I am looking to get into the server side of music- I love my Ayon CD-5 but want to try a server- I am looking at the Music vault diamond, the Beatis and the CAPS3 servers- Any advice strictly on sound presentation and ease of use for a non techie would be appreciated- mated with the right dac- Do you think the sound will be better than my CD-5= thanks
Help a newbie pick a music server-
- Thread starter bebop86
- Start date
bebop86, This is a very interesting question and I too will be interested to see the responses. Last weekend, I listened to a Mac Book Pro running Audirvana and running into a prototype ( presumably soon to be released) Luxman DA-06DSD DAC . This was one heck of a good source and is going to be high on my interest list as soon as the DAC is officially released.
Audioguy and I did blind comparisons with the Music Vault Diamond and the dCS Scarlatti transport feeding the rest of the Scarlatti stack. We both preferred the Music Vault. In addition, once you have used a music server, you can't go back to a conventional transport. It is so much easier and fun to listen to your music collection with a music server. Neal Van Berg, designer and builder of the Music Vault will walk you through on how to use your machine. If there is a problem, he will access your computer over the Internet and correct any problems. You could save money, by building your own machine, but if you are not a techie, the extra money spent is worth it. I am not familiar with the other servers you are considering.
Neal recently installed Dirac Live on my Music Vault and it is the best $675 upgrade I know of.
I started with a Wadia dock to hook my Wav-based iPhone, sound was OK but ergonomics sucked, then I moved to an Apple TV feeding my Remyo DAC via Toslink (not bad but sonics just average) and finally now with a Mach2 (extinct Mac Mini modification) with PureMusic feeding a Mytek DAC. It is not plug and play (still fighting to download and install drivers to play DSD files) but audio quality is as good as my modified-Oppo used as a transport.
For plug&play Sonoos or other vault box could work if not into DSD.
For plug&play Sonoos or other vault box could work if not into DSD.
my buddy is a computer engineer , he built me a custom unit with external linear Psu ,CD/bluray ripper 4TB storage Sotm Usb drivers SSD & Jriver
for $2000 sounds excellent plugged into my tube Nos Dac with a Ipad as a controller
just need to rip several thousand cd/dvd/bluray onto the hard disc
for $2000 sounds excellent plugged into my tube Nos Dac with a Ipad as a controller
just need to rip several thousand cd/dvd/bluray onto the hard disc
the CAPS 3 with JRIVER is just amazing. MAC based systems in my opinion, along with my friends, does not compete..period.
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