Hi Gang,

OK Guys and Gals, I am soliciting your informed opinions on the following topic: Streaming lossless FLAC files using a PC running a good quality program such as MusicBee or MusiCHI and converting the digital signals via a high quality external DAC versus streaming the same files via a high quality dedicated streaming player.

What are the advantages, if any, of one approach over the other approach?

Assuming high quality DACs in both instances, does using a high quality streaming player offer any sound quality advantages over the computer running a program like MusicBee or MusiCHI?

Other considerations, such as file storage, conversion of CDs to FLAC, ease of use, library development and management, etc.?

Looking forward to your comments.

Regards to all,

Art

I have had a nice exchange with the technical folks at Cambridge Audio on this subject. From this exchange, I have formed the opinion that the most important element is the quality of the DAC and the supporting circuitry. The Cambridge people did not push me toward their streaming player because I already own their DAC Magic Plus which has high-quality DACs. They recognized the value of the extensive music library I have already developed, using both MusicBee and MusiCHI PC software.

They also did not indicate that there would be any significant sound improvement by streaming via their player versus streaming from my PC. Again, their perspective is toward the value of high-quality DACs and processing circuitry.

Still looking for other comments to my original post in this thread.

Regards to all,

Art

Hi, Art

You’re asking great questions. I don’t have enough experience with the various streaming options you are asking about.

But I completely agree that a GOOD DAC is fundamental to bringing good SQ to the rest of the system, whatever the signal path, whether that DAC resides externally or in a streaming player.

I’m happy with my SONOS/ Wyred4Sound reclocker and upsampler upgrade fed digitally to the Marantz AVR’s DAC. Can’t play Hi-res through that, but it plays 16 bit FLAC files very well

Sounds to me like you have a pretty darn good set up already. Enjoy! I really like the way you’ve ventured into the world of digital storage and play!

Rick

Hi Rick,

Thanks for your comments. Over the years my CD collection grew in quantity to the point that I had no logical method in place to manage either the physical collection or the many music files represented by the CDs. I had already been using a spreadsheet to attempt to maintain control of my music collection, but that spreadsheet did nothing to alleviate the problem of selecting and playing CDs. And, filing the CDs in a logical manner was also becoming increasingly difficult.

All of those factors, plus an inherent desire to place all of my music "at my fingertips" led me to investigate the option of storing and playing my music via a dedicated PC. Using a PC as a music streaming source led to further investigations into external DACs, better quality stereo amplifiers, etc.

The initial effort to convert all of my CD music files for computer storage was a massive undertaking, but I have not regretted a minute of the time I have spent. Now, my entire collection really is "at my fingertips" and I can select music either by CD or by individual file or essentially any other method I might conceive. Lately, I have been using the "Random Play" feature in MusiCHI to allow the software to select compositions at random from my entire collection. It is fun to hear a Bach Cantata, followed by a Ted Heath Big Band selection, followed by a Kingston Trio piece, followed by a Mahler Symphony. And so on.......

MusicBee has a similar feature called "Auto DJ", but I haven't yet figured out how to make "Auto DJ" play complete compositions, rather than just single random tracks.

My DAC Magic Plus accepts up to 24/196 files and up-samples to 24/384 before converting to audio for playback. I have purchased a few high resolution files, but I really cannot say that I can hear a difference when compared to CD quality uncompressed files . Perhaps this is because of the DAC's up-sampling.

Now, when I purchase a new CD, I immediately rip the files and add them to my database. I have a number of CDs now where the discs themselves have never been played.

I have my music files stored on three separate hard drives. One of those drives lives in my main laptop, which accompanies me when we travel - thus making my entire music collection available to me wherever I might be. What a blessing!

When I purchase new music, I buy CD quality or better files for direct download, unless the CD price is more attractive than the direct download price.

I would encourage anyone who has a large CD collection to look into the options available for converting the CDs to individual files for storage and playback via either a PC or a streaming player.

Best,

Art