Hello people,
I’m looking to add a digital media player, but in this instance not to take the DIY route. I know little about digital and serial interface standards, as I’m just a listener.
The goal is the highest (or at least subjectively very good) sound quality from a device that handles FLAC, MP3 and some PCM saved to a USB memory stick. DSD decoding would be nice. I may connect a SACD transport, if that is possible.
I would have liked a SACD player that also handled the media player job, but while some SACD players can play formats like FLAC, they only do that via USB-PC streaming from a separate player - they often cannot serve as a host media player for anything other than discs. Looking at Yamaha’s only remaining higher-end player, the CD-S2100, and the Rotel Diamond DT6000S DAC/transport, they appear to be this way.
The only dealer around is 5-hours away and carries minimal inventory, mostly receivers with integrated streaming and I already have separate amplification.
The budget is open to a wide range of price points, but I’m not convinced one needs to spend frivolously to get great sound quality and reliability. Even so, I’m open to suggestions from experience. The good thing is although there are very expensive media players out there, it hasn’t all gone crazy as amplifiers and speakers have.
Key features sought:
-FLAC, MP3, PCM and DSD, and work with a CD/HDCD/SACD transport via toslink (optical) or coaxial.
-USB reader port.
-Highest possible sound quality for the given format.
-No apps or desktop connection required for control.
-No subscription or periodic internet required just to make it work.
Thank you to anyone that lends some suggestions here.
I’m looking to add a digital media player, but in this instance not to take the DIY route. I know little about digital and serial interface standards, as I’m just a listener.
The goal is the highest (or at least subjectively very good) sound quality from a device that handles FLAC, MP3 and some PCM saved to a USB memory stick. DSD decoding would be nice. I may connect a SACD transport, if that is possible.
I would have liked a SACD player that also handled the media player job, but while some SACD players can play formats like FLAC, they only do that via USB-PC streaming from a separate player - they often cannot serve as a host media player for anything other than discs. Looking at Yamaha’s only remaining higher-end player, the CD-S2100, and the Rotel Diamond DT6000S DAC/transport, they appear to be this way.
The only dealer around is 5-hours away and carries minimal inventory, mostly receivers with integrated streaming and I already have separate amplification.
The budget is open to a wide range of price points, but I’m not convinced one needs to spend frivolously to get great sound quality and reliability. Even so, I’m open to suggestions from experience. The good thing is although there are very expensive media players out there, it hasn’t all gone crazy as amplifiers and speakers have.
Key features sought:
-FLAC, MP3, PCM and DSD, and work with a CD/HDCD/SACD transport via toslink (optical) or coaxial.
-USB reader port.
-Highest possible sound quality for the given format.
-No apps or desktop connection required for control.
-No subscription or periodic internet required just to make it work.
Thank you to anyone that lends some suggestions here.