Computer audio the simple solution

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Colin2040

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Next on the list is creating a simple solution for music in my flat, as I am not really up on computer music some guidance may be necessary.

I currently have about 300gb of music on a laptop which is really used for that purpose plus emails and surfing. What I thought I could do is connect this to say a Toppings" dac amp and use a set of speakers? I am missing something or would this work?

Just using Toppings as an example would consider Trends etc.
 
What you suggest should work. It seems to have a usb dac and amp so you just need to add speakers.

You do not say what format your audio files are, or what audio player you use or propose using. Foobar2000 is a good free player which will playback most known audio file types. There are also good commercial players such as jriver. There is always iTunes as well, though it is more restricted on the file types it will play, for example I do not think it plays the popular flac format which is a lossless format.

The audio software will need some setting up, but you may already be using an audio player on your laptop with a pair of headphones. It's difficult to tell from your post. You may just have the music files on your laptop without having played them through an audio player.
 
The files are stored as apple lossless and I use iTunes. Simple reason being was that Sonos works better with iTunes, they used to be stored as wav but it caused issues frequently.
So if I use iTunes the system I propose would work and I am aware that there could be better set ups but as I use Sonos in one place and my son and wife use iTunes it seemed simpler if I succumbed to the apple way storing all my files in my iTunes library
 
I've just been reading some of your older threads and posts relating to computer audio. So I think I understand a bit better how savvy you are are with computer audio.

AFAIK you can just point Sonos to your library of music files on a NAS or on a laptop and it will work just fine without any need for iTunes.

I think you have encountered problems with wav files in the past because wav does not support ID tags.

I believe you should be able to control your laptop running iTunes with your iPod touch (if you still have it) as a remote controller. You just need the Apple Remote app on the iPod touch, and some configuration settings in iTunes. You will also need a LAN network in your flat to get the remote control working. You do not need an internet connection. A wireless router costing 15 GBP or so should suffice.

If you wanted to hang on to your old Hitachi integrated amp you could use that with a standalone USB DAC, and some speakers. You have plenty of options.

I hope you get it all working to your satisfaction. I will be happy to provide further help if I am able.
 
Colin2040 said "The Sonos system is designed for dummies . The Sonos will travel west and take up residence there and it runs from a storage device which I will set up once I have all the back ups and computers with the same library.
In the flat I wish to set up something using the laptop, a simple amp/dac linked to the laptop. I suppose the question is , is it as simple as that or do I need any other device in the chain or is there a better way".

The Sonos is an audio player/streamer operating with firmware. You need to let it know where your library of music is located, and it will output the music to your amp > speakers (if you have Sonos Connect). If you use a Laptop you need software to do the same job as the Sonos box. Just like the Sonos box the software will need to know where your library of music is stored (you can tell it multiple locations if your music is spead about various locations for example on the local hard drive, a NAS etc, a mapped USB stick). The software will then output the music to amp and speakers. You can use analogue outputs from the built in soundcard. This will generally give poor sound quality. You can use a USB DAC (much better for sound quality, and an asynchronous USB DAC is pretty much the standard these days) > amp > speakers. Obviously computer software players are a bit more tricky to configure correctly, but they also give greater flexibilty. For example they will playback hi-res downloads with ease 24/192 and higher. Sonos is limited to 16/44.1 or 16/48 resolution files.

I use a dedicated media centre PC. It stores the music on the local hard drive, and has an optical digital output, which I currently use to connect to a digital AV amp. I have my music backed up on a portable USB drive, and a NAS (you cannot be too careful).
 
Thanks Jeff I understand that , my point was that I know how the Sonos functions and used it as per you use the pc , but the Sonos is very slick and is designed to meet the needs of people who want an east set up and that is exactly what it does . There is almost no input from humans required, it basically does it itself and at the centre of a wireless system is very good. The back up from the company is simply brilliant.

My question was by connecting my laptop to a dac/amp and speakers will function but is this too a simplistic solution. Or is this a good solution . I am looking for a simple hifi system at my flat but I do not use digital music other than in my car or as I have proposed in my flat. My preference is vinyl but for my wife and son the Sonos system meets there needs and allows different music to be used in different rooms and it wil be installed with my main system at the new house.
 
