Media Servers/Network Players/Computer Audio/All-In-One Players
Computer Audio is where the mass is turning to now-a-days. Its convenient, doesn't require a bunch of storage of physical media, sound quality is vastly improved with lossless formats such as FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF and DSD. Even modern 320 kbps MP3s sound better then the MP3s of yesteryear. Then you add in the many different music server software systems you can download, Pure Music, Audirvana, Amarra, JRiver, MediaMonkey and Foobar2000 to name the more popular ones.
A few years ago, the Squeezebox was one of the most popular items in music streaming. Since then theres been many other brands, Naim, Olive, Cambridge, Marantz, Cocktail, Simaudio, Yamaha, Sony, Sonos, NAD to name a few, and they have products that range into all different price categories. Then of course you have places like computeraudiophile.com which will show you how to build your own computer music server and storage system at different price levels.
High quality downloads can be bought from places such as hdtracks.com, acousticsounds.com, of course being the biggest 2 online locations. Then there are smaller places to download music from like, bluecoastrecords.com, linn.co.uk, naimlabel.com, societyofsound.com. Other larger libraries of music can be downloaded at places like iTunes, google, amazon and such. I would be interested to see which is the first one to offer up hi-res files for downloading. I honestly can't believe that Apple or amazon hasn't made that move already, especially Apple considering that they have their music mastered for iTunes, which takes files from 16/24 bits and all sampling rates 44.1-192 and then masters them into 256 kbps AAC files, they could just leave the files in their original state for people who want CD quality or better better hi-res files.
Wireless and powered speakers like Audioengine, Dynaudio, Focal, Emotiva, Aperion, and the list goes on and on, that you can use with Computer Audio based systems. Be it on the desk or wireless set in front or behind your desk, or in another room. But whether they're a high-end brand or not, we know that computer audio is reaching all levels of manufactures as they offer wireless and powered speakers for this market.
Lets not forget apps on phones and tablets that allow for control over your home network for playing and changing music, or input devices.
So if you have computer audio related questions or comments, ask away and lets begin a discussion. If theres something that I missed please bring it up. Talk about your favorite music that you've downloaded, discuss a DAC you want to buy, Headphones, speakers, amp's, or whatever, its an open discussion forum with no boundaries, just the same way, computer audio occurs in many many forms.
Funny you should post this. Last month I was asking about a music server component for about $600.00 I could buy but never did a definitive answer. I like the Sony HASP-1(I believe) but it lack of digital output leaves a lot to be desired. Any other word on a similar component would be appreciate.
Funny you should post this. Last month I was asking about a music server component for about $600.00 I could buy but never did a definitive answer. I like the Sony HASP-1(I believe) but it lack of digital output leaves a lot to be desired. Any other word on a similar component would be appreciate.
for the digital output are you trying to connect to a dac or to an AVR?
Hey Marc!!!! I'm just seeing this post for the first time!!!! Thanks for the hook up with Burson!!!!! To the rest of the computer audio people here at Blu-ray.com, I can vouch for Marc!!! You guys think I know something - Andre, is highly respected over at Whatsbestforum.com, hometheaterreview.com and several other places!!!! He's a welcome and informative addition here at Blu-ray.com!!!!!
I just got my All-in-One NaimUniti 2. This thing really does everything. So far I have used it as a Power Amp in my HT system, I have also used it as a DAC connected to my MacBook Pro, as a CDP, and to stream Spotify via connection or my Naim and Spotify app. I also used its internet radio, pretty cool opening up BBC channel radio stations.
This is the Uniti2
Here is the naim app
Here is the spotify app. The little speakers with the circle at the bottom right syncs to the NaimUniti.
So along with Spurrier Sucks, as he also has a NaimUniti 2, we've been playing with the UPNP aspect of the Uniti. I think he has used Minimserver and Twonky. I have only used Twonky. However streaming the music over the UPNP input/option, the music is very good. I can access all of my music thru the app and wirelessly play all the music from my Macbook Pro to the Uniti via the UPNP. It sounds fabulous. Im looking for a UPNP server/NAS that I can hardwire in, but for now this option has been easy to use and as I said, sounds fabulous.
Listening to a little BBC Radio they the Uniti's iRadio stations, and have to say that for what is basically 320 Kbps mp3s but I have to say that this classical radio station and the choir singing sounds very good. I'm not the biggest classical music lover, I can appreciate it, and have to say it sounds very clean. Left hand piano sounds deep as it should and the rest of it clean and quick. I've heard better lossless files, but it still sounds good.
So along with Spurrier Sucks, as he also has a NaimUniti 2, we've been playing with the UPNP aspect of the Uniti. I think he has used Minimserver and Twonky. I have only used Twonky. However streaming the music over the UPNP input/option, the music is very good. I can access all of my music thru the app and wirelessly play all the music from my Macbook Pro to the Uniti via the UPNP. It sounds fabulous. Im looking for a UPNP server/NAS that I can hardwire in, but for now this option has been easy to use and as I said, sounds fabulous.
I'm enjoying mine so much that I'm considering adding a UnitiQute2 to my second system. I have the Dyn XEO 3's there now but may look into selling or trading those in for som Excite 14's. I may have lost my damn mind!
Funny you should post this. Last month I was asking about a music server component for about $600.00 I could buy but never did a definitive answer. I like the Sony HASP-1(I believe) but it lack of digital output leaves a lot to be desired. Any other word on a similar component would be appreciate.
You ever settle on something? This would be a cheaper option for me to just add a source to my existing setup and not a complete overhaul but it wouldn't be as much fun!
