Digital music question - can't find that magic box!

[Salar]

For the digi music buffs.

I listen to analogue and cd's most of the time.

However we have a large collection of cd's and cassettes which I need to log and transfer to pc.

I know how to rip cds to wav, mp3 etc and also how to transfer cassettes to my pc using audacity, so there's no problem there.

What I'm looking for is a box of tricks which I can connect to the line in on an amp and play back music using something like a usb stick?

I'm not interested in a Brennan or an amp with usb, but I don't think what I'm looking for exists.

I could just use an mp3 player and save files as mp3 I suppose, which is not ideal.

What about an external hard drive + DAC, but then how do I know what's playing?

Sorry for the long winded question!!!

 

[ianrauk]

Get yourself a Bluetooth receiver which you plug into your hifi.
You will then be able to stream your music from your PC, phone, tablet etc

Something like this (there are tons of alternatives available)

 

[Salar]

Thanks @ianrauk

That would pick up my wifi, bluetooth settings on my pc, but I'd have to manage the device from the pc which is in another room. I really need some type of interface close to hifi so that I can see what's playing.

 

[Salar]

What I'm really looking for is something like a beefed up mp3 player with good display and lots of capacity.

 

[ColinJ]

It probably isn't of any use to you, but I just discovered that if I plug a USB stick into the back of my smart TV it looks at what is on it and shows a folder structure containing lists of MP3s, MP4s etc. which can then be played back through the TV and its soundbar. I haven't tried it yet, but I have a 300 GB external USB drive that I could plug in there, assuming that the USB sockets have enough DC power to run the drive.

 

[Milkfloat]

What I'm really looking for is something like a beefed up mp3 player with good display and lots of capacity.

Your phone will do it. Or a Tablet / iPod etc. Easiest of all would be Spotify via an Amazon Echo.

 

[ianrauk]

Thanks @ianrauk

That would pick up my wifi, bluetooth settings on my pc, but I'd have to manage the device from the pc which is in another room. I really need some type of interface close to hifi so that I can see what's playing.

If you upload your music to one of the cloud based players, you will be able to use your phone as well as your pc.

 

[Salar]

Your phone will do it. Or a Tablet / iPod etc. Easiest of all would be Spotify via an Amazon Echo.

Not my phone , my retro phone only allows calls and texts, that's it, doesn't even takes pictures.

I know what you mean though. I've a basic mp3 player which will do the job at a push. But I doubt I'd get all the cd's and tapes on it without using a card to expand it to 64gb. (I've approx 100 cds to do, plus at least 60 tapes over time)

 

[raleighnut]

What you need is a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) plugged into the Computer/I Pad/Mp3_tablet then into the Aux on the Amp.

 

[Salar]

What you need is a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) plugged into the Computer/I Pad/Mp3_tablet then into the Aux on the Amp.

That's what I was thinking, or maybe hard disk drive, DAC then amp. But there's no way to control the hard disk drive.
Mp3 players have a basic DAC, would introducing another improve things?

 

[Salar]

Think the solution might be a high quality DAC to overide (if it will) the one in the mp3 player and use a 64GB card in the mp3 player.

 

[Profpointy]

If the main PC (with all the music on) lives elsewhere, then I'd get another PC for the hi fi room, and set up the main PC as a "server" or use a backup hard drive to copy all the music and read it direct of the hi fi PC. Hi fi is undemanding. computing wise so the only thing to worry about is a quiet fan. If you've already go a tV in the hi fi room you don't even need another screen, and can also use it for netflix and so on

Re: Dac you really don't need to spend a huge amount if money. I spent maybe a couple of hundred quid on a secondhand proper studio quality professional card (maybe £600 brand new) and to be honest it only seemed marginally better than the PC in built DAC (both played through same medium-high end kit) . Firms like Meridian (pukka hi fi brand) do a DAC for quite reasonable money.

Firms like Naim do DACS for frankly stupid money.

It's worth loading the CDs up in "lossless" not MP3 format. MP3 is OK in the car and sounds OK in the house but there is clear difference if you listen side by side to both formats

 

[raleighnut]

Think the solution might be a high quality DAC to overide (if it will) the one in the mp3 player and use a 64GB card in the mp3 player.

You'd still be running compressed MP3 files but hard wired to a DAC (HDMI cable) would be better sounding than anything 'bluetooth', WAV files from a computer would be best, nearly as good as CD but there's still losses from digital 'jitter' in the computer.

 

[Venod]

I have all my music on a NAS drive, that connects to the same wifi as my Yamaha amp, I use a phone to control it, but you do need a smart phone, there are loads of apps that do this Bubble PNP is my favourite, Yamaha also do a music cast app to control speakers in other rooms if thats your thing.
Before I had the Yamaha I had a wifi interface that plugged into my Teac amp, but again the smart phone was the controler.
I have used the TV plugged into the amp to also control the music, but different TVs have a different aproach, some don't let you browse the library while something is playing, Samsung has the best app, but again not all Samsungs may be the same.

 

[Salar]

Thanks All,

Didn't consider using a TV as a screen, good idea, there's a tv in the room which I could rig up to if need be.

Regarding a pc in the room, could maybe use a mini laptop, android or tablet ( not into Ipads though).

Need to find some layout diagrams now to show how to connect everything up.

The reason I'm doing this is we've downsized to a smaller property and my proper hifi has been "archived" in the loft as it's not allowed in the living room.

So what I'm left with is a Technics mini separates system from the early 90's to play around with.