Computer Audio & OPPO 95

[Deleted]

Hello EMO Community - Long time reader-first post-newbie computer audio

Want to setup OPPO 95 as main media player for 2CH listening. Ripped about 200 CD's into music library using Win Media Player V.11 in WMA lossless. Unfortunately discover OPPO 95 will not directly play WMALL files, but does play MP3 lossy format. Do not want to use lossy format. I believe OPPO can directly play FLAC lossless. 4 questions:

1) Does anyone know if a work around exist to permit direct playback of WMALL format in OPPO 95?
2) Can someone with an OPPO 95 confirm it can play FLACLL format directly?
3) What is the best free conversion SW program to go from WMALL to FLACLL?
4) Does Win Media Player V.11 play FLAC files?

Would prefer to conserve the current directory structure, metadata & album art as it is now in the WMA format. My current setup for 2CH computer audio:

Dell Laptop (via S/PDIF coax out) to XDA-1 (use balance out) to AVP 5508 (use balance out) to XPA-1 AMPS

Alternative option to be setup:

Laptop (via ethernet network) to OPPO 95 (use stereo RCA out) to AVP 5508 (use balance out) to XPA-1 AMPS

Thanks to all who reply!

[badronald]

Hello and welcome to the Lounge! I have the Oppo BDP-95 and i strean FLAC files with it all the time. I used DBPoweramp to rip all my cd's to FLAC and i do believe it can convert formats. The bad is that it is not free. Cost around $30 but works flawlessly for ripping. I don't think Windows Media player plays FLAC, But then again, why do you need it too???

[badronald]

I use Foobar 2000 for FLAC on the computer and it's Free ;D

[geebo]

My Oppo 93 plays flac lossless files via streaming, stored on a cd or dvd as a data disc, and directly from an eSATA hard drive connected to the Oppo. So no problem playing Flac.
As for conversion, just google "Convert WMA to Flac" and you should come up with plenty of options.
Exact Audio Copy (EAC) will rip to Flac and its free.
And welcome to the Lounge!

[ÈlTwo]

I do what he does

[Deleted]

Thanks to all who replied for the recommendations. Maybe OPPO may create a future firmware to work with WMA lossless. Nevertheless it is great time to be a lover of music, as technology is applied to advance the pursuit of a pure human expression of enjoyment.

Good key configuration choices to test over the next few weeks:

1) USB/ESATA HD with FLAC files direct to OPPO to AVP to XPA-1
2) Laptop FLAC files via network to OPPO to AVP 5508 to XPA-1
3) Laptop (any format music files) via network to AVP 5580 to XPA-1
4) Laptop (any format music files) via coax to XDA-1 to AVP 5508 to XPA-1

Will try all above combinations to see what benefits /differences are realized in my system.

[geebo]

Feb 13, 2012 22:08:31 GMT -5 disciple12 said:

Thanks to all who replied for the recommendations. Maybe OPPO may create a future firmware to work with WMA lossless. Nevertheless it is great time to be a lover of music, as technology is applied to advance the pursuit of a pure human expression of enjoyment.

Good key configuration choices to test over the next few weeks:

1) USB/ESATA HD with FLAC files direct to OPPO to AVP to XPA-1
2) Laptop FLAC files via network to OPPO to AVP 5508 to XPA-1
3) Laptop (any format music files) to AVP 5580 to XPA-1

Will try all above combinations to see what benefits /differences are realized in my system.

I found the external hard drive to be the best option for a couple of reasons.

While streaming from my laptop and surfing the net or whatever with the laptop, I would invariably forget that the laptop was streaming music and I would close it up when I finished with it (the laptop). Of course, the music would stop before I realized what I'd done.

And when playing some Hi Rez Flacs from HDTracks, some times the streaming just couldn't keep up especially with 192kHz 24-bit files. And multi channel lossless flacs ripped from DVD-Audio were unlistenable.

Putting it all on a hard drive took care of those issues for me.

[guzz46]

Another option you could try is rip some songs in wav and see if you can hear a difference, I did, it was noticeable in some songs more so than others.

[Erwin.BE]

All you need to know about computer audio:

www.computeraudiophile.com/

Which speakers?

I am into Mac's, so I can't help you with the "other" platform... I use XLD (for Mac, free) to convert all FLAC's to AIFF!

[Deleted]

Geebo,
I can understand how in your setup/situation your experience points to direct connection of HD as being the desirable option choice, thanks for sharing. After my journey I may come to the same conclusion.

Guzz46,
My basic understanding is that WAV files are fully uncompressed & should sound the same as the original CD disc, but it is a large file size to manage & no metadata. FLAC & WMA lossless should be very close to original CD sound quality in a more compact file size and unless have a tweaked setup may not hear the difference. Like some things in life a trade-off, choose the option that provides the best value/solution for your satisfaction.

Erwin.BE
That is a great site, good information & discussions on computer audio. I am going to proceed slow and enjoy the discovery process, several options to explore. Oh, my speakers for 2CH music are Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature System Towers fed by pair of XPA-1.

[guzz46]

Wav does support metadata, although I think it does so in a different way, and is dependent on whether or not the software/player can read the data, I have a few wav files that contain album art and tags that I ripped from cd.
I also have a 2TB external hard drive connected to my oppo, so space isn't an issue and neither are tags seeing as you browser by folder with the oppo anyway, so I just went with the best sounding solution, but each to his own.

Just out of curiosity, did you happen to do and A/B between some flac and wav files?