Merlot DAC and Syrah Music Server

amirm · Dec 20, 2015

Andre Marc said:
Bryston, and others have put enormous resources into firmware, parts selection, and the cleanest data path possible.

Don't see any evidence of this other than the software. The computer is off-the-shelf and the power supply as basic as it gets.

The software (which you call firmware) is significant and huge effort but alas, yet another proprietary media player/server and apps on tablets. These efforts don't stand a chance compared to solutions provided for multiple platforms such as JRiver and now Roon. This is why many of their users can't wait to get Roon. And once there, the box is just a computer booting Linux and running Linux version of Roon. Why go with a proprietary platform just to get a computer with linear power supply at high cost? What Blizzard is building is a much better bet.

Blizzard · Dec 20, 2015

amirm said:
Don't see any evidence of this other than the software. The computer is off-the-shelf and the power supply as basic as it gets.

The software (which you call firmware) is significant and huge effort but alas, yet another proprietary media player/server and apps on tablets. These efforts don't stand a chance compared to solutions provided for multiple platforms such as JRiver and now Roon. This is why many of their users can't wait to get Roon. And once there, the box is just a computer booting Linux and running Linux version of Roon. Why go with a proprietary platform just to get a computer with linear power supply at high cost? What Blizzard is building is a much better bet.

As far as I'm concerned it's foolish to try to make your own proprietary media player software, when there's others who have already done a better job than you ever will. Why not leverage what others have already done? Auralic is a great example with their Lightning DS. Their initial development costs alone were over $1 mil. And who knows since. And still not as good as Jriver or Roon. Plus the guys who bought the Aries are married to limited inferior choices. So many are sitting around crossing their fingers that they will enable HQplayer NAA support. But who knows if they ever will. They have so much tied up into their own proprietary system, it's only serving as a handicap, to both them, and their customers.

Andre Marc · Dec 20, 2015

amirm said:
Don't see any evidence of this other than the software. The computer is off-the-shelf and the power supply as basic as it gets.

The software (which you call firmware) is significant and huge effort but alas, yet another proprietary media player/server and apps on tablets. These efforts don't stand a chance compared to solutions provided for multiple platforms such as JRiver and now Roon. This is why many of their users can't wait to get Roon. And once there, the box is just a computer booting Linux and running Linux version of Roon. Why go with a proprietary platform just to get a computer with linear power supply at high cost? What Blizzard is building is a much better bet.

You have no idea what you are talking about. Bryston works with dozens of apps, the only thing that is proprietary is the firmware...NOT the same as the software.
The BDP uses MPD when drives are directly attached. It can be controlled with any web browser.

You have NEVER brought an audio product to market and you are blowing smoke. Armchair engineering won't win anytime soon, sorry.

There is SO Much more to it than.."the box is just a computer booting Linux and running Linux version of Roon."

There are some who rail against the industry for keeping customers ignorant..there is more than enough misinformation being spread by consumers them selves.

amirm · Dec 20, 2015

Andre Marc said:
You got schooled and you are trying yet again to slice and dice and create your own reality.."ordinary computer in a box"...

They did not build the motherboard. Here is Elberoth telling you the same thing: "The coil you see on the right is a DC to DC converter. Every single MoBo has a bunch of them. No way to get around this problem, unless you design your own MoBo, with linear voltage regulators (highly unlikely)." Every kid in the garage knows how to build to put together that box of computer board and linear power supply.

The would have to have a big hole in the head to go and build a computer from scratch anyway. This is not their core expertise. They branched in this area because so many people have phobia of using a computer server. There are reasons to have that fear but the solution is not to buy an embedded computer from Bryston and think you are getting a higher fidelity system. You are not.

Yet, again, you have not heard it, and have no plans to, eh?

Of course I have heard it. My company also is a large dealer of Byston (probably the largest on the west coast). We sell a lot of their amplifiers in custom solutions. And my chief designer has had a long history with them. I am a big fan of Bryston. Just have to tell it like it is about boxes like this. You have confused yourself on what this box is. It is not a "high-end" solution. It is a convenience solution.

