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Post by audiosanity on Jul 19, 2016 0:27:19 GMT -5
It has almost everything on my wish list:
- Both analog and digital inputs
- FM tuner
- Great DAC
- Great specs
But it is missing the capability to play files from USB drives directly. I would gladly pay a little more for that.
Maybe a PT-200 is in the works?
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Post by kewlmunky on Jul 19, 2016 7:31:38 GMT -5
I would like a DAC/Preamp that could do that as well as play files from an SD/MicroSD card. Would be nice to be able to switch songs with the remote.
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jul 19, 2016 9:25:40 GMT -5
Being able to play files from a stick, or receive streamed content, essentially requires that your device includes a computer. (It becomes a "smart" whatever-it-is... which sort of blurs the line between a preamp or DAC and a source device.) If we do eventually come out with such a device, it probably won't be a "PT" (which is short for "preamp/tuner"). It has almost everything on my wish list: - Both analog and digital inputs - FM tuner - Great DAC - Great specs But it is missing the capability to play files from USB drives directly. I would gladly pay a little more for that. Maybe a PT-200 is in the works? |
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Post by brubacca on Jul 19, 2016 9:36:06 GMT -5
There are several interesting small add on products that are geared for this. If you are inclined to diy you can use a Rapsberry Pi or a Cubox-i. If you are into premade products both the Sonoe SonicOrbiter SE and Sotm SMS-200 look very interesting. You can attach USB storage to either and control via Tablet.
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Post by kewlmunky on Jul 20, 2016 7:48:12 GMT -5
Being able to play files from a stick, or receive streamed content, essentially requires that your device includes a computer. (It becomes a "smart" whatever-it-is... which sort of blurs the line between a preamp or DAC and a source device.) If we do eventually come out with such a device, it probably won't be a "PT" (which is short for "preamp/tuner"). It has almost everything on my wish list: - Both analog and digital inputs - FM tuner - Great DAC - Great specs But it is missing the capability to play files from USB drives directly. I would gladly pay a little more for that. Maybe a PT-200 is in the works? So it would almost be like a receiver, at that point? I know it's different ball games, but I just think of the head unit in my vehicle being able to take USB, SD Card, CD, and RCA input, act as a DAC and preamp, and allow me to sift through music files on the digital inputs, and just think how I would love that functionality in a piece of home audio gear. Though I suppose sifting through music would be a bit of a challenge as I would have to be right up to the screen to see, unless somehow a small screen could be integrated into the remote to see the files list, or perhaps a video out to a monitor? All that may drive up the price quite a bit, then. |
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jul 20, 2016 8:33:00 GMT -5
Pretty much.... and, because computers have actually gotten so cheap, it's really more a matter of the complexity than the direct cost of the computer. You need a nice screen, and a nice menu system (most Blu-Ray players these days can play files from a stick - but most don't have a really good menu that handles more than a few hundred songs well). There's also what you call "feature creep"..... As long as it can handle a few hundred files on a stick, then how about a few thousand on a USB hard drive, and how about over a network, and how about apps for the popular streaming services. Suddenly you look back and you've added so much stuff you can barely find the receiver buried underneath it all. In the end, you wind up investing a huge percentage of your budget developing and maintaining the extras - which takes away from the budget for "core features" - like good audio performance. (And then you have to support all that stuff: like keeping the apps updates.) As I've said in other contexts, I can get a cheap laptop computer, with a nice big screen, for $350; and then I can decide between lots of wonderful menu systems (I like Foobar; you may prefer jRiver). You can even decide for yourself whether you prefer Windows, or Mac, or even Linux..... and I've never seen any receiver or media player, at any price, with its own menu interface that can compare with jRiver. Or you can go DIY - and run Kodi on a Raspberry Pi..... And, by doing it that way, as a manufacturer, we don't have to develop and support all those cool options.... we just provide a nice standard input plug to connect them to. (And the PT-100 and TA-100 both have a nice USB digital input - which supports up to 24/96k without needing any pesky drivers.... and other standard digital inputs like Toslink and Coax, which support up to 24/192k.) And, when that laptop becomes obsolete or breaks, you can update to a new one - without having to replace your receiver or pre/pro.... Being able to play files from a stick, or receive streamed content, essentially requires that your device includes a computer. (It becomes a "smart" whatever-it-is... which sort of blurs the line between a preamp or DAC and a source device.) If we do eventually come out with such a device, it probably won't be a "PT" (which is short for "preamp/tuner"). So it would almost be like a receiver, at that point? I know it's different ball games, but I just think of the head unit in my vehicle being able to take USB, SD Card, CD, and RCA input, act as a DAC and preamp, and allow me to sift through music files on the digital inputs, and just think how I would love that functionality in a piece of home audio gear. Though I suppose sifting through music would be a bit of a challenge as I would have to be right up to the screen to see, unless somehow a small screen could be integrated into the remote to see the files list, or perhaps a video out to a monitor? All that may drive up the price quite a bit, then. |
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Post by Hair Nick on Jul 20, 2016 8:37:41 GMT -5
There are several interesting small add on products that are geared for this. If you are inclined to diy you can use a Rapsberry Pi or a Cubox-i. If you are into premade products both the Sonoe SonicOrbiter SE and Sotm SMS-200 look very interesting. You can attach USB storage to either and control via Tablet. Can't recommend the Raspberry Pi enough for this use. And for $35 dollars, it is a steal. |
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Post by yves on Jul 20, 2016 9:37:41 GMT -5
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Post by kewlmunky on Jul 20, 2016 13:26:33 GMT -5
Hmmm, maybe I should find a wireless USB transmitter that plugs into my source and DAC. Then I could sit on my couch and control the music selection from my device. Quality would be a concern, though.
