Best way to output hi res files to DAC?

>Since SQ isn't critical given the raw digital output

Sorry to tell you this, but it turns out that SQ =is= an issue even with raw digital output.

If you can do TOSLINK optical Amazon Fire TV box (<$100) running PLEX app ($5) with a cable like this http://www.amazon.com/XO-Resolution-Professional-Digital-Optical/dp/B003BM23FY to DAC should work quite well.

You would have to run free PLEX media server as well.

I am running a setup like this currently with excellent results in my 2 channel A/V system, but have not tried beyond CD resolution. I think it would work and not cost much to try though.

So no media servers capable of DSD with a digital out? That's surprising given the popularity of DAC's these days.

If you have a USB out, you can get something like a Music Fidelity V-Link which will convert it to coax or toslink. There is also a 24/192 version. for $70 it's worth trying.
http://echohifi.com/inventory.php

Come to think of it, USB out would work also as long as there aren't any resolution limitations.

What are the options for high res music servers with USB out?

Larrybou,
I found what both of us are looking for in the reasonably priced Marantz NA 8005. You can read about my personal experience with this wonderful product in the Review section.
Enjoy!

Larrybou wrote:
"Since SQ isn't critical given the raw digital output, what would be the best most cost effective way to go?"

That raw digital output can give even better results than a CD player or transport, provided you use the right equipment. It can even surpass good vinyl.

If you want the very best music server with USB out, it is the Antipodes, but you are looking at $3000 I think. Even with the Antipodes, if you want the USB to give a sound competing with the best vinyl, you will need an outboard USB converter and power supply, like the Off-Ramp 5 and Dynamo. This will give you a world-class digital source up to 24/192. The Off-Ramp is 5th generation and has won awards over the years with each iteration.

Off-Ramp 5:
http://www.empiricalaudio.com/products/off-ramp-converter

The Off-Ramp 6, which is in prototype stage will output DSD and double DSD over I2S, but your DAC must be capable of accepting this. IT is also more expensive than the Off-Ramp 5.

Your digital source is actually more important than your DAC, so spending a bit more on this just makes sense, just like buying a better turntable cartridge. It will make the difference between a harsh, fatiguing sound and a smooth, detailed and engaging sound. You can spend $60 or $100 on a cheap USB converter that you will ultimately sell anyway, or you can just get a good one like the OR5 and then you are done and you can enjoy the music.

Other servers to consider are Sonore and Audio Mojo and even just a late 2009 Mac Mini on ebay. You can get one of these on ebay for around $375 with Bluetooth keyboard and mouse and OS disk. See my recommendations:

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/computer-audio/

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/computer-audio/recommended-systems

Starting with a Mac Mini is cheaper, but more work to make it sound great. you will need a good player like Amarra, Pure Music or Audirvana etc..

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Jon2020 - Do you know if it's possible to pass digital out before the DAC on the Marantz. And what kind of digital out does it have? The problem is my Wadia integrated also does an automatic uprez with it's DAC tho not to a full DSD. I'm not sure what effect two different DAC stages might have.

Larrybou,

The Marantz does have a coaxial digital output for connection to the digital input of your Wadia amp, bypassing its own internal dac. So the Marantz can output to any external dac of choice.

The Marantz also has analog outputs direct to your amp. You can compare the sound quality of the digital output(using the Wadia's dac) to the analog outputs(using the Marantz's internal dac). As reported in another thread, I have found that for hi-rez files, the latter is better in my set-up. Your personal experience with the Wadia amp may differ.

Happy listening.

Very interesting. Unfortunately one quirk of the Wadia is that all the inputs (analog or digital) are up sampled through the DAC. Fortunately the DAC is very natural and organic sounding. Typically though the digital input sounds better than analog to me.

It doesn't uprez to DSD but does accept DSD and DSDX2 (or whatever it is) natively. Have you done much more with it than just play hi rez files through a flash card? Have you tried loading music on the internal hard drive? Any quirks so far?

Larrybou,
I ma curious as to why the Wadia would upsample analog input signals too. It is always better to input digital signals for d-a coversion without another a-d coversion step. Maybe I am missing something here.
I have also tried dsd and double dsd files and they sound great. The Marantz does not have an internal hard drive, so you need to get your own external drives.
Hope this helps.

No idea why Wadia also runs the analog through the internal DAC. But it sounds quite good and natural in any case. They jammed lots of good technology into a small unit - and it works very well.

Aurender

The Aurender X-100s does look like what I'm looking for. But without a DAC the $3K price tag seems pricey at least in sub 12K systems like mine.