Andre Marc · Dec 20, 2015

amirm said:
They did not build the motherboard. Here is Elberoth telling you the same thing: "The coil you see on the right is a DC to DC converter. Every single MoBo has a bunch of them. No way to get around this problem, unless you design your own MoBo, with linear voltage regulators (highly unlikely)."

The would have to have a big hole in the head to go and build a computer from scratch anyway. This is not their core expertise. They branched in this area because so many people have phobia of using a computer server. There are reasons to have that fear but the solution is not to buy an embedded computer from Bryston and think you are getting a higher fidelity system. You are not.

Of course I have heard it. My company also is a large dealer of Byston (probably the largest on the west coast). We sell a lot of their amplifiers in custom solutions. And my chief designer has had a long history with them. I am a big fan of Bryston. Just have to tell it like it is about boxes like this. You have confused yourself on what this box is. It is not a "high-end" solution. It is a convenience solution.

Oh dear Lord!! They did not build their own motherboard!! OMG that discounts the product right there!!! Let's move on!!!

Your opinion on the BDP is silly and uninformed. It also is a minority of one for those with direct experience. I am NOT saying it is the BEST solution or the ONLY solution, but it is one OF the best solutions.

amirm · Dec 20, 2015

Andre Marc said:
There is SO Much more to it than.."the box is just a computer booting Linux and running Linux version of Roon."

It isn't that yet because they don't have port of Roon on Linux. ELAC seems to be the first to get there at CES: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-Thread-Part-1&p=342688&viewfull=1#post342688

It is that tiny black box on top.

There are some who rail against the industry for keeping customers ignorant..there is more than enough misinformation being spread by consumers them selves.

I am not a customer. I am in the industry. Please do a bit of research before throwing these emotional responses around. You are a non-technical customer of theirs, trying to build up a technical case with lay remarks. That doesn't work in this context.

Blizzard · Dec 20, 2015

Andre Marc said:
Oh dear Lord!! They did not build their own motherboard!! OMG that discounts the product right there!!! Let's move on!!!

Your opinion on the BDP is silly and uninformed. It also is a minority of one for those with direct experience. I am NOT saying it is the BEST solution or the ONLY solution, but it is one OF the best solutions.

Yes a $3000 solution that could be beat by a $235 solution powered by a $369 LPS. Much much better LPS than Bryston uses I might add

You also get the bonus of isolating the power supply from the SBC. Among the several other advantages such as not being married to inferior, outdated GUI's etc.

Blizzard · Dec 20, 2015

amirm said:
It isn't that yet because they don't have port of Roon on Linux. ELAC seems to be the first to get there at CES: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-Thread-Part-1&p=342688&viewfull=1#post342688

It is that tiny black box on top.

I am not a customer. I am in the industry. Please do a bit of research before throwing these emotional responses around. You are a non-technical customer of theirs, trying to build up a technical case with lay remarks. That doesn't work in this context.

Within a couple weeks they will via HQplayer NAA. Will Bryston beat me to it? I doubt it, because I'm already there

Andre Marc · Dec 20, 2015

amirm said:
It isn't that yet because they don't have port of Roon on Linux. ELAC seems to be the first to get there at CES: http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...-Thread-Part-1&p=342688&viewfull=1#post342688

It is that tiny black box on top.

I am not a customer. I am in the industry. Please do a bit of research before throwing these emotional responses around. You are a non-technical customer of theirs, trying to build up a case with lay remarks. That doesn't work in this context.

What is your point? I don't see any? Just argumentative blather to try to distract from your error ridden annotations.

As I noted on numerous occasions, I am fan of Bryston digital because they are not fad chasers. They use real audio engineers to sort the products.

And, as I have noted numerous times, they implement features when they can produce SOLID solutions. Through direct customer feedback they added network playback, DSD, USB output,
Tidal, and a host of other features.

