Is this possible?

[realysm42]

I want to set up an audio system that's as discreet as possible.

My first thoughts were to have a PC for the job, but I was wondering if the below is possible:

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q153/realysm42/233.png

Point A: Me in sofa, with some sort of tablet running the show (so I can see album art etc)

Point B: is the storage, a couple of hdds

Point C: is a question really; how do I get the hdds to push the music to the dac?

I understand there needs to be something to make the chain work:

*me to control it,

*the hdds to understand the instructions

*and some way to get the info to the hi-fi.

Is this what a squeezebox does? I currently use a PC, but am moving very shortly and the hi-fis going to be sat in a living room, where it belongs, so I won't be sat so near to it anymore.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[wee tam]

hdd to dac , this is studio grade , and widely used in the rcording industry , oh , also cheap as chips
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBehringer-UCA202-U-Control-low-latency-Interface%2Fdp%2FB000KW2YEI&ei=pbSSUInvN6PX0QXC2oHYCg&usg=AFQjCNHAhlt1xe5qFGmpfbldNMMwx-34dA&sig2=iZpmhY2gDOu0lT3TXt8L8Q

[realysm42]

Cheers, so that's my dac speaking to the hdds, but how do I navigate the content of them?

Sorry this is something I know absolutely nothing about.

[chelsea]

Squeezebox to active speakers or sb to amp to speakers.
Thats how i run mine with no dac.

[wee tam]

or long usb connector , plug in a cheapo laptop and run it through (free) winamp , i am asuming you own most of your "chain" as there are cheaper alternatives like chelsea states , but if you have a dac /hdd etc already , then this is the way to go , in fact if you are allmost there drop me a pm and cover postage i have a berhinger you can try / borrow

[realysm42]

Ok, my speakers are passive and I'm definitely keeping the dac in the equation.

I'm interested to use something like an SB but they've been discontinued, do you know if there are any reasonable alternatives?

[Stratmangler]

Is this what a squeezebox does?

A Squeezebox Touch can work that way by using its internal embedded server, but a better way of doing things is to have a NAS capable of running LMS tucked away somewhere out of audible range on your home network.

[chelsea]

Get a sb off ebay.

[Stratmangler]

Amazon have 'em in stock right now.

[bobbasrah]

So far as I am aware Martin the bit missing is the interpreter of the data if you will, that has to be at the HDD or the Tablet which then sends the info to the dac... There have to be some brains in there even if governments get away without it....

[realysm42]

Indeed Bob; this is the bit I'm a bit stuck with.

I'm really not sure if this is the best option; I'd just like something really quiet, that doesn't draw a lot of power and I can control from the armchair...

[realysm42]

Anyone got experience of Sonos products?

[Stratmangler]

http://www.wegotserved.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/sq.jpg + http://image.ebuyer.com/customer/promos/3039/header.jpg

[realysm42]

So thats my A&B or storage and control Chris?

[Stratmangler]

SBT is the transport, the Zyxel NSA310 is storage and supports and runs server.
An app on your smartphone/tablet gives you remote access, and you can also control things from a web browser if you wish.

I've just described my setup :)

[realysm42]

Stupid question, what's a transport, is it what gets the data from the hdds to the dac?

[Stratmangler]

Stupid question, what's a transport, is it what gets the data from the hdds to the dac?

Yup :)

[wee tam]

yes , in simple terms , a CDP DVD converts the data and sends to dac , same as sb
Stupid question, what's a transport, is it what gets the data from the hdds to the dac?

[wee tam]

also your laptop /desk top could be used as the "transport" i have done it this way with great results , so hdd - pcp - dac -onwards up the chain

[Tim]

It is possible to cut out the middle (transport) and send data direct from a NAS to a DAC and control it via a tablet or smart-phone. Synology Disk-stations do this and there is a list of DAC's that have been tested with it for compatibility.

I don't have the time to find it now on the Synology forum, but its in here somewhere I think http://forum.synology.com/enu/

These are the NAS boxes http://www.synology.com/products/index.php?lang=uk

And from memory, I believe we touched on this subject in this thread? http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=14144&highlight=hrtmusic+streamer Again I am pushed for time to find it, but it was something Andre was considering and I remember reading about a list of DAC's you could plug straight into the NAS and control remotely. I have no idea what its sonic capabilities are. SONOS systems don't I believe play hi-res files and are limited by the number of files they can handle, so if you intend to use it for the long run you better not buy too many CD's!

[realysm42]

Thanks Tim that sound ideal, keeping it as simple as humanly possible!

I'll have a browse of that forum. If I go this route, does that mean I'm abandoning J River?

[Tim]

I'll have a browse of that forum. If I go this route, does that mean I'm abandoning J River?
Yes it will do Martin, it is a very simple solution, but I have no idea how it will sound as its not something I have tested - but in theory it should be good, being less is more?

[realysm42]

Yes it will do Martin, it is a very simple solution, but I have no idea how it will sound as its not something I have tested - but in theory it should be good, being less is more?

Indeed; I've had a read and the only thing I could find is that someone (with the same dac as me) couldn't get high res (anything about redbook, basically) to work. I don't use high res yet, but I'd like to future proof myself.

I'm thinking perhaps I get a laptop and perhaps use a wireless usb connection to the dac. This way I get my "remote", get to keep J River (which I love) and have no wires.

There's a staggering variety of ways to go about this :mental:

[Tim]

There's a staggering variety of ways to go about this :mental:
There most certainly is Martin, I spent around a year before settling on what I have now and tried all manner of options.
Welcome to the mad house :D

[realysm42]

I hate it when you're trying to educate yourself about something new; companies don't standardise the information so you spend an age f*cking about trying to work out what's what.

It's a bit embarrassing having to ask such dumb questions all the time; you might not know it but I'm actually pretty good with 'standard' pcs lol.

Windows 8 on a tablet, talking to nas looks like a good option, I get everything I want then!

[realysm42]

RIGHT!

I'm going to get a Nexus 7 and get splashtop HD.

Then 'downgrade' my pc so it's got a tonne of storage and runs silent.

I can't claim credit for the tablet part, my girls a lot smarter than me sometimes!