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Topic: Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment (Read 3883 times) previous topic - next topic
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Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

I would like to ask the "serious" digital audiophiles out there. On what high quality stereo equipment do you play you FLAC files. The only way I have playing digital music on my "high end" stereo equipment is through a "high end" CD player. Are there "high end" FLAC players out there that hook up to "high end" preamps? The phono output from my laptop is just not good enough.

Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

Reply #1 –
All you need is a bit-perfect capable sound card, Windows 7 (wasapi, ease of use), and a receiver that supports optical or spdif inputs. The source should not matter.

Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

Reply #2 –
Whether you need a "bit-perfect capable sound card" or anything else Bryanhoop listed is contingent upon TOS #8.

Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Bryanhoop on
All you need is a bit-perfect capable sound card, Windows 7 (wasapi, ease of use), and a receiver that supports optical or spdif inputs. The source should not matter.



Aaaah! This is where my dilemma lies. My preamp is older without these inputs. The DAC has to be preformed by an external device that that would then be fed in through the RCA inputs on the preamp. Any suggestions?

Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

Reply #4 –
Again, refer to my previous post, as it applies to your initial post as well.  Whether the output from your laptop is "good enough" in terms of sound quality needs to be assessed through a double-blind test.

Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

Reply #5 –
Quote from: greynol on
Again, refer to my previous post, as it applies to your initial post as well.  Whether the output from your laptop is "good enough" in terms of sound quality needs to be assessed through a double-blind test.


Agreed. My problem is that I am trying to find a device against which to test my laptop.

Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

Reply #6 –
Here is something to consider for a person who wants to play FLACs and be audiophile-ish

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/speakers...63&cl=us,en

They have also other cheaper players.

Alternatively, you can just use a laptop or even a netbook (hooked via wireless network to more storage, if needed) with either a decent built-in card, or an external USB or Firewire card, if you really feel that your laptop's soundcard is not good enough, or suffers from interference.
Ceterum censeo, there should be an "%is_stop_after_current%".

Playing FLAC Files on Good Stereo Equipment

Reply #7 –
Well, I can recomed this: Logitech Squeezebox Transporter, if you are willing to spend big bucks to play FLAC files like a real audiophile, that is your right.
Does it sound better than audio output from your laptop, well, you really need to do ABX testing.
TAPE LOADING ERROR