PS Audio Phono + Sony HAP-Z1ES

The sony has no digital input or output. The USB and Ethernet are purely for use of network connection and the USB is for external storage. ALL music must pass through the computer and be stored on the internal or external via USB hard drives. The USB connected hard drive cannot have music already on it, it must be transferred from the computer through the network.

I guess I am trying to understand how one can make digital copies of LPs. 10 years ago I had an Alesis Masterlink and it was a simple matter to run the analog signal into that device and it would store it on the hard drive and I could play it back at whatever sample rate I chose to record at.

I sold it because I was not very serious about archiving my vinyl (and eventually getting my collection down to a manageable number). I would assume there is something like that out there with a terabyte of memory and a better means of organizing the files. This is what I thought the Sony device could do.

Not sure I understand the difference between the Sony HAP-Z1ES and a regular computer with music software.

I thank you for responding despite that I do not quite understand how to proceed.

I would look into an Ayre QA-9 which is an Analog to digital converter. You would plug this into a computer to make the copies. The Sony is basically a audio server which plays DSD and PCM files which are stored directly on the sony.

The Sony is not what you need. If you want to use the NuWave you'll need a computer and recording/editing software, PS makes specific recommendation, or you could use a dedicated recorder from Korg or Tascam.

The PS Audio NuWave phono is an A/D converter. Why would I need to get another one? This is what I do not understand.

I'm sorry to be so persistent but I am trying to understand this process. If the analog signal has been digitized into a high rez DSD or PCM by the PS Audio Phono converter, what kind of machine do I need to convert this data stream into a music file that I can access for playback. Obviously somewhere in the chain we need a DAC.

If someone could just outline in a chart the stages that we need to go through I might understand it better.

I'll start here (as I understand it): Phono signal - A/D conversion - DSD or PCM (all accomplished by the PS Audio Phono) - ???something to process and put the data on the harddrive - DAC - Audio Preamp - Amp - Speakers.

What sort of device is the fourth stage (I realize it is a computer but what soft ware is needed to make it work).

Is there a freestanding device that will take the DSD or PCM stream, process it and put it on a hard drive AND function as a DAC so I am looking at two boxes between the turntable and the preamp. This is what I thought the Sony would do but I now understand why it will not.

This is what the Alesis Masterlink did for me 10 years ago.

Is there nothing like that out there like the Alesis that has more storage and organizes the music better?

PS Audio has forums on their website, just hit the Community button, and I'd guess that this topic has been discussed there at length. If it has not been discussed already, I'm sure there would be no shortage of people willing to explain what you need in detail.

I see now, I was thinking your ps was just a phono preamp. Yes your turntable would go to your ps audio which would go to a computer and create a DSD or PCM file. You could then transfer this file into the sony to be stored and played back. The sony would store the file and connect to your preamp-amp-speakers.

But to answer your question about the direct connection to the sony the answer is no. You would have to go to a computer first and then transfer the file from the computer to the sony where it would then be stored on the sonys internal drive or USB external drive for later playback.

It would have been too simple for Sony to provide analog inputs to their new machine.
With myopic thinking like this it's no wonder Sony's stock has fallen so low...

TAS has an article on the NuWave phono converter in the current issue (March) including a one and a half page sidebar on how to archive your vinyl by Paul McGowan, the owner of PS Audio.

Thank you all. I think I've got it now. My only comment is it seems as though the digital market place needs a device that will process and organize a DSD or PCM file, store it on a hard drive, and include a DAC with an analog out. Maybe this would be too complicated for a one box device.
Again thanks to all who responded.