So along with Spurrier Sucks, as he also has a NaimUniti 2, we've been playing with the UPNP aspect of the Uniti. I think he has used Minimserver and Twonky. I have only used Twonky. However streaming the music over the UPNP input/option, the music is very good. I can access all of my music thru the app and wirelessly play all the music from my Macbook Pro to the Uniti via the UPNP. It sounds fabulous. Im looking for a UPNP server/NAS that I can hardwire in, but for now this option has been easy to use and as I said, sounds fabulous.
Have you compared the UPnP option to your previous setup with your DAC?
Have you compared the UPnP option to your previous setup with your DAC?
Actually I can't do a head to head comparison because I sold off the Jolida prior to receiving the U2. However as well as memory serves me I can say tut it seems the U2 has all the warmth and fluidity of the Tube DAC which I loved so much, but I feel like I've gained transient speed and detail. I feel kinda bad now cause I have audirvana and pretty much don't use it at all now due the wireless connectivity of the upnp setup.
Actually I can't do a head to head comparison because I sold off the Jolida prior to receiving the U2. However as well as memory serves me I can say tut it seems the U2 has all the warmth and fluidity of the Tube DAC which I loved so much, but I feel like I've gained transient speed and detail. I feel kinda bad now cause I have audirvana and pretty much don't use it at all now due the wireless connectivity of the upnp setup.
How does it compare to your Cambridge DAC?
The DAC option sounded a bit harsh compared to the U2
but thT may have been due to iTunes as well. Before I got the UPnP option up and going I had a small session with the DAC but it has since been boxed up and is now for sale.
Finally getting around to using the CD player of this uniti last night, I had only played 1 cd so far and everything else had been streaming or using the DAC. The first cd I played a few weeks ago, I felt sounded a little bright in comparison to the streaming upnp or the DAC bis laptop, but last night as I played CDs it did not sound bright or lean, in fact it was a little warm. The cd I mostly listened to critically was the John Mayer Where the Light Is, mainly the acoustic set and the John Mayer Trio set (all on disc one), and the venue shone thru in ways never before. The venues size and space became more apparent, and it sounded big in my living room. With the XS and oppo combo, I didn't get cues as to the size of the venue or how johns voice could sound so big in that space. There is also a second voice & guitar on the acoustic set after Neon, before the 2 guitars blended to sound as one, but now they had their own sound. Chris Carnell's Songbook and Eva Cassidy Live at Blues Alley had this same sense of space regarding the venue, Eva's sounded smaller more intimate and her voice could overwhelm the space, Chris's had a little more ringing/echoing. Again things I don't recall with the Oppo & XS combo. CDs sound wonderful, as good as any CD player I've heard. Next up I will compare the streaming and cd aspect with the same music ripped to my laptop.
spent some time with my 2 copies of The White Stripes Icky Thump, why I have 2 copies IDK, but I do... so I put on in the CD transport of the Uniti and one in the Oppo BDP-103. I must have listened to the Icky Thump song 8-10 times. The first thing i noticed going between the 2 sources was that the Uniti seemed to have more authority and drive. Meg Whites kick drum, had more umph in the "bum, bum, BUMP" as if I was getting kicked in the chest a little more then with the Oppo. Also it seemed the oppo played a little more lean, the Uniti a little more warm and bigger. The last thing I noticed was that the oppo seemed to play the sound closer to the speakers, not letting go of the music as much. The Uniti sounded as if it just let loose of the song and let it play larger and more freely. Using the Marantz as the pre-pro and the Naim as a power amp, oppo as the source CD player, the sound overall shrank and sounded more between the speakers then the Oppo(source) & Naim(pre/power amp)
The oppo did prove to be a pretty good player, and I would venture to guess that the Oppo BDP-105 would compete directly with the Naim CD player, since the 105 has a better dac and better analog section then the 103 does. That said, the 103 is a good value/multi-function Blu-ray player. Well worth its $500 asking price.
The more I mess with and compare different aspects of the Uniti's performance, the more Im loving this purchase. Every thing its capable of has elevated the performance I was getting before with the XS and its connected sources.
spent some time with my 2 copies of The White Stripes Icky Thump, why I have 2 copies IDK, but I do... so I put on in the CD transport of the Uniti and one in the Oppo BDP-103. I must have listened to the Icky Thump song 8-10 times. The first thing i noticed going between the 2 sources was that the Uniti seemed to have more authority and drive. Meg Whites kick drum, had more umph in the "bum, bum, BUMP" as if I was getting kicked in the chest a little more then with the Oppo. Also it seemed the oppo played a little more lean, the Uniti a little more warm and bigger. The last thing I noticed was that the oppo seemed to play the sound closer to the speakers, not letting go of the music as much. The Uniti sounded as if it just let loose of the song and let it play larger and more freely. Using the Marantz as the pre-pro and the Naim as a power amp, oppo as the source CD player, the sound overall shrank and sounded more between the speakers then the Oppo(source) & Naim(pre/power amp)
The oppo did prove to be a pretty good player, and I would venture to guess that the Oppo BDP-105 would compete directly with the Naim CD player, since the 105 has a better dac and better analog section then the 103 does. That said, the 103 is a good value/multi-function Blu-ray player. Well worth its $500 asking price.
The more I mess with and compare different aspects of the Uniti's performance, the more Im loving this purchase. Every thing its capable of has elevated the performance I was getting before with the XS and its connected sources.
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Media Servers/Network Players/Computer Audio/All-In-One Players
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