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Post by Axis on Jul 20, 2016 13:42:28 GMT -5
Hmmm, maybe I should find a wireless USB transmitter that plugs into my source and DAC. Then I could sit on my couch and control the music selection from my device. Quality would be a concern, though. I have been in search for some time now a Bluetooth AptX transmitter that does not need to be recharged but has a proper AC power supply. Also Bluetooth AptX receiver to go with it. For my needs the transmitter would only be required to take an analog signal to send. The receiver could be both USB and analog. Bluetooth with AptX, bluetooth 4.0 and above has zero latency and CD quality sound. |
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Post by The History Kid on Jul 20, 2016 13:59:09 GMT -5
And the PT-100 and TA-100 both have a nice USB digital input - which supports up to 24/96k without needing any pesky drivers.... and other standard digital inputs like Toslink and Coax, which support up to 24/192k Wait, so the PT-100's USB interface only supports up to 24-bit 96 kHz, not 192 kHz?  |
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Post by Axis on Jul 20, 2016 14:23:33 GMT -5
And the PT-100 and TA-100 both have a nice USB digital input - which supports up to 24/96k without needing any pesky drivers.... and other standard digital inputs like Toslink and Coax, which support up to 24/192k Wait, so the PT-100's USB interface only supports up to 24-bit 96 kHz, not 192 kHz? Your not going to hear any difference. |
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Post by kewlmunky on Jul 20, 2016 14:26:02 GMT -5
Hmmm, maybe I should find a wireless USB transmitter that plugs into my source and DAC. Then I could sit on my couch and control the music selection from my device. Quality would be a concern, though. I have been in search for some time now a Bluetooth AptX transmitter that does not need to be recharged but has a proper AC power supply. Also Bluetooth AptX receiver to go with it. For my needs the transmitter would only be required to take an analog signal to send. The receiver could be both USB and analog. Bluetooth with AptX, bluetooth 4.0 and above has zero latency and CD quality sound. I found something from Sony that does what I want, however it doesn't have a separate power supply (which I would prefer on the source end) and it also requires it's own special software. Fine for a laptop, but I more so am imagining using my Fiio X5 or my phone to wirelessly control and send the music to my XDA-2. |
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Post by The History Kid on Jul 20, 2016 14:26:27 GMT -5
I suppose the Fusion still supports a 192k input off of tosslink if I need, just surprised that it isn't supported. Was hoping for a lateral move with the XDA-2.
