DSD/FLAC server/ PC set up question

CH46E

Now that solid state drives are down in price i am working out a new PC for steaming and storing hi-res audio and possibly video to steam to my Yamaha RX-A1050. Its is compatible with dsd and other formats.

Where im not sure is when it comes to a stand alone DAC. Should i get one? Or would the Yammy be upto the task? Would it just be downstream between the pc and the yammy or between the Yammy and the Parasound amp?
Ive never used a stand alone dac.

I was going to try and get a tube dac. Found one by a company called Border Patrol Audio (odd name and all) but their tube dac seems to get great reviews as im sure many do for cheaper than theirs. ($1,400)

Also, does anyone know if Ill be able to put my DVD-Audio disc and SACD to the hard drive?

Would there be anything else i need?

Thanks

msg

What sort of system proximity are we talking about here? Is the new media PC going in or near the system rack/cabinet?

How do you plan to get the AVR access to the media server files? By network or local direct connection?

If network, then there's no place for your DAC in this scenario. Unless you were to go out from a digital output on the Yamaha to the DAC, and then back into the Yamaha? I suppose that would be possible, but not sure how it would work.

If you were going with a local connection from the PC to the Yamaha, you could put the DAC between the computer and Yamaha.

Network
Media PC > Network > Yamaha > Amp > Speakers

Direct
Media PC > DAC > Yamaha > Amp > Speakers


Then, you have to decide on a music platform/music control. What operating system are you running? Are you planning to use built in applications, or something else, like JRiver? Or do you plan to control everything directly from the Yamaha?

Once you figure out where you will put the computer, that will help determine which connectivity option(s) you choose.

CH46E

It would be as you put it, the Direct route. Id like to control everything from the yammy if possible. The Yammy woll access media files from my thumbdrive
I used that just as ki d of a test.

I was looking at third party software like JRiver.

Is it possible to just connect a external hard drive with the files pre loaded directly to the yamaha?

msg

I'm not too familiar with streaming directly to an AVR. I just had a quick look at your owner's manual, though. Looks like there's some info on p73 about playback with USB. The device has to be formatted as FAT16 or FAT32. You'd format a new external hard drive to FAT32 before copying any files over to it. That step's easy, though. Next, you'd copy you music folders/files over in whatever the recommended folder layout is. Whatever you go with is probably fine, but whatever that is, be consistent with it. Something like this:

[Music]
 > [Artist]
   >> [Album]
      >>> [music files and possibly .m3u or some other playlist file]

I don't see why you couldn't connect an external hard drive to the USB port; it would probably have to be self powered, but not sure. I think you'd want that, anyway.

Yeah, JRiver is what I was looking into for this a little earlier to see if it supports DSD. It does, and I think it gets good reviews, though I vaguely recall reading a post here about how one of these platforms was having playback issues during an audio show, can't remember which one it was.

If you go direct local connection from the PC to a DAC and then into the Yamaha, that complicates things significantly, since you'll be looking at getting the output from the computer to the DAC, then from the DAC to the Yamaha (read: cable money)

Further, you'll need to either have a digital output on the Media PC, like coax or optical, or, my current preference, USB. Then, you need to look at getting clean output/input to the DAC. If you're looking at a $1400 DAC, then your system as currently discussed becomes a bottleneck for quality.

Personally, I think you'd be better off with a dedicated network streamer if you choose to go the DAC/Direct Connect route, unless you can find a way to either

1. Get a dedicated sound card into the machine, or
2. Determine whether the DAC offers some kind of USB power isolation, and get a dedicated USB card into the machine to isolate the USB for the DAC output from the other USB devices in the computer. If you don't do this, you'll probably be looking at other noise removal/suppression component before the USB goes into your DAC.

Even covering these areas, supposedly media PCs will contaminate the digital signal with computer noise. I've not personally heard systems where this has been addressed and removed or minimized, so for me, it's a sort of "don't know what I'm missing" kind of thing. Closest I've come here is a separate USB card for my output to a DAC on a combo use home office/media PC. It does make a noticeable difference. I was having trouble with other USB devices interfering with the audio, and vice versa - erratic mouse and keyboard control. Didn't take long to figure out the USB DAC and USB devices weren't sharing nicely.

msg

All in all, at this point, I'd say go with the simplest options and see what you think.

I'm still using Logitech Media Server with Squeezeboxes and piCorePlayers. I like it.
This would be like you using JRiver, though you'd have to read up a little on how to get that going from the Yamaha, how it hooks in. I'm not sure how that works. Maybe one of the other guys and pipe in on that. I think JRIver would probably just establish a basic file serving presence on your home network, and the Yamaha would pick that up?

And the other, probably easiest, option is just to try an external hard drive directly connected to the Yamaha.

CH46E

Lots of great info there! Thank you very much!

msg

You're welcome, man Not the final word, but gives you something to chew on until the streaming audio gurus get here!

Irrenhaus

Hi There,

This is how I have my setup. It goes from the PC to the DAC via USB cable and then to the Pre-Amp via RCA cables and then to the AMP.

I use Jriver and the DAC own player. I look at the DAC you posted and it does not seem to support DSD or FLAC files? Maybe I am wrong, reading after a few beers.

I have a TEAC UD-301 as the DAC.

As for ripping SACD a virgin PS3 will be the one to find.

Cheers

CH46E

I will mot likely spend that kind of money for a dac. Its was just one i had read about.

I have a PS3. Not sure what you mean by virgin?

Im still trying to digest MSG's words.

Thanks guys!

Irrenhaus

CH46E wrote: »

I will mot likely spend that kind of money for a dac. Its was just one i had read about.

I have a PS3. Not sure what you mean by virgin?

Im still trying to digest MSG's words.

Thanks guys!

For the PS3 it will mean (no firmware updates) do a search online for version you need to have. Sorry did some edits.

Cheers

msg

Oooh, that's a good point IH makes - I didn't even look at that DAC to see if it supports DSD.

CH46E

Could a moderator please move this thread to the "Going Digital" section. I did not even know there it existed.

msg

If you have a streaming device like a Roku, another option to consider for all streaming would be Plex for music and video.

msg

Scratch that, dehr, I forgot you mentioned DSD. Plex will play .flac, but not DSD to my knowledge.

CH46E

Ok thanks. Im trying to format a 64gb thumbdrive to fat16 or 32 but only option my pc gives me is exFAT or NFTS.

CH46E

I found this in the manual. I just need to figure out this format issues.

msg

Bah. I was just doing some reading. You might be limited to 32GB partitions for Fat32 without a 3rd party utility.

Try it with exFAT and see. I'd say also try with NTFS just to see.

CH46E

Copy that. Just downloaded some dsd files while the usb is formating. Will know in a few min.

msg

You can do a quick format, but only if you haven't already started a full, I think.

CH46E

No go with either format. Just says access error on the yamaha.

msg

You could try creating a 32GB FAT32 partition on that thumb drive to get started with. Otherwise, Plan B?
JRiver, Plex, etc?

CH46E

I used a third party software to partition and format to FAT32. Still no joy. Keeps saying access error. I give up for the night. Thanks for the help though!