"Audiophile" SD Card Transport?

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

I have been using the ECDesigns UPL exclusively for the past few months (as Norton mentioned: local player using USB sticks, no network). I do miss sometimes being able to "stream" any album, and am still trying to figure out whether to put my entire collection on USB sticks, or simply copy files as needed (which is what you are doing, Norton, if I understand).

 

I have a chromecast which I plug into one of the inputs of my preamp, and that lets me stream and listen to the radio when I want background music.

 

The SQ of the UPL is significantly better than any other streaming solution I have tried (and others who came to listen thought so as well), that it makes up for the inconvenience. At this point, my feeling is that you just cannot "have it all". Computer based network streaming simply does not offer the quality that you can get from this type of solution. Perhaps we will get there someday - until then...

 

Whether other card readers (such as the QLS) will offer the same quality, I am not sure.

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

It would be very interesting to compare either version of the SD Trans to the EC Deisgns UPL. 

 

One thing to keep in mind, is that the sound quality seems best when using both the UPL and ECDesigns' MOS DAC. The very low interference of the source is "preserved" with the MOS DAC: use of toslink input, custom designed PLL to handle the incoming toslink signal, build in battery power supply, novel mirror DAC architecture, etc.. Some of it is explained on ECDesigns' website, but most in that long DIYAudio thread you mentionned.

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

Barrows, i do not know how the Mirrus performs with SD cards but i suggest you test the new ECDesigns UPL + MOS DAC and it may "rock your world" (in a positive sense that is). 

 

I am sure you have heard of the Brown Brothers, and know their level of expertise. 

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

He did not claim there was less noise, just less power consumption.

 

The main advantage of SLC is durability and operating conditions (temperature). 

 

There have been studies done on power consumption and it really depends on how the data is read: less frequent reads of larger chunks do require less power but for frequent reads of small chunks standard drives may actually require less power. 

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

Storing music as wav files require less processing than storing them in a compressed format. 

 

Whether that makes a difference will probably depend on whether the rest of the player is optimized. If you only take one factor into consideration chances are you will hear no difference. 

 

The SD players being tested here are not "best in class" and i am not sure what conclusions can be drawn aside from "everything matters". 

 

You can take the best source and use it with poor speakers or a noisy/distorted amp and you will not hear a difference. 

 

Same here: simply having an SD card slot means nothing unless the rest of the player is optimized: board layout, power supplies, processing, signal output... 

 

Aune is not a "cutting edge" company they just assemble standard parts and sell them for a good price. 

 

I would not expect much more from them. 

 

Compare that with the ECDesigns or SDTrans build and you will see that careful attention has been paid to every component. 

 

ECDesigns has a customized every aspect of the player and accompanying DAC. They developped the software to process wav files with minimal coding using a very low power processor. The board layout is designed to minimize electrical interference. Battery supply is used. The DACs digital input is a custom PLL. The DACs have a custom architecture, etc...

 

The difference is clearly and imlediately audible. 

 

As is often the case on this forum, there is a tendancy towards thinking that magic can be made by assembling off the shelf components: change a power supply, reclock a network switch, change a cable, use a different disc, install a low latency software, etc... These are all shots in the dark. 

 

Sorry folks, but there is no simple recipe to great sound...