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bmac78758

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  1. Hi All, So I'm looking for a piece of hardware that will allow me to connect a simple thumb drive (in my case a Samsung device that is 1TB) with a bunch of audio files (mostly AIFF) and play them with either iOS or Android control. I don't care what it is called (streamer / network player / bridge / DAC / Server, etc.) I just don't want a computer in the chain and I don't want a traditional hard drive in the picture either because of motor / fan noise. I also don't yet trust wireless / Bluetooth to be of adequate fidelity. Lots of machines have USB input but it seems they are looking for bit streams from a computer rather than being able to browse / play (via an App) through that input. It would be nice if this machine had an internal DAC but I suppose it is not absolutely necessary since I can take care of that separately if need be. Does this make sense? Sorry if this is somewhat a newbie question. As I said before, almost everything has a USB input but no data sheets explaining exactly what you can actually use that input for. But on the other hand, you all should know how inexpensive large flash-based storage is becoming. Thanks!
  2. Hi, I've asked this question within some other threads, but nobody has really responded. So here goes.. If YOU had $1K to spend on a portable player, what would you buy? Personally, I *think* I have it narrowed down to this: Pono Fiio X5 A&K 100 II Problem is that I can't listen to any of them without purchasing first and dealing with return hassles. What do you think? Thanks!
  3. Interesting. I too am looking at a sub - $1000 player. I think I have it narrowed down to A&K 100 mkII, FiiO X5, and PONO. Problem is that it's impossible to audition all three side by side. Any thoughts from current owners?
  4. I am in a similar boat trying to figure out which portable to buy. The thing I am convinced of, after much study, is that the main differences between players is how they handle the post DAC analog electronics. I mean, how can you say otherwise? Considering that every company that makes these players (Pono, Astell & Kern, iBasso, Fiio, etc.) pays about $5 (in quantity) for the actual DAC chip (whether it be from Cirrus Logic, Wolfson, Burr and Brown, Texas Instruments, ESS or whoever.) So if the main brain behind what you are selling cost you 5 bucks - or 10 in a dual DAC machine - how do you justify selling the rest of the hardware for $2500? Now I can (and certainly do) hear the difference between an iPod (which uses a Wolfson DAC by the way) and an X5 - so what is the tangible difference? It has to be the analog out, right?
  5. So I'm in the market for a new portable player as my smartphone just isn't cutting it. I've read a lot of reviews on Amazon, Stereophile, and other sites about various brands and all seem to point to A&K as the top of the line. They are of course also the most expensive which isn't all that surprising. But something is troubling to me after doing some research. The AK's I mentioned both use the Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC. The main difference between the two units (according to A&K's own website) is that one uses a single DAC and one uses two. But the price point for this difference is about $800. Granted they have different chassis, different logic boards inside, etc. But the main feature / spec used by their own marketing department is dual-DAC versus single. While I can't dispute the aural differences between that fact (because I have neither in front of me), I can call foul on one point: The chip they are using to almost double the price costs them less than $5 according to the Cirrus website: Cirrus Logic Launches Advanced, Cost-Effective Audio Digital-to-Analog Converter Solution So I am just curious how A&K can justify this? Also now that I'm thinking about it, why does the AK100II cost so much? Maybe the Pono isn't so bad after all? Designed by Ayre? How bad could it be? Are we just being scammed by A&K?
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