Mp3 and flac files what to do

[loo]

:help:
Since the current trend with record companies in supplying digital downloads of vinyl albums I seem to have accumulated quiet a few of these, enough to think that maybe they are a wasted resource , so how the hell do I use them? What equipment do I need to be able to hear them through my stereo?,
I don't want lots of new boxes or want to spend a fortune but would like to hear them reproduced to a reasonable quality .Recommends please
cheers Paul

[Yomanze]

:help:
Since the current trend with record companies in supplying digital downloads of vinyl albums I seem to have accumulated quiet a few of these, enough to think that maybe they are a wasted resource , so how the hell do I use them? What equipment do I need to be able to hear them through my stereo?,
I don't want lots of new boxes or want to spend a fortune but would like to hear them reproduced to a reasonable quality .Recommends please
cheers Paul

It's a very difficult question because differences in computers, software, outputs etc. make them all sound different. Simplest solution is to forget about it, archive them, aim for FLAC / WAV minimum when you can, and invest in a solid USB to SPDIF device to your DAC, or use a USB-compatible DAC. There are so many more variables involved with computer playback than whacking a record, CD, tape or whatever on, so prefer as you say to keep it 'reasonable' quality with files!

[John]

You could use your computer and foobar plus DAC with usb or add a converter
There a few other ways too but that get you started quite quickly

[loo]

thanks Neil but you totally lost me at archive:scratch: how do I do that they are currently on my hard drive mostly as zip files and also transferred to ITunes but that's as far as I have ever got with them ,I did once stick a cable from the laptop headphone socket to a spare input on my amp and played a few through iTunes but was frankly less than impressed , but now I have around 1000 albums so thought a way of playing them would be good for when records are a no no
Paul

[loo]

Hi John whats a foobar and don't dacs come in cd players? I am a digital dinosaur
Paul

[Yomanze]

Hi John whats a foobar and don't dacs come in cd players? I am a digital dinosaur
Paul

If you want sound from what's played from your computer, iPod, tablet etc. to your HiFi then you will need to buy a "Y" cable, which is a headphone jack at one side (which you plug into the line out of your computer) and 2x RCA at the other into your preamp. Problem is this'll sound rubbish unless you have a very good sound card. If you want better sound then you need a dedicated DAC or CD player with a digital in, which you then either use the digital out on your computer's sound card if it has it, but again for better sound, you will need to plug a device into you computer's USB port, which gives a digital out that your DAC or CD player's digital input can use to make some music!

[loo]

If you want sound from what's played from your computer, iPod, tablet etc. to your HiFi then you will need to buy a "Y" cable, which is a headphone jack at one side (which you plug into the line out of your computer) and 2x RCA at the other into your preamp. Problem is this'll sound rubbish unless you have a very good sound card. If you want better sound then you need a dedicated DAC or CD player with a digital in, which you then either use the digital out on your computer's sound card if it has it, but again for better sound, you will need to plug a device into you computer's USB port, which gives a digital out that your DAC or CD player's digital input can use to make some music!
yeah the y cable was what I tried and yes it was rubbish sounding I only have a basicish laptop so doubt it has a decent soundcard , Ideally what I would like is something that I can transfer the files to that then stores and plays them like a cd player plays a cd , do such things exist,
Paul

[Rothchild]

I've not bothered downloading the MP3s I've been offered with my recent cd purchases (because I buy cds to rip to flac) but I'd wager that they're not giving away very high quality MP3s, in which case it doesn't really matter what you play it through it's still likely to sound off.

There are hardware devices with storage for these sorts of files, there are even a few that will rip your cd for you and then serve up the files.

You might be better off thinking on a different tack though (given the potential issues with source (file) quality and just get an old Ipod or something and use them in the car?

[synsei]

Grab one of these (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lindy-Digital-Analogue-Converter-Headphone/dp/B005ZRV07U/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1381410694&sr=8-17&keywords=dac) from Amazon which supports USB, coaxial and optical inputs and hook it up to your computer via a USB lead and to your amp via a spare pair of IC's. For the moment just play the files through your standard music player, WMP on a Windows machine or iTunes on a Mac. This will at least get you going until you have delved into the vagaries of HD digital playback. Incidentally I have it on good authority that the Lindy DAC sounds pretty decent plus you get a headphone amp thrown in for good measure. 50 quid is small potatoes for a DAC and if you trawl the internet you may even be able to find one cheaper than that ;)

[John]

