Playing FLAC's from a portable hard drive

I am using an old WD My Passport Essential 500GB USB 2.0 2.5" External Hard Drive for the time being. Is anyone playing there music from an External HD. If so does it make much difference in what specs it has?

Comments

  • deronb1
    deronb1 Posts: 5,021
    I am using a Seagate 2tb hd formatted fat32

  • bryantspaint
    bryantspaint Posts: 114
    wd passport ultra
  • D'prived
    D'prived Posts: 191
    Doesn't make any difference.
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    I use a WD My Book HDD into my Oppo 103. Love it.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • tophatjohnny
    tophatjohnny Posts: 4,162
    I dig that one Mike. I may get one to use as a back up......as i plan on having several. Thanks
    "if it's not fun, it's not worth it & remember folks, "It's All About The Music"!!
    *****************************
  • daddyjt
    daddyjt Posts: 2,305
    The drive itself is of little consequence - Data transfer of FLAC files is a snap, even for an "antiquated" drive - on a per song basis, you're just not moving that many bits.

    Of much greater consequence, is your chosen DAC. There are many fine outboard DACs, but I just use the ESS Saber in the Oppo 105 - One of the best DAC chipsets available, AND it comes wrapped in an Oppo player:-) The only downside, is the Oppo OSD is kind of an "all or nothing", as it shows all files with no quick way to navigate from one end of your collection to the other...
    "Conservative Libertarians love the country, progressive leftists love the government." - Andrew Wilkow


    “Human beings are born with different capacities. If they are free, they are not equal. And if they are equal, they are not free.”
    ― Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    Anyone have any thoughts on thumb drives compared to SSD's?
  • afterburnt
    afterburnt Posts: 7,892
    Just wanted to ask. I see 512gb's for 300 something. In a few months they will be less than that. Kind of nice to have something small enough to loose lol
  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,471
    128 GB for $30. The prices are falling.

    http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Cruzer-128GB-Drive--SDCZ36-128G-B35/dp/B00TKFCYP0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434720533&sr=8-1&keywords=usb+2.0+flash+drive

    In my setup I have the external hard drive setting an a cheap countertop next to my laptop. The other night I had headphones on and while holding the head phones with my two hands I rested my elbows on the countertop and boy was there a lot of noise (vibration) coming through my arms that I could hear kind of like a stethoscope. Noise from the computer and the external hard drive. I don't know if this is bad for SQ but I would feel better if I could eliminate the noise and/or vibration. I was thinking about a piece of granite or something.

    You guys got any ideas?
    Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
    SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
    1KVA Dreadnought

    Marantz SA 8005
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
    Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
    Sony PS4

    Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
    1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video

    "All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER"
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    For storage "ballparking", I have apprx 400 CD's (flac) on my HDD and they take up about 300Gb. This also includes about 5 albums that are 24/96 flac.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,521
    Machone; place some felt stick-on feet, or use vibrapods under the drive. I lay my drive on its side, and have the felt feet on it---it is silent.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,471
    Thanks steveinaz.
    My current setup is External Hard Drive-USB to Computer-USB to External DAC. I use Korg's Audiogate to convert my ripped .WAV files to DSD 5.6mh on the fly. As this uses computing power (CPU runs at about 23%) I get the laptop fan noise. I raised the laptop above the countertop about 1/2" and this helped to cool things down and therefore lowered the fan speed and noise.
    If I used a piece of granite as a sub-base for the computer and external hard drive the granite would inherently be a cooler surface and it would also look cool (no pun intended). The piece needs to be about 18" x 18" and would be isolated from the existing countertop using something like vibrapods.
    Felt feet under each component would further isolate them from each other.
    Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
    SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
    1KVA Dreadnought

    Marantz SA 8005
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
    Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
    Sony PS4

    Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
    1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video

    "All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER"
  • machone
    machone Posts: 1,471
    Decided to try three pieces of travertine (18" x 18" @ $5 each). Set them on rubber feet attached to the countertop. Stuck vinyl bumpers to the travertine to raise the computer.tlfj3rftxr3h.jpg
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    Mojo Audio Illuminati v3>>Quantum Byte w/LMS>>Rpi/PiCoreplayer>> Starlight 7 USB >> Mojo Audio Mystique v2 SE>>ModWright SWL 9.0 SE Signature>>Hafler DH-500 Amp+ (Musical Concepts Fully Modded)>>
    SRS 2.3TL (Fully Modded)...Velodyne Optimum 8 subwoofer
    1KVA Dreadnought

    Marantz SA 8005
    Pioneer PLX-1000 Turntable - Shure SC35C/N35X - V15III/VN35HE
    Yamaha TX-540 Tuner...Sony BDP-S570
    Sony PS4

    Separate subpanel with four dedicated 20 amp circuits.
    1. Amplification 2. Analog 3. Digital 4. Video

    "All THAT IS LOST FROM THE SOURCE IS LOST FOREVER"
  • muncybob
    muncybob Posts: 2,962
    So, what's the difference or pros/cons using a NAS versus USB external HD of similar capacity?
    Yep, my name really is Bob.
    Parasound HCA1500A(indoor sound) and HCA1000(outdoor sound), Dynaco PAS4, Denon DP1200 w/Shure V15 Type V and Jico SAS stylus, Marantz UD7007, modded Polk SDA 2B, Rythmik L12 sub.
  • RamZet
    RamZet Posts: 792
    I will argue all day about the difference in wires but a HDD vs a USB I cant. FLAC files are not demanding files for any modern storage device.
    I cant even argue that there is a difference between Solid State and Mechanical drives when it comes to playback.

    My vote is that there is no difference.
    B&W CM9Classé Sigma