Device for hires audio streaming/playback

[Fretless]

Yes. With my setup WAV sounds richer, fuller and more relaxed, FLAC sounding slightly brittle and flatter in comparison

Might be due to several factors including personal preference and transparency of system.

[Pianist~Envy]

Interesting. I'm going to rip some WAVs to compare with the same FLACs over the weekend. I have also found brittleness compared to CD playback. But I'm not trusting playback via Android box over network until I've tried other devices - for price, I think I'll be investing in RaspPi/HifiBerry initially, and because I have an SSP digi interconnect already.

dBpoweramp is indeed excellent with the multiple pass secure rips. But I also like the 4 metadata source API which can also be edited - particularly useful when record companies repackage into box sets (typical classical catalogue practice) to ensure accuracy of original album data.

[Lurcher300b]

Yes. With my setup WAV sounds richer, fuller and more relaxed, FLAC sounding slightly brittle and flatter in comparison

Might be due to several factors including personal preference and transparency of system.

Interesting. The on the fly conversion must be having a effect. Whats the setup, where is the flac being converted back into PCM before being sent to the DAC? There is no difference in the data stream that is converted so it must be secondary effects on the system.

[Fretless]

Conversion is in the Pi under Volumio. But I am hearing similar differences in all devices (although less pronounced) such as Sonos Connect and Fiio X3.

Might be that something happens at the rip/encoding stage.

[Lurcher300b]

Conversion is in the Pi under Volumio. But I am hearing similar differences in all devices (although less pronounced) such as Sonos Connect and Fiio X3.

Might be that something happens at the rip/encoding stage.

Try taking a WAV file, and converting a copy of it to FLAC so you can play the WAV against the matching FLAC, that will remove the ripping from the equation.

[Fretless]

Could do. But I'm just starting a fortnight's holiday and won't be able to try that until I get back.

[Pianist~Envy]

So, external harddrive arrived over the weekend and I had a chance to test FLAC/WAV of same tracks.

Difference is marginal if anything but maybe more fuller sound from WAV.

But it's a nonsense test because still loads of jitter (thought it was the media server as i have a repeater between PC/router) due to the crappy cheapo Android box.

RaspPi/HifiBerry Digi+ Pro ordered. Will also get an Allo DigiOne down the road for comparison, and a linear PSU. Will post experience on the Pi thread.

[montechristo358]

if running Roon, all decoding is done on the server and only PCM is streamed. Likewise Squeezebox server can be setup that way. Should nullify the differences as all of the hardwork is done where the horsepower sits