Post by garym on Jul 12, 2014 15:38:08 GMT -5
I'd been looking for a compact network receiver which could retrieve audio files from my music server and deliver them to sound systems in various rooms of the house. Though there are several such products out there, most of them either require an external display for browsing the server or expect you to control them with a smartphone or tablet. I wanted one with an onboard display, so that anyone could operate the system without needing their cell phone (with the necessary app).
This little goody by from Grace Digital appeared on Amazon a couple weeks ago. I had a few questions about it, which Amazon forwarded to Grace Digital. They answered promptly, and to my satisfaction, so I ordered one.
It is a great little receiver!
Linking it to my Wifi network was quick and easy. When first powered on the Primo displayed all the wifi networks in the neighborhood. I selected mine, and a login screen (bright, crisp color display) appeared with all upper and lower case characters, numerals, and common symbols. You select by spinning the large knob on the front panel, and press the knob when the desired character is highlighted, continuing until the complete passphrase shows in the text box. Select "Enter" from the keyboard, and the Primo made the connection.
I then selected "Music Player" from the main menu, "UPnP Servers," and both my running servers (WMP and foobar 2000) appeared in the list. Ten seconds later Sade's "Smooth Operator" filled the room.
The main menu also has links to most popular Internet radio stations (Pandora, Sirius, etc.), and literally thousands of local stations. I don't plan to use those much, not being fond of MP3s, but many users will.
The internal DAC --- a Wolfson WM8731SEDS, according to Grace --- is not top drawer, with a S/N of only -100db and max sampling rate of 96/24. For comparison I connected the Primo to my Emotiva Airmotiv 6's, which are normally driven by a Geek Out, which uses a 192/24+DSD ESS Sabre DAC, and while the Geek exhibited more "air," the Primo was certainly acceptable. Didn't try the Primo on the "big" theater system.
For some reason the Primo does not display cover art for albums streamed from the local server, even though foobar is programmed to send them (and my Kindle HDX displays them from foobar).
If Grace offered a digital output so that an external DAC could be used, the product would be just about perfect.
The Primo is now feeding my living room system, an old Sony GX67ES receiver (from the early 90s!) and a pair of Klipsch RF-7IIs.
Price on Amazon seems to vary day-to-day. List is $149.99, but I got it at $127.99. I've seen several other prices between those two figures on different days.
Well worth the money, in any case.
smile.amazon.com/Grace-Digital-GDI-IRCA700-Wireless-Featuring/dp/B00KT0ES54/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405197393&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+digital+primo
This little goody by from Grace Digital appeared on Amazon a couple weeks ago. I had a few questions about it, which Amazon forwarded to Grace Digital. They answered promptly, and to my satisfaction, so I ordered one.
It is a great little receiver!
Linking it to my Wifi network was quick and easy. When first powered on the Primo displayed all the wifi networks in the neighborhood. I selected mine, and a login screen (bright, crisp color display) appeared with all upper and lower case characters, numerals, and common symbols. You select by spinning the large knob on the front panel, and press the knob when the desired character is highlighted, continuing until the complete passphrase shows in the text box. Select "Enter" from the keyboard, and the Primo made the connection.
I then selected "Music Player" from the main menu, "UPnP Servers," and both my running servers (WMP and foobar 2000) appeared in the list. Ten seconds later Sade's "Smooth Operator" filled the room.
The main menu also has links to most popular Internet radio stations (Pandora, Sirius, etc.), and literally thousands of local stations. I don't plan to use those much, not being fond of MP3s, but many users will.
The internal DAC --- a Wolfson WM8731SEDS, according to Grace --- is not top drawer, with a S/N of only -100db and max sampling rate of 96/24. For comparison I connected the Primo to my Emotiva Airmotiv 6's, which are normally driven by a Geek Out, which uses a 192/24+DSD ESS Sabre DAC, and while the Geek exhibited more "air," the Primo was certainly acceptable. Didn't try the Primo on the "big" theater system.
For some reason the Primo does not display cover art for albums streamed from the local server, even though foobar is programmed to send them (and my Kindle HDX displays them from foobar).
If Grace offered a digital output so that an external DAC could be used, the product would be just about perfect.
The Primo is now feeding my living room system, an old Sony GX67ES receiver (from the early 90s!) and a pair of Klipsch RF-7IIs.
Price on Amazon seems to vary day-to-day. List is $149.99, but I got it at $127.99. I've seen several other prices between those two figures on different days.
Well worth the money, in any case.
smile.amazon.com/Grace-Digital-GDI-IRCA700-Wireless-Featuring/dp/B00KT0ES54/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405197393&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+digital+primo
