help understanding dacs

ALFABOY

ALFABOY

ALFABOY

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14 Apr 2024
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20
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Wales
im going to build a small atx or matx system and want it to operate as a server mainly running just foobar with a large harddrive small screen etc..

so i can scroll add music to foobar and play on the seperates

the bit is dont fully understand is do i just need a sound card with rca outs on them or a soundcard with a dac .. or is it better to go external dac.

and is the more you spend the better the quailty ..

Would something like a CREATIVE SOUNDBLASTER ZXR 24 BIT BE OK.. or is that underkill overkill..

im guessing anything motherboard chip case as long as its quite.. and possibly the same with a graphics card. though i could hdmi to tv for films etc..

sorry for the long ramble just done a lot of reading and still confused..

thanks in advance
 
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ALFABOY said:
i might if i knew what that was will have a read..
Click to expand...

NAS is a box that sits on your network, this can be a ready made one like synology or a PC with freenas. Then you install services such as audio and video host applications that other devices on your LAN can access.

A audio streamer then connects to your NAS/PC box the suitable host service ie DNLA audio server, roon etc. You can control this audio streamer from a phone or from a laptop app Wiim home app.

A video streamer either connects to a similar service ie Plex, or just accesses the directories directly.
 
yes i had a read ..

in my case would still need a laptop really to make foobar playlist etc.. is the quailty as good streamed as i live in a house with thick stone walls floors etc. does that effect quality and is the quailty as good as with a dac cabled source.

thanks
 
From what you’ve said above, this PC build is going to be your main PC too? I ask because you mention needing a laptop if you get an audio streamer
 
ALFABOY said:
yes i had a read ..

in my case would still need a laptop really to make foobar playlist etc.. is the quailty as good streamed as i live in a house with thick stone walls floors etc. does that effect quality and is the quailty as good as with a dac cabled source.

thanks
Click to expand...

Once you have equipment with suitable IO (digital out etc) you can add your own DAC. Also a unified streamer allows you to have multi room.

Audio playback is mostly about UI and control, you can have the best audio player in the world but if the UI is clunky..

Watch video of Wiim Pro Plus as start.

A good UI will allow you to create custom playlist
 
Bluecube said:
From what you’ve said above, this PC build is going to be your main PC too? I ask because you mention needing a laptop if you get an audio streamer
Click to expand...
No main pc is a huge tower in a room two floors above the stereo room.. wanted a small computer just to use purely as a media server.. in the room with the stereo in so i could create foobar playlists like i do upstairs.. upstairs is office with edifier speakers and it works well. just wanted to be able to use a small version downstairs as its way easy than listening to full cds or swapping hundreds of cds to play certain tracks..
i was thinking if sat downstairs i would need laptop to oprate foobar etc if i didnt have a screen and keyboard.. didnt want to run up two flights of stairs to change songs on desktop..
 
hornetstinger said:
Once you have equipment with suitable IO (digital out etc) you can add your own DAC. Also a unified streamer allows you to have multi room.

Audio playback is mostly about UI and control, you can have the best audio player in the world but if the UI is clunky..

Watch video of Wiim Pro Plus as start.

A good UI will allow you to create custom playlist
Click to expand...
Yes dont really need multi room as have a seperates system downstairs and just wanted to be able to create and play playlists not sure if it would travel well from two floors up.
but will have a watch of wimm pro maybe im just seriously out of touch nowadays lol.
yes im sure a Ui would but would struggle of something like a phone to search and swipe i do prefer a mouse that im used to even over a laptop mouse.. thanks..
currently use two windows and just drag and drop into foobar
 
How much storage space do you need? A Mini PC, with a single 24TB HDD?

www.truenas.com

FreeNAS is Now TrueNAS CORE - FreeBSD & OpenZFS Storage

FreeNAS (now known as TrueNAS CORE) is a free Open Source project based on FreeBSD and OpenZFS developed by iXsystems.
www.truenas.com www.truenas.com

Other than that, a off the shelf NAS if you're not wanting to do that. But I haven't been impressed with DNLA service on my NAS, it's crap.

A single unified server/player makes it easier than using a laptop, also you can have another wiim in the seperates system as well- that's the point, everything on your LAN can access your server music/videos/photos. They're only £100-£200 each (or £350 for the ultra that has a screen)

I use a Synolgy NAS (for audio/video/data storage) with a raspberry Pi5 with picoreplayer (that is the music service) and several logitech squeezebox touches, one in each room. My phone, laptop, desktop, audio streamers, video streamers, TV, AVR can all access my music (and videos)
 
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yes 24tb is plenty music is currently around 4.5tb was thinking about 10tb.. was thinking just a basic mini pc but wasnt sure what i needed to output to the amp.. rcas dacs etc..

will definately look into wiim first though..

as you say with service i know wifi and bluetooth can struggle due to stone walls and multiple floors that was the worry but will read some more as i really hadnt even considered other options.

thanks
 
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picoreplayer is one option

Option3 - pCP

www.picoreplayer.org www.picoreplayer.org

It'll act as a server and a player in one. HDMI audio out. Is that suitable? Or need optical/coaxial?

£100 for a pi then connect USB HDD.

Maybe good idea to lay down some ethernet cables in your house as well?
 
yes could be a good idea dont struggle much as only tv is wireless most others hardwired from the hub..

will do some more research though
 
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