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Choosing a network player/streamer

This is my first post on here so please don't be too brutal with me if I commit an Audiogon faux-pas. 
I have a nice little Bryston system that I have assembled over the last couple of years.  It consists of a BP-26 Pre-amp, BDP-3 network player (with BOT-1), BCD-1 cd player,  BDA-3 DAC, 14B-SST amplifier, and Magnepan 3.6r's. 
I recently added a Yamaha np-s303 network player to check out.  It sounds good playing through the Bryston DAC, and its APP (Musicast) is super easy to learn/use. The Bryston interface is problematic and just not intuitive to use.  So now I'm looking for a compelling reason to keep the Bryston BDP-3 instead of selling it in favor of the Yamaha np-s303.  Any constructive comments or opinions are greatly appreciated. 

okhunter

Showing 1 response by akg_ca

akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,178 posts
 

I have the BRYSTON BDP1-USB player and BRYSYON BDA2 dac stablemates. (not the current 3rd generation models) purchased pre-owned to experiment as I dip my toes in the enigma of servers and streamers.

GOOD NEWS:

- It sounds fine regardless, especially at its price point, especially the DAC. … But intuitively not at the DCS performance strata intuitively.

BAD NEWS:

- the digital player software setup playback software and clumsy user interface can test my patience to the max and jack up my frustration tolerance to its limits.

- At its worst: the digital player software / user interface using BRYSTON’s own free Manic Moose can just plain suck.

- At its best: RIGELIAN is still less than ideal and is still a bit buggy for my tastes but it is attractively bargain priced.

 

TAKEAWAY: As aptly already highlighted by prior post contributors, the entire digital playback experience, user interface utility, and satisfaction can be tested and even harmed by player OEMs remaining agnostic to addressing and improving the player software and user interface used to set it up and run it.

 

 

 

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