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Best digital stream player

No matter how expensive any cd player is, it is just do a best guess of what is on the cd. I don't think cd player will be completely gone in a couple years because LP is coming back. But I feel the digital stream player have big advantage over cd player and all audio company will come up with their new digital stream player in the coming years. Digital stream player either use usb or network cable to directly read music file from PC/file server and are slowly adapted by audiophiles.

Digital stream player is still new to lots of people. Which one is the best digital stream player in the market?

1)DCS Scarlatti upsampler
2)PlayBack Designs MPS-5
3)Linn Klimax DS

Or is there any other newcomers better than those three?
yxlei
4musica44107
520 posts
 
The Naim HDX sells for $8250, which includes an excellent internal DAC. Options that I am aware of are two external power supplies - one quite expensive and one ridiculously expensive, but they do improve the unit's musicality even more. You also have the option to bypass the internal DAC and connect the HDX to your DAC du jour, which is where I would consider putting extra money instead of the external power supply options.

Man, this thread is making me even more anxious to pull the trigger on the HDX sooner rather than later! ;->
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Do you have any idea how the NAIM would differ from the Olive HD? Seems very similar conceptually. I wonder if this is will be the standard digital source format. It seems to make sense without having to deal with a PC. The more I read about that approach, the more it seems like a hornet's nest. Not a problem for computer savvy folks perhaps, but it is far from simple IMHO. This seems like a plug n play approach with a true piece of dedicated audio equipment.
4musica44107
520 posts
 
I am not familiar with the Olive system, but from what I have read about it, I agree that the HDX and Olive seem to be similar conceptually. The Naim is extremely user friendly (plug and play might be a stretch, but it is far easier to use than a PC-based music server) and that fact combined with its outstanding musicality makes it an easy choice for me. Right now I am using a Macbook Pro and Wavelength Cosecant for a music server in my primary system, but when I get the HDX, the Mac/Cosecant server will get incorporated into another system.
pubul57
3,712 posts
 
Did you have an opportunity to compare the MAC/Wavelength with the NAIM?
mst
163 posts
 
The 8250, the NAIM better come with an excellent DAC. It should also clean your house, wash your car and cook your dinner. It is a hard drive with some software that will be yesterday's news is 2 years.
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