Storing and playing digital audio files

George Hincapie · 26 Sep 2015 at 18:34

I have had the same separates since around 1992. A Marantz CD63SE and a Marantz PM54SE. A few years ago I bought some Monitor Audio floor standing speakers and it is a combination that works well for me and the music I listen to.

I have been thinking about adding something that will digitally store and play recordings in the highest possible quality. A display on the device with the track/artist/album information would be nice.

I haven't yet decided how much I would be willing to spend, but less than £1000 I would have thought.

Is anyone able to suggest some options please?

Grimley · 26 Sep 2015 at 18:40

http://www.brennan.co.uk/

George Hincapie · 26 Sep 2015 at 23:07

That looks excellent! Thank you.

FerretBoy · 27 Sep 2015 at 06:28

Seems very expensive for a raspberry pi 2.

Caged · 27 Sep 2015 at 11:40

The guy who makes it is quite honest about the fact, but this is a list of pretty fundamental features that aren't there:

http://www.brennan.co.uk/itemcontent.php/content/b2future

FerretBoy · 27 Sep 2015 at 12:13

Yeah I am not saying that he is trying to fool anyone.

Caged · 27 Sep 2015 at 13:16

I'd have thought a Sonos Connect and a NAS would do a good job of handling this, controlled with a smartphone.

Your CD ripping would have to take place on your computer. I guess it depends how much you value a one-box solution.

George Hincapie · 27 Sep 2015 at 14:23

Caged said:
I'd have thought a Sonos Connect and a NAS would do a good job of handling this, controlled with a smartphone.

Your CD ripping would have to take place on your computer. I guess it depends how much you value a one-box solution.

I have a Synology NAS and 2 x WD Red 2 TB I bought some time ago but haven't got around to using yet. I shall look into the Sonos.

Thanks.

Caged · 27 Sep 2015 at 15:51

Advantage of the Sonos is that it has a line in so you can use it to stream whatever you are playing on your separates system back to a remote speaker elsewhere in the house.

I think you have 100 days to send it back if you don't like it so it's just your time that you'd lose.

EYEREX · 27 Sep 2015 at 22:13

I use a Raspberry Pi 2 and a Meridian Explorer 2 USB DAC with a My Book Live and then use an old iPad as a display

lucid · 28 Sep 2015 at 10:35

The thing with this is that there are any number of solutions. The answer depends very much on whether one is happy to take a very hands-on role with assembling gear, setting it up, and then ripping music. Or whether one values the convenience of an all-in-one solution where it's almost plug and play. The latter category is products such as the Brennan (£500'ish bottom end), Cambridge Audio and similar (mid-range up to £900) or the high end solutions from Linn, Naim etc at anything up to £5000.

George Hincapie · 28 Sep 2015 at 12:59

One more question, if you can indulge me guys.

How much of a difference to the quality of the sound does a digital data connection between the source and the amp make? My PM54SE doesn't have digital in, but I note that the Marantz PM6005 does.

lucid · 28 Sep 2015 at 14:21

Whatever happens the signal has to be converted from digital to analogue somewhere. Whether that's inside the source box, inside an outboard DAC, or inside an amp with a digital input really makes little difference. It's the quality of the conversion and the ability.to handle a wide variety of file formats that are more significant factors. Digital isn't inherently better than analogue though. So I wouldn't change the amp for one with a digital input just for the sake of it. If the conversion can be done externally then you might be able to choose a better quality DAC that handles a bigger range of res file formats.

George Hincapie · 29 Sep 2015 at 00:01

Thanks to all.