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I am looking for an inexpensive media server that has the following features:
Wifi
HiRez up to 24/192 Flac
USB input on the back
Can read media files from a USB HD or thumb drive from back mounted port
Control and access via app
Internet radio tuner
Analogue output
Cheap
Roku boxes can do all of the above except hirez (deal breaker)
Thanks
Ross
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for $350.I have the original non-hi res version (16-bit 44 KHz) but the new one will do up to 24/192, FLAC included for the same price as the original.
Mine sounds very good, it has a very nice sounding internal DAC. I drive Stax headphones from the analog output with great results. Normally I use it with an external DAC but the built-in one is surprisingly good.
Picked mine up at a local Best Buy (at the Magnolia store inside the Best Buy) - they have a 30-day return policy so it's risk free if for some reason you don't like it,
Edits: 05/14/16
Thank you for this suggestion. I have a few questions.
Some reviews say it is only 16/44 capable, others say up to 24/192. Which is correct ?
Does it include Bluetooth ?
Otherwise it looks like it will match my needs.
Best, Ross
Following in the Squeezebox Touch's footsteps......Have you ever used a Squeezebox Touch and if so how would you compare this to the Touch?
Cut-Throat
I had a Squeezebox 'classic' i.e. Logitech SB3. The Denon Heos Link replaced it after Rhapsody quit supporting the SB3 (or the other way around). I thought the SB3 sound quality was excellent, but it required an external DAC to sound its best. The HEOS Link sound is just as good if not better, and does just fine with the built-in DAC alone.
The SB3 had a dedicated remote and display on the unit, which was nice. The HEOS Link uses a tablet or phone as both a display and remote control. It gives more information on the display, album art, etc. and is just as convenient. So the HEOS is a worthy replacement to the Squeezebox as far as I am concerned.
Did you ever use LMS (Logitech Media Server) with your Squeezebox? If so, how would you compare LMS with the Heos App?
Cut-Throat
No, I never used LMS with the Squeezebox. I had some local files on the PC, but 99% of listening was streaming from Rhapsody or Internet radio.
Lately I have been slowly converting my CD collection to FLAC. I had a spare 1TB USB drive (about the size of a deck of cards) and I am putting the FLAC files on this drive as I rip them (with dbpoweramp). The drive is plugged into the back of the HEOS Link. It is self-powered via the USB port and is only on when the HEOS Link is on. Seems to work very well. The HEOS app shows nice big album art while the ripped FLAC files are playing.
Take a look at the Pioneer N-50. I bought one for internet radio a year ago. It is multi purpose with network capability and music server functions.
A friend of mine just bought this and I went over and heard it. VERY impressed. Functionality is off the charts.
Marantz NA-8005.
For WiFi, you simply need to put a $40 wireless router in front of it.
I have a Marantz SR7009 HT receiver, with a built in streamer. From what I've read the internal streamer uses the same circuitry as the NA6005. I have been impressed by its sound quality. I can easily hear differences between file formats, and its native sonic quality does not possess the harshness often heard in other mid level converters.
Will investigate. But the USB jack is in the front so connection cable will be visible while in use.
Thanks, Ross
Agree, a total lack of harshness from the DAC section. And Marantz analog output stages are always very good.
The NA8005 has the removable storage/iDevice input on the front, yes.
The USB DAC input is around back. IMO it is future proof, with all known and unicorn formats supported. High value component, again, IMO.
Sounds much better than it should. Think it even works with UPnP server, etc. For sure it has DLNA 1.5 support.
The Cirrus CS4398 chip is not a bad sounding DAC, IMNSHO. The NA-8005 uses it as well.
Used it for years as my go-to USB DAC until I upgraded to the Audio-GD Master 7.
Totally agree. I found it very engaging.
There is also nothing at it's price point I aware of that has the same feature set:
DSD256 and everything else
iDevice playback
USB DAC
SPDIF inputs
SPDIF outputs
Network playback AND local storage playback
Internet Radio
Had an etched unreal quality to USB, but better on USB than Thumb Drive.
Streaming Int radio very dry and cardboardy.
Kept Mytek 192/DSD.
Sony Hap Z1 way better on Streaming Int radio, a lot better. ( everything else , too! ).
$1200 for Marantz isn't cheap, tho.
I told Music Direct I thought it was over priced.
The 6005 got a good review, for the money.
More like $600.
This was as it was being discontinued and replaced but included the software update for AirPlay.
Normally $799 so I thought it was a deal, even if just used as a DAC/Headphone amp.
Turns out it was much more than that. Better sounding as a DAC/Headphone amp than the OPPO HA-1 at 1/3 the price. OK, NA-7004 has no DSD capability but who needs that? ;-)
Also USB limited to 96KHz while S/PDIF will do 192KHz.
Currently still in my main system as a headphone DAC for my wife's TV watching!
/
of NOT doing DSD. ;-)
Did you find the Oppo to sound slightly 'thin' or 'lean' as I did?
That said, the balanced headphone amp part was SO good that it was more than acceptable with Headphones (Sennheiser HD-600 balanced). Only when I put it into my main system, rather than the office, as my primary DAC for digital playback did I have a problem.
In fairness there are VERY few current ESS SABRE DACs that I would be able to live with. What many call 'detail' is brightness to my ears.
Again, not a problem when used with headphones for some reason. Surprising as my main system has many flaws being SET amps and Horns, but brightness is not one of them. Maybe the HD-600 masked it? Hard to say but I now have the Audio-GD Master 11 as my DAC/Headphone amp and the Audio-GD Master 7 in my main system so I'm done with DACs and headphone amps for a bit.
Might try a uRendu as we had the place earthquake proofed a few years ago as part of a re-model. Don't think it can bring this house down. ;-)
I didn't use the Oppo HA-1 a lot with headphones even though it's supposed to have an excellent headphone amp. Like you described, it was a little bright as a DAC and I thought it was also kind of 'thin' sounding.
I don't think the 'brightness' of the Oppo was due to the ESS DAC chip because I own other ESS based DACs that are much more to my liking including the Ayre QB-9 DSD and PS Audio NuWave DSD, both ESS based.
The surprise is that I'm really liking the modestly priced NuWave DSD with the inline Intona isolator vs the Ayre QB-9 DSD. The NuWave is noticeably more 'lively' which is great for the majority of my music (rock, blues, pop) while the Ayre is more relaxed and polite. Both are excellent ESS based DACs with slightly different character.
I'm way too old to do 'lively'.
I'm relaxed and polite. =:-0
That said, I've heard the PSAudio Direct Stream DAC on a few occasions. Not a ESS Sabre DAC but one I could possibly live with.
King-Wa at Audio-GD even has a DAC model using the ESS Saber chip. Might be mellow enough for me.
Supposed to mellow, man...
I could not possibly disagree more.
The Marantz was full bodied and spacious sounding.
Maybe feeding it a POS computer via USB was the issue? Via network playback it was way better to my ears then it's price would indicate. Since you do not have the capability to use it as a network player, you are not qualified to judge this product. I find it odd you would call it over priced, since you just used essentially as a USB DAC. Yeh, then it is overpriced.
The Mytek DAC distinguishes its self as one of the most UN-musical digital components I have heard. I would not take it for free, as a matter of fact, you would have to PAY me to listen to it again.
All of a matter of taste I guess.
You've described an Auralic Aries Mini, and a few other such devices.
The Auralic is the one with which i have personal experience and can easily recommend.
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