I dont disagree with you, just being clear for AudioLab, who seems very unsure ofbthe space. I think maybe the Lauferteknic Memory Player is the only one stop box like you describe.

So yes, we are largely on the same page.

I like DSD as a format, so will likely head in the CAPs server, Win2012/AO/HQP direction. Maybe with a fitPC acting as NAA.

interesting reading all this, gentleman, is there a way to have what I am wanting here?

Audiolab,

Lumin is your best bet at the moment. I have a contact that can do you a better price than retail, so contact me if you want to go that way and save some $$$.

A pal told me that its dead easy to setup and the Dac feedback is very competent. Took him max 15 mins aand all worked flawlessly. I think its the S1 that does DSD2x, as the more basic A1 does only DSD64.

That said, I only head it briefly at the showroom in a big Audio show. For SoTA sound you would have to put up with more boxes and more tachnical hassles. I am pretty sure the SSR will be hard to beat as its the only one handling Packet data in a SoTA fashion.