With a little bit of computer knowledge you should be able to get to your goal of digital music in your flat from the laptop, DAC/Amp and speakers. That is all you need.

I'll explain what I do to get music playing, I do not think it can get much simpler. Though I did invest some time and figuring out to get it working like this.

Press the ON switch on the computer. Press the On switch on the amp.
Wait one minute
Get iPad or Android tablet and load the remote control app and select which music I wish to play from my library of ripped CD collection and sampled vinyl album collection or select a previously saved playlist.

When I have finished my listening session I select the option "Power Off System" from the remote control app. That shuts down the computer. Then switch off amp.

It's as simple as that. I do not have to switch my TV on which acts as the media PC monitor if I just want to listen to music.

There is no reason why you cannot get your laptop set up the same way. No scrabbling around for CDs or vinyl. Everything ready to play within one minute.

NB sampling a vinyl collection with all tracks as individual lossless flac files takes a huge amount of time, but then I'm retired and had the time to do it :)
 
Thanks Jeff glad you are retired and had the opportunity to design your system around your lifestyle.
I have tried various digital systems some very expensive and hi tec but ultimately still prefer valves and vinyl. Albeit I have never felt the need to scrabble about for my vinyl or CDs but I am glad you have found your solution.
 
Colin2040 said:
My question was by connecting my laptop to a dac/amp and speakers will function but is this too a simplistic solution. Or is this a good solution . I am looking for a simple hifi system at my flat but I do not use digital music other than in my car or as I have proposed in my flat. My preference is vinyl but for my wife and son the Sonos system meets there needs and allows different music to be used in different rooms and it wil be installed with my main system at the new house.
Click to expand...

Lots of options but not completely clear of your needs. Have you considered buying a Sonos Connect for your main system?

http://www.sonos.com/shop/products/connect

You can use it directly into your amp or even later buy a separate DAC as well, using Sonos only as a transport. This would allow you to keep the Sonos setup for the other family members and use it yourself when not playing vinyl.

Regarding where your music is stored, I would also suggest a NAS rather than a laptop, or alternatively most routers allow you to plug in a USB hard drive and share that on the home network. The latter is of course the cheapest. Either would work with Sonos as well.
 
Actually you may have given me a thought. I have a Sonos connect and an amplified Sonos unit, connect amp. I could use that to drive the speakers and connect to either my laptop or another nas. The laptop is purely used as surfing tool I carry a hard drive back up and have a nas as well but ultimately the nas will be connected to the main computer in the west coast. iPad for remote , thanks for that , that's the sort of suggestion I was needing , you know sometimes you can't see what's in front of you!
 
Another thought for you to consider if you are streaming to 2 different locations - Google Play Music. You tell Google where your music is stored, then after this directory has been scanned and music uploaded, you can stream music wherever you like. using your laptop or other devices like an iPad. The streaming music is in 320k mp3 but this is mostly good enough. There is a limit of 20,000 songs though. You can make it work with Sonos as well if you wish.
 
Jeff_C said:
Colin2040 said "...In the flat I wish to set up something using the laptop, a simple amp/dac linked to the laptop. I suppose the question is , is it as simple as that or do I need any other device in the chain or is there a better way".
Click to expand...

It never occured to me that you had not considered using a Sonos unit in your flat. I just assumed you had discounted that solution, intent on using the laptop. As you are familiar with how the Sonos works, and would have good support on any issues from the company, it is a most sensible solution, albeit with an added cost over your original idea, if you wish to keep your existing Sonos units in your main house.

In case you still require opinion on whether there is a better way, I would say IMHO it matters not a jot how you get the digital audio data to your DAC > Amp > Speakers. The information is digital information and will remain intact until it enters your DAC. Only when it becomes analogue will it be prone to become coloured by the amp, and speakers, (and the analogue side of the DAC). So a computer transmitting the data to a DAC or a Sonos box doing that job, or any other esoteric Streamer by the likes of Linn, Naim, Meridian will not affect the data. Others' opinions may differ of course.
 

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