Help for getting hi-res audio from computer

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zane77
zane77 Posts: 1,696
edited October 2012 in Going Digital
I'm looking for some input on a way to get Hi-res audio files from my computer to my two channel system. This isn't going to be a really high end system but something that works pretty well. Right now I am looking at the Musical Fidelity V-LINK192 USB/SPDIF Converter or the Sqeezebox Touch. Anyone with experiance with these chime in please. Thanks for your help.
Home Theater
Onkyo PR-SC5508 Sharp LC-70LE847U
Emotiva XPA-5 Emotiva XPA-2 Emotiva UPA-2
Front RTi-A9 Wide RTi-A7 Center CSi-A6 Surround FXi-A6 Rear RTi-A3 Sub 2x PSW505
Sony BDP-S790 Dishnetwork Hopper/Joey Logitech Harmony One Apple TV
Two Channel
Oppo 105D BAT VK-500 w/BatPack SDA SRS 2.3 Dreadnought Squeezebox Touch Apple TV
Post edited by zane77 on
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  • strider
    strider Posts: 2,568
    edited October 2012
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    First thing I'd ask is where are your files located relative to your stereo equipment?

    With the V-Link you'll need to use a USB cable to get files from your computer, while the Touch you can use it wirelessly.
    Wristwatch--->Crisco
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited October 2012
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    With the V-Link, you will still need an interface like the Squeezebox Touch to play the files. The Touch is a fantastic player with good sound quality and very easy to use.
    Jake
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 7,973
    edited October 2012
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    Yep, if your computer is in the other room then the SB is the way to go. If you computer is in the same room (or you can run a really long USB extension through the attic), you have a lot more options. I am using a HRT Music Streamer II and it sounds really good for a modest rig...
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es; Squeezebox Touch with Bolder Power Supply
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1    Cambridge Azur 551r; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,528
    edited October 2012
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    strider wrote: »
    First thing I'd ask is where are your files located relative to your stereo equipment?

    With the V-Link you'll need to use a USB cable to get files from your computer, while the Touch you can use it wirelessly.

    +1 on this
    zingo wrote: »
    With the V-Link, you will still need an interface like the Squeezebox Touch to play the files. The Touch is a fantastic player with good sound quality and very easy to use.

    If your trying to go cheapish and plan on the V-Link you will still need some way to control playback on your computer (unless your sitting at it). One suggestion is to use/run XBMC on your computer when you want to listen to music and there is an app for Android or the iPhone/iOS devices that will let you browse your library and control it all through your home network (exactly like the Squeezebox app works).

    XBMC plays FLAC and works just as well as MediaMonkey and other programs.
    rooftop59 wrote: »
    Yep, if your computer is in the other room then the SB is the way to go. If you computer is in the same room (or you can run a really long USB extension through the attic), you have a lot more options. I am using a HRT Music Streamer II and it sounds really good for a modest rig...

    HRT Music streamer is an option as I believe is the Musiland Monitor 03 which H9 used to use and loved until he got his Keces 131 or 151, cant remember which.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • badchad
    badchad Posts: 348
    edited October 2012
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    I have the luxury of placing my laptop in close proximity to my receiver so I did it an overly simplistic way:

    HDMI output from the laptop goes directly to the receiver.

    I also use the basic networking capability of my receiver, but haven't got around to converting my FLAC files to a format compatible with itunes.
    Polk Fronts: RTi A7's
    Polk Center: CSi A6
    Polk Surrounds: FXi A6's
    Polk Rear Surround: RTi4
    Sub: HSU VTF-3 (MK1)
    AVR: Yamaha RX-A2010
    B&K Reference 200.7
    TV: Sharp LC-70LE847U
    Oppo BDP-103
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,528
    edited October 2012
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    badchad wrote: »
    I have the luxury of placing my laptop in close proximity to my receiver so I did it an overly simplistic way:

    HDMI output from the laptop goes directly to the receiver.

    This is what I did, however the files are located on a the computer in my office rig
    badchad wrote: »
    but haven't got around to converting my FLAC files to a format compatible with itunes.

    Dont do it, not worth it given recent articles on how itunes plays files on a Windows PC.

    I did it and now have to go back and reburn some of the CD's to FLAC.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • badchad
    badchad Posts: 348
    edited October 2012
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    EndersShadow wrote: »

    Dont do it, not worth it given recent articles on how itunes plays files on a Windows PC.

    Is Apple lossless the best high quality format to use with itunes? (I assume it is).

