I'm told 192kbps + and VBR ~190+ well encoded MP3s really are pretty much indistinguishable to CDs.
But it's a bit cumbersome and you need to spend ~£150+ to get a half decent DAC in a CD player.
I'm told 192kbps+ and VBR ~190+ well encoded MP3s really are pretty much indistinguishable to CDs, even with quite good amps and speakers (~£500 setup).
Now, digitally you can make a CD out of an MP3 with zero loss in quality.
So that is one way of feeding the digital stream to the DAC (in the CD player) then onto the amp and speakers but it's a bit cumbersome going via a circular bit of plastic and you need to spend ~£200+ to get a half decent DAC in a CD player.
So what's the best way to get good quality MP3 source sitting on a hard disc to the amp and speakers?
The Slim Squeezebox player is just the network connectivity, decoder and DAC, thing is how does the analogue output compare to the analogue output of a decent CD player?
Do you get better quality taking the MP3, burning a CD then playing it on a £200+ CD player or by skipping the plastic media and going straight through something like the Squeezebox.
Are there any other products like the Squeezebox?
The Squeezebox specs say:
This compares to the NAD C521BEE CD player which is a highly regarded ~£200 machine with these specs:
So which is better? The Squeezebox with the 24-bit Burr-Brown and 0.002% THD or the CD player with the 108dB S/N? Though to be fair the Squeezebox does say over 100dB.
It would look like the Squeezebox provides the better output?
Thoughts?
EDIT: Here are some quick reviews: http://www.avreview.co.uk/news/article/mps/UAN/706/v/3/
But it's a bit cumbersome and you need to spend ~£150+ to get a half decent DAC in a CD player.
I'm told 192kbps+ and VBR ~190+ well encoded MP3s really are pretty much indistinguishable to CDs, even with quite good amps and speakers (~£500 setup).
Now, digitally you can make a CD out of an MP3 with zero loss in quality.
So that is one way of feeding the digital stream to the DAC (in the CD player) then onto the amp and speakers but it's a bit cumbersome going via a circular bit of plastic and you need to spend ~£200+ to get a half decent DAC in a CD player.
So what's the best way to get good quality MP3 source sitting on a hard disc to the amp and speakers?
The Slim Squeezebox player is just the network connectivity, decoder and DAC, thing is how does the analogue output compare to the analogue output of a decent CD player?
Do you get better quality taking the MP3, burning a CD then playing it on a £200+ CD player or by skipping the plastic media and going straight through something like the Squeezebox.
Are there any other products like the Squeezebox?
The Squeezebox specs say:
This compares to the NAD C521BEE CD player which is a highly regarded ~£200 machine with these specs:
So which is better? The Squeezebox with the 24-bit Burr-Brown and 0.002% THD or the CD player with the 108dB S/N? Though to be fair the Squeezebox does say over 100dB.
It would look like the Squeezebox provides the better output?
Thoughts?
EDIT: Here are some quick reviews: http://www.avreview.co.uk/news/article/mps/UAN/706/v/3/
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