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,261
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Post by KeithL on Jul 20, 2016 14:44:31 GMT -5
Both Windows and Apple computers support USB up to 96k without having to install separate drivers (using UAC1 - USB Audio Class 1). In order to support sample rates above that via USB, you need to move to UAC2 (USB Audio Class 2). Apple computers have support for UAC2 built in, but Windows computers require that you install a separate driver. Since the BasX products were designed to be "simple to configure and easy to use" we decided to stick with UAC1 - and so NOT require the user to download and install Windows drivers. (This, in turn, limits the sample rate to 96k via USB.... which is really fine for most folks since very few folks actually buy 192k files.) Note that, if jRiver is your preferred music player, you can configure it to play all files up to 96k at their native sample rate, but to convert 176k and 192k files to 96k for playback. (The setting is under: Tools | Options | Audio | Settings | DSP and Output Format.... ) The difference is pretty small....... Also, since the other digital inputs support 24/192k, you can use an external USB-to-S/PDIF converter (although many fancy USB-to-S/PDIF converters cost more than the whole PT-100  ). And the PT-100 and TA-100 both have a nice USB digital input - which supports up to 24/96k without needing any pesky drivers.... and other standard digital inputs like Toslink and Coax, which support up to 24/192k Wait, so the PT-100's USB interface only supports up to 24-bit 96 kHz, not 192 kHz? |
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Post by The History Kid on Jul 20, 2016 14:51:58 GMT -5
Thank you for the explanation, Keith!  |
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Post by Axis on Jul 20, 2016 14:52:44 GMT -5
I have been in search for some time now a Bluetooth AptX transmitter that does not need to be recharged but has a proper AC power supply. Also Bluetooth AptX receiver to go with it. For my needs the transmitter would only be required to take an analog signal to send. The receiver could be both USB and analog. Bluetooth with AptX, bluetooth 4.0 and above has zero latency and CD quality sound. I found something from Sony that does what I want, however it doesn't have a separate power supply (which I would prefer on the source end) and it also requires it's own special software. Fine for a laptop, but I more so am imagining using my Fiio X5 or my phone to wirelessly control and send the music to my XDA-2. There is need to be able to take a Bluetooth headphone or speaker and use them with all kinds of audio equipment. I have a tabletop AM/FM radio that has headphone and aux out. I would love to take the analog audio output and listen to wireless on headphones and speaker as I walk around the house or yard. I have a little sony Bluetooth speaker that I can only use with my sony Walkman. I do not have a smart phone or anything else that transmits Bluetooth. Most gear today is only made to receive Bluetooth from your smartphone, player ect... With my DC-1 and SP-1 if I hooked a Bluetooth transmitter to the analog out I could listen to my TV, PC music or Radio on wireless headphones or wireless speaker. If it plunged into the wall for power there would be no need to recharge. A Receiver that also has a power supply could be used to connect to other audio gear. So say I wanted to transmit wireless my music on my PC that it connected to the DC-1 over to my USP-1 across the room. |
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 10,261
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Post by KeithL on Jul 20, 2016 15:18:23 GMT -5
Go search on Amazon under "Bluetooth transmitter" - and you'll find two or three PAGES of them... with various features and price tags. I found something from Sony that does what I want, however it doesn't have a separate power supply (which I would prefer on the source end) and it also requires it's own special software. Fine for a laptop, but I more so am imagining using my Fiio X5 or my phone to wirelessly control and send the music to my XDA-2. There is need to be able to take a Bluetooth headphone or speaker and use them with all kinds of audio equipment. I have a tabletop AM/FM radio that has headphone and aux out. I would love to take the analog audio output and listen to wireless on headphones and speaker as I walk around the house or yard. I have a little sony Bluetooth speaker that I can only use with my sony Walkman. I do not have a smart phone or anything else that transmits Bluetooth. Most gear today is only made to receive Bluetooth from your smartphone, player ect... With my DC-1 and SP-1 if I hooked a Bluetooth transmitter to the analog out I could listen to my TV, PC music or Radio on wireless headphones or wireless speaker. If it plunged into the wall for power there would be no need to recharge. A Receiver that also has a power supply could be used to connect to other audio gear. So say I wanted to transmit wireless my music on my PC that it connected to the DC-1 over to my USP-1 across the room. |
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Post by Axis on Jul 20, 2016 15:27:03 GMT -5
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Post by kewlmunky on Jul 20, 2016 15:51:25 GMT -5
Go search on Amazon under "Bluetooth transmitter" - and you'll find two or three PAGES of them... with various features and price tags. There is need to be able to take a Bluetooth headphone or speaker and use them with all kinds of audio equipment. I have a tabletop AM/FM radio that has headphone and aux out. I would love to take the analog audio output and listen to wireless on headphones and speaker as I walk around the house or yard. I have a little sony Bluetooth speaker that I can only use with my sony Walkman. I do not have a smart phone or anything else that transmits Bluetooth. Most gear today is only made to receive Bluetooth from your smartphone, player ect... With my DC-1 and SP-1 if I hooked a Bluetooth transmitter to the analog out I could listen to my TV, PC music or Radio on wireless headphones or wireless speaker. If it plunged into the wall for power there would be no need to recharge. A Receiver that also has a power supply could be used to connect to other audio gear. So say I wanted to transmit wireless my music on my PC that it connected to the DC-1 over to my USP-1 across the room. I found only a couple of devices that actually do wireless USB to USB (I don't want to go from analog to digital over bluetooth back to USB), HP makes an affordable one, but it is easily interrupted by people working between it and the receiver. Pro Audio makes such a device but it's insanely expensive. I may just end up having a coaxial cable traverse the room from my XDA-2 to an end table and call it cheap and good. |
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