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Better music player alternative to Mac Air / laptop

I am currently using Apple Macbook Air and/or Ms. Window based laptop as the hardware player, and pairing either “Foobar 2000” or “VLC” with the Mac/laptop for music playing.  I prefer Mac Air to laptop because it has no fan.  I collect lawful 16/24 bits, 44.1/88.2 khz flac and good recordings from Youtube and store them in a solid state drive as the source. 

Although I felt the noise floor from this combination is quite dark and satisfactory, I am open to a possibly “cleaner” music player alternative/device (with display preferrably) than my current Apple Mac/laptop that the audiophiles continuously claim to be “dirty.”  The “player” may include both hardware and software because the software I am currently using may not be able to run on the new device.  I heard Mac Mini is a good choice so please share your experience if you had it.  I do not stream and I do not intend to invest in the streamer in the near future.  Thank you.

lanx0003
juanmanuelfangioii
958 posts
 

Lots of options out there for less than $3500.00 Innuos Zen Mini, Simaudio Mind 2, Bel Canto Stream. …… all will sound better and laptop streaming and not cost a right lung. 

ghdprentice
7,046 posts
 

OP,

 

Thanks. That is why I asked about your equipment.

 

My general rule of thumb is that  each component should be carefully chosen and at roughly the same cost; streamer, DAC, preamp, amp, phono stage. While a single component can raise the performance of the whole system. Typically that only makes sense when going through an upgrade cycle and you will be upgrading all components to a new level. 
 

So, you may be fishing in the right pond. 

lanx0003 OP
856 posts
 

Finally, I tried out the iFi Zen Streamer when it is on sale for $299. I still has not streamed hi-res music from those music providers but simply played out the flac files from HDD. Wow, I wish I try earlier. The SQ is improved in every way as compared to playing from Mac or laptop. Music is more airy and open. SS is wider/deeper with darker background and better separation. Clarity is improved too, making low volume level music listening more enjoyable.  For example, cymbal sound more real with extended reverb. I was fully convinced.

spenav
430 posts
 

@lanx0003 

 Happy for you. Enjoy it. 

soix
9,572 posts
 

Congrats!  Upgrading the power supply should get you a further increase in performance if desired.

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