How's Your PC/Streaming Audio?

newworld

Active Member
I've painstakingly assembled my system piece by piece starting with the speakers. You can read about them here:http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=570067
And here for amplifiers:http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=580134

PC/streaming audio was an uncharted territory for me. I tried to read through some articles, but all the technical info and complexity just flew over my head. At first, I thought what I wanted was a laptop with a DAC attached. However, the more I read about it, I realized that it was going to be an itch I can't scratch when I found myself reading up on what computer chip to use. Using a Mac Mini seemed like an attractive option but a costly one.

I figured, I just want someone else who is an expert at this come up with a solution that will take care of hardware and software. What I've noticed is that this is where it gets really pricy. There was no way getting around the fact the lowest starting point for computer audio was much higher than that of a CD player or a turntable.

What are your computer audio solutions and experience? Are you satisfied with the sound?
 
I've painstakingly assembled my system piece by piece starting with the speakers. You can read about them here:http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=570067
And here for amplifiers:http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=580134

PC/streaming audio was an uncharted territory for me. I tried to read through some articles, but all the technical info and complexity just flew over my head. At first, I thought what I wanted was a laptop with a DAC attached. However, the more I read about it, I realized that it was going to be an itch I can't scratch when I found myself reading up on what computer chip to use. Using a Mac Mini seemed like an attractive option but a costly one.

I figured, I just want someone else who is an expert at this come up with a solution that will take care of hardware and software. What I've noticed is that this is where it gets really pricy. There was no way getting around the fact the lowest starting point for computer audio was much higher than that of a CD player or a turntable.

What are your computer audio solutions and experience? Are you satisfied with the sound?

I use a Mac mini. Love it for music and media purposes. I also run BitPerfect software. Love the sound when listening to ripped CDs and other lossless files. If you want plug and play Mac mini is good.
 
My digital audio system takes this path:

Server ===> Ethernet ===> <ethernet switch> ===> Music Streamer/Software controlled by iPad ===> DAC ===> pre-amp ===> amps ===> speakers ===> ears

Basically, I took the "component" route when implementing a digital music solution and there are some basic needs:

1. A music file repository, i.e., network attached storage (NAS). I use a server for my home records, etc...and it holds all my videos, pictures and music. Any PC can act as an NAS but you have to consider how to connect to it. Ethernet works best, IMHO. More on why below.

2. A box to get the music files from the storage device aka a streamer. Mine is hardwired into the network via Ethernet, which is very stable with respects to file playback with no dropouts. Wireless does not work well with the large music file packets, especially the high quality lossless FLAC, AIFF, DSD, etc... I have a dedicated streamer that does nothing but extract files off my NAS and that is its only purpose.

3. A digital to analog converter, aka, a DAC. This device converts the digital signal from your streamer to analog, which your pre-amp or other audio device will send to your amplifiers.

4. Music files. I ripped all of my CD's to FLAC lossless files, which run at 16 bit / 44.1 kHz. I also have a collection of music files (FLAC) which are rated up to 24 bit / 192 kHz. The higher the "resolution" of these files, the better it may sound to you. I have totally dumped all my mp3 files as their resolution and sound does not come close to the high resolution formats.

A few caveats and things to consider:

1. There are components that combine two or more functions which can reduce your "component load". Most common are streamers or network players that include a DAC in them. NAIM, SimAudio & Bryston are a few that come to mind. You don't need a box for each function.

2. As with any media, the quality of sources vary. It may say 24 bit / 192 kHz on the music purchase website but if it came from a poor master source, it's still gonna sound bad. I preview all tracks before I purchase online.

3. Wireless just doesn't seem to work with high resolution digital files. If you don't have Ethernet near where you want to "plug in" to digital, I urge you to strongly consider it. One option to a hard wired Ethernet where you need it, which I have not tried, is Ethernet over Power or EOP.

Good luck!
 
What you can do is buy a small case, PSU if there is none that comes with the case, Mini-ITX Motherboard with a CPU installed already like a ASRock E350M1,, 4gb memory, 1tb HDD, soundcard which you like to buy.
Without the soundcard it's around 216$ without a CD/DVD burner and 239$ with.
With that pc you are good to go and you can upgrade when you want too.
 
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Right now I'm doing mini toslink out of my laptop (dell xps) to a peachtree dac*it. It does most of the lossless stuff except for 24/192 via USB/optical. Does 24/192 via coax, though. The new version, dac*itx has async USB and will handle 24/192. Sorta wish I knew that before getting the plain dac it. C'est la vie. It works quite well in my mid-fi.
 
Right now I'm doing mini toslink out of my laptop (dell xps) to a peachtree dac*it. It does most of the lossless stuff except for 24/192 via USB/optical. Does 24/192 via coax, though. The new version, dac*itx has async USB and will handle 24/192. Sorta wish I knew that before getting the plain dac it. C'est la vie. It works quite well in my mid-fi.

Just wanted to say, high resolution audio is not such an improvement as I had hoped it to be. Maybe I need better equipment to justify the criticism, but how many people can actually afford that? I have a feeling that it has and it still is a niche market that needs to prove its value. I enjoy the small collection I have in high res, but once in rotation, I don't even think about it. It certainly doesn't stop me from whatever I'm doing and make me revel in the difference. What keeps me seated in front of my system is the quality of the performance.
 
Just wanted to say, high resolution audio is not such an improvement as I had hoped it to be. Maybe I need better equipment to justify the criticism, but how many people can actually afford that? I have a feeling that it has and it still is a niche market that needs to prove its value. I enjoy the small collection I have in high res, but once in rotation, I don't even think about it. It certainly doesn't stop me from whatever I'm doing and make me revel in the difference. What keeps me seated in front of my system is the quality of the performance.

