Folks - is there a sub-$1000 option for NON-computer based playback of ripped CDs from hard drive? Stuff like Antipodes and Aurender are way more $ than I’m prepared to spend. Thanks. Hoping this might be of interest to the OP too.
Working on saving my CDs to hard drive. Have 400 of ’em there so far. Playback via ALAC/iTunes/BitPerfect from MacBook Air (USB>>Musical Fidelity V-Link 192>>SPDIF>>Schiit Gungnir>>Amp) sounds darn good now. Curious what "better" lower cost options there might be.
I'm looking at the microRendu site but not sure this will do what I'm asking about.
Thanks in advance. |
Hey, Erik - thanks. I could have been clearer in my question. I am NOT against computer-based playback at all, 'cept I keep hearing how dedicated/non-multipurpose music servers provide better sound than a general purpose computer. I do appreciate that, at their heart, such music servers have a processor. I really am enjoying music from audio files played back with support of the MacBook - just looking for a step up on the cheap and to save processor time on the MBA. Wish I were more tech savvy and competent DIY-wise, I'd pursue your Linnux-based suggestion. That's right in the price range I'm hoping for. |
Tom - BTW-read you post about sonics during the Sunday service at the old Baptist church. Well written. Felt like I had been there.
Thanks for your input. The Apple Mac Mini is something I have been thinking about too. Thought the Aries Mini might be cheaper. Did not know there was a remote app for the Mac Mini. I was thinking wireless mouse and keyboard needed to do initial set up. Would screenshare allow that to be done from my Macbook?
There are pluses for staying with Apple besides familiarity. BitPerfect is one of them....low cost music playback software that improves over iTunes alone. Only $10 but it does seem to make things sound better. AND with a Mac Mini I'd be able to watch YouTube music videos on the flatscreen with sound into the main system.
The upside to the Aries is it's dedicated and would save me a few bucks on the mouse and keyboard since I could control from an iPhone. Downside is no BitPerfect and no YouTube.
The good news right now is I can sit tight and do nothing for a while. Of course, prices always seem to rise over time. Thanks again for the input.
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Hi @jond. Thanks. I had read that and did understand it could do ALAC. My uncertainty was about whether it could read those files from a powered, external Western Digital hard drive. Wasn’t sure I could assume that simply from your NAS experience. |
Good timing! @jond . Auralic Aries Mini - that just might be the ticket. Do you know whether I'd be able to play my ALAC formatted burned CDs direct from a 2TB Western Digital powered hard drive? I see it supposed to be able to recognize ALAD, just not sure about the hard drive.
I had looked previously at the Aries Mini but it required an iPad to support the Lightning control app. I didn't want to spend for an iPad. Now the app is available for an iPhone which I've got. I just got off the Audio Advisor site (they carry the Aries Mini) before I saw your post.
Thanks. Let me know what you think about working with an external hard drive and sound quality. I'll be very pleased if it works out.
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@rbstehno
Hi and thanks for that detailed history. The Aries Mini does sound interesting. My music is on a Western Digital powered external hard drive so I'm not tied to a device with internal drive to hold it.
The good news now is that Auralic's control app can be downloaded to an iPhone.
rbstehno - Running the Aries, do you miss the Audirvana software at all? Does the DS Lightning and now Lumin software provide similar functionality with the Aries? OR are these simply control programs doing nothing to enhance the "bits to music" conversion process? Let me know please.
Thanks to everyone for their input.
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In dbtom’s defense, his comments were on the mark relative to the OP’s inquiry.
(not that he needs my defense) |
Gents - FWIW, have ordered the Aries Mini. Hoping set up is not too problematic. Downloaded Lightning DS to my iPhone. Plan to the feed ALAC files to the Aries from a an external powered USB Hard Drive and output via Coax to my Gungnir. A bit anxious about set up and time to index the hard drive files. Going to live with the stock power supply a while before any move towards a PSU upgrade. |
Thanks @jond
Should be here later today for Saturday.
I take it 5 ghz is a wireless channel choice in the set up menu? I will look for that option and keep your recommendation in mind.
Later. |
For anyone interested, I’ve been listening to ALAC files ripped to an external Seagate 2TB hard drive connected via USB cable to the Aries Mini. USB out from the Aries is to a VLink 192 USB/SPDIF converter (it does NOT up sample signal from the Aries) and then via Stereovox coax to a Schiit Gungnir DAC. Still running the stock switch mode power supply supplied with the Aries.
VERY pleased with the sound and tickled I no longer have to use my MacBook air OR run a long USB cable from my MacBook Air to the V-Link OR plug in the hard drive every time I want to listen to ripped music files. The Aries Lightning app on my iPhone is FAST and the set up guide easy to follow. It read the 400 albums on my hard drive in maybe a minute. Can I say with 100% certainty the sound is better than it was from the MacBook Air running BitPerfect? My aural memory is not great and I haven’t gone back to do direct A/B listening comparisons since getting the Aries. Just been enjoying the music. The sound is certainly not worse and for convenience alone I ain’t likely to be going back BUT I will do a comparison soon now that the Aries has some hours on it and since I’m starting to get closer to the 30 day return deadline.
I’m able to use Airplay to stream Spotify wirelessly from my iPhone to the Aries. That’s pretty neat. Haven’t yet activated the 1 year Tidal subscription that is part of the Aries Mini purchase.
The only glitch compared to running BitPerfect/iTunes on the MacBook Air is that not ALL album art is represented. Some albums did populate. Others not. I contacted Aries tech support (they are very responsive via email) about this but am not sure I understand their explanation. It MIGHT be that where album art was downloaded off the web it must have the same name as the actual album for Aries to link the two. I did not always save album art images with the exact same title as the album, so might need to go back and see if editing those file names helps.
Am VERY curious about the benefit of a Linear Power Supply BUT since I’m not using the Aries internal DAC am uncertain whether it will make any difference. Anyone with experience on that, please advise.
Considering I was looking at a new MAC Mini + wireless keyboard and mouse for dedicated music playback use, the Aries Mini is, for me, a lower cost and more elegant solution with what might be better sound. I think Aries has done a really good job with their software and the features provided with the Aries Mini. Thanks for the suggestions here and especially to jond. |
Okay, jond. So you too are running the Aries Mini into an external DAC and still hear a benefit with an LPS. Good to know. That Sbooster looks like it might be better constructed than the Auralic LPS based on some photos I saw. Thanks yet again. |
@sbank - Thanks for your comments, especially the tips on the album artwork. I need to see if I can identify some common denominator between the albums that are missing artwork via the Lightning. I don't have any purchases from the iTunes store, so it's not that.
I've been trying to read what I can about the Aries. There's a recent (Sept) Mini review on CA. There was a little LPS discussion in the comments to that review but nothing extensive. I might try the iPower wall wart ($49) from Music Direct in the interim. It's still a switcher but supposedly very low noise. Just don't know if it will give the "bigger sound" some have reported from LPS use.
Thanks again.
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Hey @jond - glad to return a favor.
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