Best way to get lossless music to the XMC-1?

[rogers99]

Streaming
    Thru AppleTV?
    USB?

i know this is a basic question.... But how are audiophiles efficiently and fairly economically moving high quality digital from stream services or downloads to speakers via XMC-1?

[bootman]

What lossless format is your music in now?

[geebo]

I store files on a hard drive connected to my Oppo 103 and send them to the XMC from there.

[dudeisms7]

It all depends on how lossless your music is and what formats that you want to play. AppleTV is somewhat limited in the file formats that it can play as well as how much resolution you can achieve.

HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through

Using your computer and usb you can use Foobar if you're a PC to play hi rez music via usb and use USBSTREAM and can play many formats. On a mac you can use Pure Music, Amarra, Fidelia, or Audirvana. Those options will give you the most flexibility and you will only be limited to the dac in the XMC-1, or an outboard dac of your choice.

Some people here use their Oppo bluray player as a outboard dac as well.

[geebo]

Jun 25, 2015 17:34:08 GMT -5 dudeisms7 said:

It all depends on how lossless your music is and what formats that you want to play. AppleTV is somewhat limited in the file formats that it can play as well as how much resolution you can achieve.

HE-AAC (V1), AAC (16 to 320 Kbps), protected AAC (from iTunes Store), MP3 (16 to 320 Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, and WAV; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound pass-through

Using your computer and usb you can use Foobar if you're a PC to play hi rez music via usb and use USBSTREAM and can play many formats. On a mac you can use Pure Music, Amarra, Fidelia, or Audirvana. Those options will give you the most flexibility and you will only be limited to the dac in the XMC-1, or an outboard dac of your choice.

Some people here use their Oppo bluray player as a outboard dac as well.

In my case I use the Oppo to store and play files but I let the DAC in the XMC do the conversion.

[sahmen]

+1 for Mac Mini with Audirvana ==>> XMC-i via USB for two channel, and via hdmi for multichannel formats.

[Gary Cook]

I have a Bluetooth module plugged into my UMC-200 for casual music, like when I have a guest who wants to play a track or two.

I have an Apple TV3 also connected to my UMC-200 that plays Apple lossless tracks from any iDevice as well as my music server MacMini. I use that for background music, while doing something else.

Primary listening, just listening to the music not doing anything else, I use an ERC-3 for CD's and a Denon DD Turntable for vinyl times.

Cheers
Gary

[wilburthegoose]

I play FLAC on my Win 8.1 using Jriver/WAPASI and a USB cable to the XMC. I'm very, very happy with this setup

[ttocs]

Mac Mini --> network --> NAS 3TB drive, this is the operational chain for my FLAC files. Output is Mac Mini output via optical for 2 channel audio --> XMC-1--> rest of audio and video components. As Hubert Humphrey used to say, "I'm pleased as punch!"

[dudeisms7]

Mac mini harvesting from a large array.... Pure music player to either the XMC-1 direct via usb or the DC-1 via usb then analog into the XMC-1

[novisnick]

Jun 25, 2015 23:44:25 GMT -5 dudeisms7 said:

Mac mini harvesting from a large array.... Pure music player to either the XMC-1 direct via usb or the DC-1 via usb then analog into the XMC-1

What, if any differences have you noticed or enjoyed between the two?

[dudeisms7]

Jun 25, 2015 23:53:15 GMT -5 novisnick said:

Jun 25, 2015 23:44:25 GMT -5 dudeisms7 said:

Mac mini harvesting from a large array.... Pure music player to either the XMC-1 direct via usb or the DC-1 via usb then analog into the XMC-1

What, if any differences have you noticed or enjoyed between the two?

Thats still up for debate I've only had 2 days to compare and I have to re-configure my pure music software every time I switch the usb cable from one device to another, I am going to further complicate the bake-off with the addition of some xlr cables to go from the dc-1 to the xmc-1.  So far its sorta what kinda of chocolate do you like...  milk chocolate or dark chocolate (Not saying which is which, but more what flavor appeals to your own personal palate).  I've had the DC-1 a little less than a year, and I do tend to do more 2 channel listening in another room with a completely different non-emo setup.  I do think the DC-1 has benefited from time and burn in (yep I'm one of those who believes in burn in, not to start a debate, lol.)  The DC-1 definitely opened up more as more hours got clocked on it.  The two have different sounds though, and so far the dac's in the XMC-1 have seemed more ready to go right off the bat.  My initial... but not sticking to it until I can compare critically impression off the cuff is that they are quite similar but there appears to be some more spacial differentiation in some test tracks that I am hearing More so, or in a differently defined way via the XMC-1 dac's.... but tomorrow when I won't wake the wife on the other side of the house I'll go back and compare those specific tracks again to confirm my current perception.

[morfious]

My solution was to purchase a Bluesound node. I keep my lossless flac files on my NAS drive and use the bluesound node via RCA into the back of the XMC-1. The sound is fantastic and I am able to control the music and interface via iPhone/iPad. I also subscribe to Deezer and the Bluesound plays the lossless flac files from that service fantastically. I did not want a bunch of extra boxes in the way and for me the bluesound Node was a pricey $500, but a fantastic working solution to lossless music on the XMC-1.

[audiobill]

Wirelessly stream Tidal at 16/44 from ipad, iphone or computer to an airport express connected via Toslink to your XMC.

CD quality, 25 million tracks, no headaches with RAID, backups, UPNP, JRiver, ad nauseum.

Easy and excellent, for $20 per month, about the cost of a cd or two.

[pop]

Jun 25, 2015 17:20:44 GMT -5 geebo said:

I store files on a hard drive connected to my Oppo 103 and send them to the XMC from there.

What geebo said

[Lsc]

Jun 25, 2015 20:54:22 GMT -5 wilburthegoose said:

I play FLAC on my Win 8.1 using Jriver/WAPASI and a USB cable to the XMC. I'm very, very happy with this setup

Me too! Except I use HDMI vs USB. I'm a big fan of Jriver.

My music files are on an external hard drive connected to the network.

[emovac]

If streaming is your thing, look at Sonos. Sonos with Deezer Elite has CD quality with a subscription.

If you are looking only to convert your music files from a library (server or renderer), take a look at the JRiver Id. A JRiver Id with a one TB drive is about $350. Connects to your system via USB or HDMI cable. The JRiver Id is a NUC Linux based computer module, dimensions approx. 4" x 4" x 2".

I have both of these systems in use, and both are readily controlled via iPad.

[drtrey3]

Will Sonos work with high def files?

Trey

[qdtjni]

Jul 2, 2015 8:46:46 GMT -5 drtrey3 said:

Will Sonos work with high def files?

Nope.

[dudeisms7]

.... if one can wait. The Auralic Aires Mini (Coming out September, can be found on the web though)... is worth the wait. Its supposed to be a fit for what is missing in the marketplace since the squeezebox left the market.

www.auralic.com/en/