How important is the transport when using a DAC?

There a lot of variables here. The most obvious is that the jitter when playing 44.1 may be higher. Another is the digital filtering in the DAC, which usually sounds worse at 44.1. Another is the playback software, which has a large influence on the sound of playback of digital files. Another is the ripping software you used for the CD rips to hard disk.

FLAC files do sound a bit worse than native .wav, but you must really have a resolving system to hear this. Its not that obvious. I doubt if this is the problem.

I would recommend to first do the easy stuff, namely the player and ripper. See this for recommendations:

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/computer-audio/

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Thanks for the reply. There is no user controlable software in this playback really other than what's built into the receiver. It sees files on flash drive plugged directly into the back and if compatible, it plays them. Control of CDs is handled by the Samsung BDP. FWIW, the files on the flash drive played through the Samsung USB port don't sound as good as CD version of same played through the Samsung either.

I have been ripping files for a long time. Old days I used a desktop Mac and external LaCie disk drive built like a tank. Those rips sounded fantastic in AIFF for 16/44 or MP4s. Since migrating to PC Dell laptop am using Foobar, but mostly JRiver Media Center 18 for file management and playback. Media Center is clearly superior to iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. for playback on my computer based office system, but that is irrelevant to my HT system at home, at least for now. HD tracks recommends FLAC for download format to maintain sound quality, and I have been ripping CDs using same, but I am beginning to question that.

Finally, I am surprised how good the Samsung sounds when set to output raw bitstream data compared to PCM from Redbook CDs. Not sure option to defeat any processing of data before sending to the AVR was available on the Panasonic BDP I was using previously, but it clearly sounds much better on the Samsung. I would like to compare Samsung used as CD transport with digital out from higher quality CD player or single purpose transport. Not saying Samsung is a giant killer, but it sounds surprisingly good, considering 1.5 lbs total weight, plastic construction, fixed power cord and all.

kn

Are you ripping with Exact Audio Copy using the bit-perfect secure options?

http://blowfish.be/eac/Setup/setup1.html

I've accidentally made rips without using these settings, and I always know when that happens because they sound terrible. If you don't have bit-perfect rips, that could easily explain why your transport sounds better than your USB input.

Thanks, I will explore.

Reviving this thread, not sure I solved the file format issue, but will say no files played in my system from flash drive through either AVR or BDP sound very good, no matter how they are ripped or which format. Have switched to AIFF vs FLAC based on my interpretation of advice on Steve's website. In any case, I am beginning to think it is the USB bus implementation for flash drive on both AVR and BDP compared with any other digital input, at least on the AVR.

Reason for that consideration is I bought an Arcam irdac for two channel audio in this system and it sounds very good to my ears with any input used: USB B, iPhone, toslink, you name it. These are the exact same files as on the flash drive, just played on my laptop with JRiver or my iPhone 5s instead through the irdac. It supposedly uses asynchronous USB solution supplied by DCS. Whatever, it sounds terrific.

Next question related to last bit of this thread above on switching versus linear power supplies. I am contemplating replacing stocks wall wart for irdac with linear PS. Steve says great switching PS beats great linear PS. Doubt I can find top flight switching PS at appropriate price point, and doubt stock unit for Arcam falls into this category. So what then is a reasonable upgrade for irdac?

Others have recommended Teddy Pardo Linear PS, Main Cables R Us advertises extensively on eBay, Custom Hifi Cables makes an interesting looking unit, and Paul Hynes who designed the regulator for the Overdrive SE makes a stand alone unit for the irdac as well. All are in the same ball park in terms of cost ($250-$350 USD), and all have champions that swear the custom power supplies improve performance of small DACs over stock wall warts. In terms of a linear supply to improve performance of my irdac, what do you recommend?