    The only real reason I want to stick with itunes is because I run music directly off my iphone (which is networked to my receiver).
    Polk Fronts: RTi A7's
    Polk Center: CSi A6
    Polk Surrounds: FXi A6's
    Polk Rear Surround: RTi4
    Sub: HSU VTF-3 (MK1)
    AVR: Yamaha RX-A2010
    B&K Reference 200.7
    TV: Sharp LC-70LE847U
    Oppo BDP-103
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  • 11tsteve
    11tsteve Posts: 1,166
    edited October 2012
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    i used AIFF because everyone in the house uses Itunes, but that format can still be used by MediaMonkey-etc. and i am trying not to use Itunes.

    all of my listening is in front of my computer...

    my files are on a Western Digital Personal cloud, and i am using a Schiit Bifrost from computer ( toslink) to 2 channel. and its only getting better.
    Polk Lsi9
    N.E.W. A-20 class A 20W
    NAD 1020 completely refurbished
    Keces DA-131 mk.II
    Analysis Plus Copper Oval, Douglass, Morrow SUB3, Huffman Digital
    Paradigm DSP-3100 v.2
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,528
    edited October 2012
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    badchad wrote: »
    Is Apple lossless the best high quality format to use with itunes? (I assume it is).

    The only real reason I want to stick with itunes is because I run music directly off my iphone (which is networked to my receiver).
    11tsteve wrote: »
    i used AIFF because everyone in the house uses Itunes, but that format can still be used by MediaMonkey-etc. and i am trying not to use Itunes.

    all of my listening is in front of my computer...

    my files are on a Western Digital Personal cloud, and i am using a Schiit Bifrost from computer ( toslink) to 2 channel. and its only getting better.

    Read this article: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?136195-An-interesting-read.&highlight=itunes

    It changed my thought process entirely about using iTunes for playback.
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • 11tsteve
    11tsteve Posts: 1,166
    edited October 2012
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    EndersShadow wrote: »
    Read this article: http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?136195-An-interesting-read.&highlight=itunes

    It changed my thought process entirely about using iTunes for playback.
    yes... i do not use Itunes. i want away from as much Apple as i can... but the people i live with need to be able to use Itunes, which is why AIFF for me. i personally use other software.
    Polk Lsi9
    N.E.W. A-20 class A 20W
    NAD 1020 completely refurbished
    Keces DA-131 mk.II
    Analysis Plus Copper Oval, Douglass, Morrow SUB3, Huffman Digital
    Paradigm DSP-3100 v.2
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  • bobsauto49
    bobsauto49 Posts: 973
    edited October 2012
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    I use itunes from computer through DacMagic Plus to my reciever,and couldn't be happier! In some cases i think music sounds better this way then some of my cd's run through my oppo!
    Just my .02.
    "Everything I ever did in my life worthwhile I caught hell for"
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited October 2012
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    badchad wrote: »
    Is Apple lossless the best high quality format to use with itunes? (I assume it is). A

    Yes. I store files in Apple Lossless for the iPod. I use iTunes to rip the file, but not for playing music. I currently use a Bryston BDP-1 dedicated digital file player that accesses the files on a USB hard drive. It has no problem decoding Apple Lossless, and sounds awesome.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • stretchl
    stretchl Posts: 1,334
    edited October 2012
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    Blue, so the BDP-1 upsamples the 44.1kHz Apple Lossless file?
    “Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
    - Isaac Asimov
    Hi-Fi
    Apple Lossless --> Squeezebox Touch --> Joule Electra LA-100 Mark iii --> Odyssey Khartargo Mono Plus --> LSiM-705's
    Cabling by Groneberg
    Visuals
    https://media.illinois.edu/journalism/ledford-charles-stretch
    bit.ly/stretchonphotojournalism
    http://Vimeo.com/channels/stretchphoto
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  • BlueFox
    BlueFox Posts: 15,251
    edited October 2012
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    stretchl wrote: »
    Blue, so the BDP-1 upsamples the 44.1kHz Apple Lossless file?

    No, it just plays files. It can play files up to 192k 24 bit, but Apple Lossless is just CD quality.
    Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
    Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
    Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes

    Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
    Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
    Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables

    Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
    Three 20 amp circuits.
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  • stretchl
    stretchl Posts: 1,334
    edited October 2012
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    Got it. Just wiki'd it.

    Learning a lot here.

    Thanks!
    “Anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that 'my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.'”
    - Isaac Asimov
    Hi-Fi
    Apple Lossless --> Squeezebox Touch --> Joule Electra LA-100 Mark iii --> Odyssey Khartargo Mono Plus --> LSiM-705's
    Cabling by Groneberg
    Visuals
    https://media.illinois.edu/journalism/ledford-charles-stretch
    bit.ly/stretchonphotojournalism
    http://Vimeo.com/channels/stretchphoto
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  • gigbyt
    gigbyt Posts: 145
    edited October 2012
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    I need to learn how this works also, wanna put my cd's on pc and airstream them.
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