Okay a few questions does your cd player have a digital input and output. This is unlikely but if yes you should be able to use your CD player
So the quickest way with reasonable sound quality is to get a DAC with a USB input if the DAC does not have a USB input you can get around this with a USB to SPDIF converter. This will allow you to hook up your laptop to the DAC and then to your amp.
Foobar is a music player that will allow you to hear your music files their others more exotic but lets keep it simple
This simple set up with a few cables will get your MP3 and FLAC files playing music.
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?21337-How-to-get-the-best-out-of-Computer-A-Easy-guide-to-Computer-Audio&highlight=computer+audio+jplay
These days I think MQn gives the best results I heard but set up is not easy so as I said at this stage stick to Foobar or JRiver

[loo]

Thanks for the help chaps, yes Marc I have an old ipod but wouldn't want to use it for anything but the car ,
thanks Dave that looks like a bargain dac but I would still need a storage/player?
and John I like the sound of keeping it simple but I really don't want to have to connect my laptop to the stereo, and I don't own a CD player other than the changer in the car, what I am really after is a unit that I can transfer files to and leave on there and play from that unit directly to either my preamp or a dac then preamp, an alternative to having the files on the unit would be having them on a memory stick and pluging that into the said unit to play them. Do such machines exsist and if so got any recommendations for a good value one
thanks Paul

[synsei]

Thanks for the help chaps, yes Marc I have an old ipod but wouldn't want to use it for anything but the car ,
thanks Dave that looks like a bargain dac but I would still need a storage/player?
and John I like the sound of keeping it simple but I really don't want to have to connect my laptop to the stereo, and I don't own a CD player other than the changer in the car, what I am really after is a unit that I can transfer files to and leave on there and play from that unit directly to either my preamp or a dac then preamp, an alternative to having the files on the unit would be having them on a memory stick and pluging that into the said unit to play them. Do such machines exsist and if so got any recommendations for a good value one
thanks Paul

Perhaps this (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Marantz-dh9500-music-server-/200972262893?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiF i_CDPlayerSeparates&hash=item2ecae15ded) might be a good and cheap solution for you although if it were me I'd look into installing a larger hard drive into it... :)

[loo]

Cheers Dave that looks like the sort of thing I am after ,not to sure about that unit, seller seems a bit abrupt , but now I know what I am looking for ,
do those things really cost 2.5k new?
thanks again
Paul

[John]

Or get a blue ray player with a usb input connect to a external drive like a USB memory stick or sata hd and you away That's what I do these days simple and great sounds but still need a good dac to get the best out of it. Will beat the pants out of most cd players
Lots of choices from a cheap Sony to Oppo

[loo]

Thanks John that sounds like a good option and I presume I could even watch movies on that ,excuse my ignorance, no I don't have a dvd player either:doh:
Paul

[bobbasrah]

Thanks John that sounds like a good option and I presume I could even watch movies on that ,excuse my ignorance, no I don't have a dvd player either:doh:
Paul

Indeed you can.
John is spot on, there is a thread somewhere on the forum possibly Reid Malefant and an Oppo BD95(???), and several others where such a solution was working well.
Only one caution on that is that setting up an external drive so that it is properly structured and tagged first (using a computer) so the machine can read the files properly saves a lot of frustration. I recall that was Reid's problem in that thread, easily fixed, a breeze to use thereafter...
Good luck with it Paul.

[loo]

Thanks for the confirmation Bob I am starting to get quiet excited about my foray into the world of digital audio. I will search out that thread
Cheers Paul

[twickers]

Or get a blue ray player with a usb input connect to a external drive like a USB memory stick or sata hd and you away That's what I do these days simple and great sounds but still need a good dac to get the best out of it. Will beat the pants out of most cd players
Lots of choices from a cheap Sony to Oppo

John

Is there a limit to the size of hard drive you can use connected via usb to a blu-ray? Also does it have to be self-powered or does the blu-ray's usb power the drive?

Cheers

[John]

From my own experience using a USB memory key works better in terms of sound quality rather than a SATA drive but think SSD might not have the same issues as like the USB no moving parts
No limits to size of external drive (I used 500gb) just difference in SQ depending on what options you use
Yes you can watch movies on Blue ray or even stream use the external drive and you get a serious transport in the bargain.
I had the Oppo and Sony in my system and no difference in sound quality using both as transports which is the best way to hear both. The Oppo is however a lot better movie player if you got big screen and that important
To use this method you need a screen so you can see what file you getting
Can be either self powered or powered by the blue ray player I generally use USB memory keys with 64gb of memory. Worth picking up a good quality one rather than a cheap one as cheap ones develops file errors

[twickers]

Are the Sandisk memory sticks any good? If not, any recommendations.

Cheers

[John]

Not tried them think they be okay
I use ADATA without any issues
Initially I tried some cheap ones from ebay and files just got corrupted

[struth]

I just used my old laptop with a async streaming dac. it is connected all the time and have a small 500gig buffalo mini station hard drive to store the EAC flac files on..also got an external cd rom which doubles up as a cd player...sounds superb and is a neat way to reuse old laptop using the dreaded vista.