No more of your simplictic spin. Bryston could give you their first born, and a hard drive of every known 24 bit and DSD file and you would ask why not their second born. Enough.

Bruce was correct, this is a Playback Designs thread.

amirm · Dec 20, 2015

Andre Marc said:
What is your point?

Simple: listen to people who know what is under the hood of these products. Don't put up a protest for the sake of it. Members here face a choice: build a server or buy these products. They can do that with real information not fanboyism and emotional responses.

When the PB product comes out, I will do a similar analysis and let's see where the chips fall.

Andre Marc · Dec 20, 2015

amirm said:
Simple: listen to people who know what is under the hood of these products. Don't put up a protest for the sake of it. Members here face a choice: build a server or buy these products. They can do that with real information not fanboyism and emotional responses.

When the PB product comes out, I will do a similar analysis and let's see where the chips fall.

Oh yes, I am sure potential customers of the PBD server will be waiting with baited breath for your "analysis". LOL.

Blizzard · Dec 20, 2015

Andre Marc said:
Oh yes, I am sure potential customers of the PBD server will be waiting with baited breath for your "analysis". LOL.

Not if you're around to keep them dumbed down

Hiro · Dec 24, 2015

Steve Williams said:
I noticed Meitner has released a new player and DAC that does 8, 10 and 12X DSD

T+A in Germany has also recently released a new DAC with 22.6MHz DSD support

https://www.stereo.de/news/newsdetail/t-a-dac-wird-dsd-tauglich/

bmoura · Dec 24, 2015

Hiro said:
T+A in Germany has also recently released a new DAC with 22.6MHz DSD support

View attachment 24434

https://www.stereo.de/news/newsdetail/t-a-dac-wird-dsd-tauglich/

There are several DACs that include DSD 512 playback in the DSD Database. Time will tell whether upsampling to DSD 512 with HQ Player catches on.
http://www.dsd.sonore.us

Blizzard · Dec 24, 2015

bmoura said:
There are several DACs that include DSD 512 playback in the DSD Database. Time will tell whether upsampling to DSD 512 with HQ Player catches on.
http://www.dsd.sonore.us

My DAC supports DSD 1024. Not sure if there's any audible benefit upsampling over 512 yet though. Still waiting for my interface to try

chrisr · Feb 13, 2016

Sorry if I missed this in the thread. Anyone know if the Oppo board works with the "old" PD units, such as the MPS-5 or MPD-5?

bitstream · Mar 25, 2016

PD website promises another update to Classic product line this summer (I own an MPD-3):

"STAY TUNED FOR MAJOR UPGRADE COMING THIS SUMMER FOR ALL CLASSIC PRODUCTS"

How cool is that.

Steve Williams · Mar 25, 2016

I also know that Andreas is working on a new USB-X box as his last one became inoperational to Mac users who upgraded from Yosemite to El Capitan late last year. I was fortunate to be able to switch back to Yosemite and could still use my USB-X box. However Apple isn't providing a fix any time soon and as a result Andreas is working on a new USB-X box that not only works with El Capitan but will also play up to quad DSD. It should also be available soon

bitstream · Mar 25, 2016

That's great news for 5-series owners. What is the (USB) path forward for 3-series owners?

After Mac OS X El Capitan silenced my MPD-3, I borrowed a friend's Raspberry Pi running Volumio. While it played music, it was unlistenable due to continuous ticks and pops. Which implies I cannot count on any Linux (ALSA) based network player to work.

I've reverted to a Logitech Squeezebox Touch, and it drives the MPD-3 beautifully via coax input. But I want my MTV erm, USB.

dctom · May 22, 2016

I have an old Mac mini (2007) I striped down and then loaded a SSD with ubuntu 16.04. It drives my USB-X + MPS-5 a treat. It sounds better than my mac pro and dell lap tops. First time I have been able to equal the ripped file with disc playback SQ. Running Jriver and upsampling x2 and x4.
Linux is definitely the way to go, need to try HQplayer next.

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