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.
I have been looking to create digital files from my purchased cds and store away the originals. Since I do not have the time, nor the patience, to run around finding the “best” way of doing that on site, I have been lately looking into services that do that for you into flac or wav.. (probably would do wav and I have a NAS and hundreds of cds.) such as : https://www.russandrews.com/us/cd-ripping-service/ Has anyone had any experience with this type of business? |
I own a ARC CD9SE which I use as my DAC… the best sounding DAC I have heard by the way. The device you play them from (streamer) will have more to do about the sound than the format in most cases. You need a streamer. I recommend an Aurender. You can put them on the internal storage or play them from NAS, or attach a USB drive to it. I have experimented in my system and the same recording sounds exactly the same from a CD, from the streamer storage, NAS, or from Qobuz streaming service (this is a function of my top notch streamer). FLAC sounds better than WAV. The most important thing is the streamer. PCs do not make great streamers. Single purpose streamers sound the best… the higher level ones sound much better. My Aurender sounds as good as my high end vinyl side. My systems are shown under my USERID. |
As others have said a good streamer is your easiest/best solution, and if you don’t already have Qobuz I’d highly recommend getting it as for $13/month you’ll have access to tons of music — a lot of it in hi res — and likely never deal with downloading and conflicting formats ever again. Life’s too short. |
I’m not familiar with the Mac Book Air but I use this program on my MacBook Pro when playing DSD files via USB to my dac. I also use it to convert DSC to .WAV for storing files for playback. Not sure how to help you with FLAC as I don’t use it (unless over a streamer). It’s free to download and use- you can find it here.. |
Thanks to all for your suggestions. @ghdprentice I agree with your assessment of the Ref CD9. I guess my next steps are to explore servers. I have a perfectly good Pioneer N70ae in my other system, and wonder if I am missing the opportunity to connect a NAS or USB stick there and then take digital out (coax or optical). The GUI on these older players is not perfect, although ok. Seems odd though, to just use it as a reader. And its in the wrong room, and its already in use, and there is no room for it in the same media unit as the CD9. So not a practical solution. I read this article with interest: https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/singxer-su2/
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