"Audiophile" SD Card Transport?

[Paul R]

3 hours ago, Doak said:

I am seeking to simplify the process of playing back digital music files with a possibly simultaneous result of simplicity and enhanced sound quality.

Not here to prove anything.

Not here to argue.

“Why’s” are nice to know, but it’s the “What’s” that really matter. 

Besides, I’d rather be listening to music. 

 

Good attitude, and who knows? You may prove those of us with conventional attitudes have really missed something.  

 

I tend to think that isolating the playback computer from the storage buys a lot more than the media it is playing from. Along with that, low power playback machines seem both to allow tuning of the OS a bit, and almost always sound better to me. Thus, an iPad can sound breathtakingly beautiful playing a network stream, better than with locally stored files. 

 

I have found that SD cards are about as “noisy” a storage medium, electrically speaking, as there is. I would therefore avoid putting it in the playback machine, but it will be fun to see what you come up with. That’s the point though isn’t it? Having fun trying something cool, even if it turns out to not work as expected.

 

[Paul R]

6 minutes ago, Doak said:

I've repeatedly seen the hard evidence that many people who are interested feel that it is "just not there yet" for them - and I agree: For too many people it IS just not "there" yet. 

 

Maybe the problem is partly in the definition. 

 

Literally millions of people use streaming network audio every day, mostly without complexity or problems. Consider a large percentage of cell phone users use Apple, Tidal, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon, and dozens of other services. 

 

It simply cannot be too complex or difficult, or millions of people would not use them.  So you may be talking with folks who are creating some kind of self fufilling prophecy. 

 

You can get the same simplicity in the audiophile world, if you look at things from the right perspective. Create and/or install reliable networking, good internet connections, good software you don’t have to constantly fiddle with - and playback becomes as simple and reliable as streaming Apple Music on your phone. Even easier actually. 

 

In fact, your phone will probably be one of your playback endpoints - and youcan and should rxpect it to be every bit as reliable as whem you stream any other service. 

 

Now audiophiles will argue endlessly about this or that making a difference - everything from ethernet cables to DRAM brands. Ignore all that until you get a simple reliable system up. Then, if you want, play away with anything you want to. It will be fun because it is play - not grudging work.

 

-Paul

 

 

[Paul R]

(grin)  Well, I am kind of excited to see what you find out, so please do tell about the process and the results. It does sound like you are finding a way to have some fun!  

 

[Paul R]

I am enjoying your adventure here a lot! Thanks for posting it.

 

My question - what happens if you store your files on the card as LPCM? 

 

I know on the old Logitech Touch sending the music as LPCM resulted in better sound. 

 

 

 

 

[Paul R]

You know, not that long ago, there were MQS SD music releases. (No relation to MQA!)

 

I am not sure they ever made it to the states, but they were “hi rez” music released on a micro SD card. They came from Astell & Kern- and were not really hi res (24/44.1 FLAC files) but I remember a friend swearing they had the best sound ever. 

 

Just a piece of trivia, but thought it might encourage you an bit!