Yeah, I'm with you....I'm not 100% sure, as I haven't heard a marked difference yet. But when there are higher "numbers" available, I want em! Lol, I'm a marketers dream I guess. :)

I'm actually getting ready to do some comparisons in a few weeks of the same album on LP (if I can ever decide on a phono pre that matches my system ok), CD to dac, CD rip to flac via laptop to dac, dc rip streamed via Sonos (sonos only sends 16/48, but holy convenience batman!) to the DAC, and high res downloaded from hd tracks. It should be a fun test to see if it's worth the extra effort in my system, environment, etc. Thats one of the reasons I did get the Peachtree Dac. It's pretty flexible letting me do a lot of things with various digital sources.
 
Here is what i use. Plays most all lossless files and easy to hook up to your amp, sounds great, built in DAC and cost $150-200 depending on who you buy from. It`s a great little device and is superb with headphones. http://www.fiio.com.cn/products/index.aspx?MenuID=105026016

Same here, I picked up an X3 in November - my first DAP. For my main system I was using an old dedicated desktop PC with USB HD containing my music library (allows sneakernet between PC's). A Consonant asynchronous USB/SPDIF converter feeds DAC->preamp->amp->Infinity RS2.5. After comparing X3 USB->DAC, X3 USB->pre (line out) and X3 alone->pre, the X3 has made the PC, USB converter and DAC redundant. The sound also compares well to my TEAC PD-H600.

The X3 allows me to play my entire (almost, waiting for 128GB microSD) music collection anywhere there's a sound system with a line or coax input. Or even the factory system in my tow vehicle through a cassette adapter. Plus it has an excellent headphone amp for when there is no system to feed. This thing is like the swiss army knife of HiFi sources. And it fits in my shirt pocket.

I understand the next firmware update will include support for DSD.
 
I agree with Tone Boss: the cable works fine for me. I've tried the DAC, Mac (mini) and FLAC JACK, but can't hear any real difference. I like to keep it simple and less expensive. Any one touches my stuff, I'll hurt 'em.
 
My computer server goes as follows:

- 2010 Mac Mini with 8GB RAM
- 8TB external G-Technology hard drive dedicated for iTunes
- iTunes for music management and Audirvana Plus as player
- Mytek DSD 192 DAC hooked up to the Mac Mini via Oyaide Firewire cable
- Squeezebox Touch thru the Mytek DAC via Oyaide USB cable for internet radio streams

The great thing about the Mytek DAC and Audirvana Plus, aside from sounding great, is the ability to handle DSD 64x and 128x natively.

I currently have over 100,000 files, the majority of which are AIFF files with resolutions ranging from Redbook 16/44 to high resolution 24/96 and 24/192 files. Since getting the Mytek, I've also been getting some DSD files as well. For converting CD's, I use the XLD app for Mac OS X.

Completely happy with this setup and is my primary way of listening to music.
 
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Same here, I picked up an X3 in November - my first DAP. For my main system I was using an old dedicated desktop PC with USB HD containing my music library (allows sneakernet between PC's). A Consonant asynchronous USB/SPDIF converter feeds DAC->preamp->amp->Infinity RS2.5. After comparing X3 USB->DAC, X3 USB->pre (line out) and X3 alone->pre, the X3 has made the PC, USB converter and DAC redundant. The sound also compares well to my TEAC PD-H600.

The X3 allows me to play my entire (almost, waiting for 128GB microSD) music collection anywhere there's a sound system with a line or coax input. Or even the factory system in my tow vehicle through a cassette adapter. Plus it has an excellent headphone amp for when there is no system to feed. This thing is like the swiss army knife of HiFi sources. And it fits in my shirt pocket.

I understand the next firmware update will include support for DSD.

For the price and where and how you can use it, great headphone player, great source for home, HDTracks downloads sound better than my CD player and the ability to use it in my car and truck and considering the quality of the sound nothing at it`s price point comes close.
 
I agree with Tone Boss: the cable works fine for me. I've tried the DAC, Mac (mini) and FLAC JACK, but can't hear any real difference. I like to keep it simple and less expensive. Any one touches my stuff, I'll hurt 'em.

Yup, I have a terabyte of lossless wav music on a network drive and have always done it this way since I hooked it up in 1998 (of course it was less than a terabyte then). Its really the only way I can access all of my music without spending too much time finding the cd I want. The direct cable works great.
 
I know there are a lot of elaborate setups around, but mine is pretty simple and low cost.

I built a PC with parts from Newegg. It has 2 Terabytes of storage and an optical SPDIF out. The optical out feeds an Emotiva XDA-2 DAC/Preamp. A pair of XLR cables go to a Crown XLS1500 amp that powers a pair of stand mount speakers (either Focal 706Vs or Def Tech SM450s). A set of RCA cables go from the XDA-2 to a 12" Velodyne sub.

Here's a visual ...

PC w/optical out and huge storage
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Optical Cable
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Emotiva XDA-2 DAC/Preamp => RCA Cables => Velodyne 12" subwoofer
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XLR Cables
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Crown XLS1500 amp
||
Bookshelf speakers


For playback of WAV, Flac & MP3 files I use Foobar. For ripping to HD I use Exact Audio Copy w/Flac.

Easy peasy.
 
The biggest mistake for me has been leaving my music collection completely unorganized and not tagged properly for a huge collection of classical music. This is going to be a real pain.

It's nice to see so many people going about their own way to make things work for them. Reading up on other forums I thought I would have to spend mad money to even come remotely close to a decent CD player.
 
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