The MCRU Music Server

[Barry]

Sitting in your listening chair with a remote (ipad,android phone,keyboard with mouse built in,tablet pc etc) you would not have to get up to change the cd, you can read your e-mails, listen to spotify, browse artist information while track is playing, even download some music at the same time, and to my ears a properly configured server will blow most cd players out of the water anyway.

The only thing it does not do is make a cup of tea so you would have to get out of your chair for that!

As I said in my post: I don't think the asking price is excessive for what the server does.

I would still like to see the option to use a separate outboard DAC connected by a 75 Ohm S/PDIF interface.

[Gazjam]

Will bring it to owston in May chief, perhaps you can share a car with Gaz?

Coming to Owston this Year.
No probs car sharing.

[MCRU]

As I said in my post: I don't think the asking price is excessive for what the server does.

I would still like to see the option to use a separate outboard DAC connected by a 75 Ohm S/PDIF interface.

That is easy Barry, all servers configured to customers own requirements.

[Gazjam]

thanks Barry.
The Server has Spdif output to a dac as standard.
BNC 75 Ohm digital output..hmnn, could be done as a custom config if need be.

Might be worth looking into to this as a possibility for making a regular option?
Maybe those with BNC dacs would make good use of it, particularly playing DSD files.

Thanks for bringing that one up, time to get the thinking cap on.

[johnB]

Sitting in your listening chair with a remote (ipad,android phone,keyboard with mouse built in,tablet pc etc) you would not have to get up to change the cd, you can read your e-mails, listen to spotify, browse artist information while track is playing, even download some music at the same time, and to my ears a properly configured server will blow most cd players out of the water anyway.

The only thing it does not do is make a cup of tea so you would have to get out of your chair for that!

Getting up to turn the record over is a key element of my exercise regime.

[Gazjam]

Must admit, I see a turntable in my future, inconvenience or not
Always lusted after a black Gyrodeck...

[Ali Tait]

Coming to Owston this Year.
No probs car sharing.

Aye sounds good.

[Gazjam]

Poster for Bristol Show (well..it IS a Trade thread)

[Krisbee]

Thread:

The server is configured to individual specifications, as standard it is fitted with asynchronous usb to use with an external dac or s-pdif with internal DAC fitted. The server has been extensively tweaked to give the best sound quality possible.

Web:

the server can be configured to your own requirements, as standard it is fitted with an internal dac and digital out (RCA) using s-pdif to connect straight to your amplifier, if you already have an external DAC then choose the swap internal DAC for USB option and the server will be delivered with asyncrous usb output to connect to your DAC.

I find these descriptions rather confusing and note the option for USB output puts at least £250 on the price. I'm sure you don't mean to imply the server only works with DACs that function in asynchronous USB mode, but your thread comment reads that way. You could also imply that using any USB DAC with the sever is going to add £250-£350 to the basic cost for no obvious reason when people might expect to use simply use a standard USB port.

The idea of using “an internal DAC ...using s-pdif to connect straight to your amplifier” puzzles me. A DAC is basically digital in and analogue out, so if I can connect the server directly to my amplifier then I'd expect to be using standard analogue phono connections. Is the internal DAC really a DAC , or is it some kind of digital-to-digital converter, or part of a soundcard that provides a superior alternative to using any on-board S/PDIF on the motherboard?

Some clarification might be useful for potential customers.

PS There's a small typo on your website. - asyncrous

[Gazjam]

Thanks for the feedback Chris,
Agree some of the wording is in parts a wee bit unclear, we'll take your comments and revisit the wording of the website moving forward.
The internal Dac is part of the Server - think of it like the same as a cd player with digitial out.
The Server has analogue outs to go straight to your amp and digital SPdif output to connect up to a Dac.

We dont discuss specific descriptions of internals or "parts lists" Chris, sorry.


We wil however need to have a word with the Spell Checker!
Cheers!