Network Digital Audio Player w/ DAC - WD Live TV or Sonos

vijayl

I wanted a Digital music player, which supports lossless audio, which has digital audio out. After looking around and few high-level read-up, I've narrowed it down to Sonos ZP90 and Western Digital WD TV Live

• o Sonos ZP90 - SONOS ZP90 with both Cullen mod would give everything I'm looking for @ $900. This limits my ability to upgrade and still use an external DAC.
• o Western Digital WD TV (for $140) Live supports FLAC and has digital out. If I get a decent DAC (may be PS Audio for $500), this should do it . If I later decide to upgrade my digital player, I should be able to do it keeping my DAC.

This will go with Carver CT-17 pre, Carver TFM-45 amp driving SDA-1C
I looked at SB, but if some one here strongly recommends me to re-think, I'm open to that.

vijayl

Any feedback/comment on Grant Fidelity Tube DAC-09

okiepolkie

Another option would be an '09 model Mac Mini, which has an optical out, and an itouch. You would be looking at around $800 for the combo, and you have a lot more options than Sonos. Pair it with the the PS Audio or Cambridge DAC Magic, and you would be good to go.

BlueFox

Get a 160GB iPod Classic for $249 and a Wadia iTransport for $379. The Wadia is the only dock that extracts the digital output from the iPod. If you use Apple lossless encoding you can get 1000s of songs onto the iPod, and they are uncompressed into bit-for-bit CD files.

I have two iPods/Wadias and am thinking of getting another one for the HT room. The only time I use my CD player anymore is to preview a CD to determine if it is iPod worthy. I love this combination since it sounds so good, especially after I upgraded the DAC from a Benchmark to a Bryston, and makes access to any CD or song a breeze.
http://wadia.com/products/transports/170i/

However, soon I will be getting a PC based music server so I can download the High-Res master files before they are "compressed" to be put onto CDs.

thsmith

vijayl wrote: »

I wanted a Digital music player, which supports lossless audio, which has digital audio out. After looking around and few high-level read-up, I've narrowed it down to Sonos ZP90 and Western Digital WD TV Live

• o Sonos ZP90 - SONOS ZP90 with both Cullen mod would give everything I'm looking for @ $900. This limits my ability to upgrade and still use an external DAC.
• o Western Digital WD TV (for $140) Live supports FLAC and has digital out. If I get a decent DAC (may be PS Audio for $500), this should do it . If I later decide to upgrade my digital player, I should be able to do it keeping my DAC.

This will go with Carver CT-17 pre, Carver TFM-45 amp driving SDA-1C
I looked at SB, but if some one here strongly recommends me to re-think, I'm open to that.

Using a WD TV (not live($89) optical out to PS Audio DAC and love it. I just ripped some DVDs and stuck on the HDD.

Can not speak for the Live but I like the WD TV and it does a great job for its purpose.

BTW, I have SDA-1Cs and was using a TFM-45, using a tube amp now.

vijayl

thsmith wrote: »

Using a WD TV (not live($89) optical out to PS Audio DAC and love it. I just ripped some DVDs and stuck on the HDD.

Thx for the feedback!!

thsmith wrote: »

BTW, I have SDA-1Cs and was using a TFM-45, using a tube amp now.

I hav been following ur upgrade bug bite

BlueFox wrote: »

Get a 160GB iPod Classic for $249 and a Wadia iTransport for $379. The Wadia is the only dock that extracts the digital output from the iPod. If you use Apple lossless encoding you can get 1000s of songs onto the iPod, and they are uncompressed into bit-for-bit CD files.

I already have a good dedicated Media Server and hence doesn't wanna make copies of media on to several drives/iPods. Glad it's working for u..

okiepolkie wrote: »

Another option would be an '09 model Mac Mini, which has an optical out, and an itouch. You would be looking at around $800 for the combo, and you have a lot more options than Sonos. Pair it with the the PS Audio or Cambridge DAC Magic, and you would be good to go.

Data replication is gonna be time consuming between my HP Media server and Mac mini

BlueFox

Lasareath wrote: »

BF, Does the Wadia work with an iPhone?

According to the Wadia web-site it appears to only supports iPods. Does the iPhone and iPod touch have the same interface?

iPod touch (1st and 2nd generation)

iPod classic (80GB, 120GB, 160GB)

iPod with Video, also known as 5th generation (30GB, 60GB 80GB) Extended Interface*

iPod nano (4th generation)

iPod nano (3rd generation)

iPod nano (2nd generation)

iPod nano (1st generation) Extended Interface*

http://www.wadia.com/products/transports/170i/craftsmanship.php

vijayl

I don't see any reason why it shudn't work w/ iPhone