Digital transport for files

Currently I use an Oppo to find mapped drives on a wired ethernet LAN, (SMB/CIFS), then coaxial RCA 75 ohm out to a DAC. I use an old monitor via HDMI to navigate the files. The Oppo can continue to navigate while playing a file, I guess some transports cannot do that.

No DLNA, no USB, no music servers pushing, no apps, just files on a network share. Dont need movies, streaming, physical media, services, etc.

The Oppo is going to another room, so I need a replacement. Not another Oppo.

The latest Sony's seem to do this, although there's no documentation of how the navigation works or what the navigation looks like. Some reports of Sony's locking/silence for 5 or so seconds using files, some reports that the transport itself affects the sound which might be a step down for me, which I would rather step up. Lumin is $$$ and maybe overkill feature wise. Cambridge, sounds like crappy customer support and hard to find.

What's out there nowadays? < 1-2K

 

Bluesound?

 

Are you referring to Node2i? If so, how does one navigate to a local share on a LAN? I have a wired LAN, no wireless, and no phone apps. Oppo doesn't need any of that.

 

Just of curiosity - why are you against DLNA or other client-server solutions?

 

Because I have found in my case with my system, that I get better sound by simply accessing files over a wired ethernet, and let the player deal with sending to DAC vs pushing to an endpoint. The DLNA thing doesn't sound as good to me, and besides I don't need all the GUI stuff, like search, playlist, access to a server from a device, storage solutions, etc. But others have found DLNA to be the best solution for them.

 

I think Bluesound Node 2i works this was. You use an app for control, but there is not a server per se. You just point it to the network share.

Also, Audiolab and Cambridge Audio have similar arrangements.

 

Have to apologize just saw no wireless.

How about a raspberry pi with Volumio? Or a KODI focused OS like OSMC or LibraElec?

I have a Couple RPI 4 that I experiment with. You have given me a reason to test a couple other things.

 

If you don't mind me asking, why not? Don't wish to buy used?

If used is not a barrier, you would only need to buy the most inexpensive Oppo model that supports your use case of pulling files to play from a network share. You wouldn't need to worry about the longevity of its optical drive (and don't necessarily even need a used one with a working drive), and since you use an external DAC, you can focus on the lower end Oppo models in this category. It would be a plug-in replacement for you, including the remote and monitor UI currently used (versus an app on a tablet / laptop / smartphone).

Of course, you'll have more choices and overall flexibility by switching over to an alternative solution. I myself do use an Oppo solution (with mods) with remote and monitor, but if I get the urge to upgrade to an external DAC, at least for 2 channel, I'll be looking for a different solution "in the middle" (and controlled by a tablet or laptop).

Doug

 

Years ago. I would have recommended Slim Devices (Logitech) Squeezeboxes for this exact situation (and I still use them myself). If I was starting from scratch today, I'd probably go with Bluesound.

 

The Node2i and Vault2i does have an Ethernet port, and does work much better that way. You would need an app somewhere to control the device. So a phone or computer is required. Not a very elegant solution if you don't have Wi-Fi or a computer in your listening room.

 

You know I did try Kodi and Volumino on a laptop, I think they are mostly geared for a device, the standard computer versions were not smooth, and sort of buggy on linux.

 

Well because it may well be there are better solutions now, but maybe not, I may have to find another Oppo, but it would seem to me that a unit that is just a file player with some sort of navigation would be a much simpler component than an Oppo, and may also up the sonics a bit.

 

The files are on an internal SSD on a laptop in the listening room. Bluesound website doesn't really show how navigation would work or what it looks like, or if they even have a non-device version of the software, at least not that I could find. Not much documentation.

 

piCorePlayer

 

The Node2i would be pointed to a standard SMB file share on the laptop, then an app on the computer would be used to browse files. The Vault2i would be similar except that the files could live on the vaults 2T HD instead of the laptop.
Everything You Need to Know About the New BluOS Desktop App - Bluesound

 

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but this solution requires something like a squeezebox server (or now LMS), or another raspberry, to host the files or locate the files. Then piCorePlayer sits on top of another raspberry, as an interface or player.

I mean the piCorePlayer doesn't appear that it can play a file simply from a network share, it has to find some sort of media server?

Seems to me that the Oppo way is it finds files on a drive, whether it's a USB, or network drive, and plays the file without all the extra stuff going on above.

 

It's looks like you'll have to keep on banging the rocks

 

No support for Linux desktop, only windows/mac, damn. I could virtual box a windows OS to make it work I think, thanks for the link, this might be the solution.

 

A Node and pretty much any streamer will find your SSD drive just fine if its on the network. However you will need a control app, in the Node's case Bluos to control the streamer and see your library. It's quite simple to setup and works well.

 

An interesting project to do this with no wi fi at all. But not that interesting to me; I'd be happy to use a wi fi app on a phone to control the player /shrug

 

No wi-fi here in this house, don't want to go into as to why. Wired laptop should do the job.

 

@jfine Originally, I was a bit confused about piCorePlayer, but it isn't too difficult.
Allow me to explain:
The piCorePlayer software file will allow you to setup a Raspberry Pi mini computer as EITHER (and or BOTH):

• a digital music server which may pull from network shares or local USB attached hard drives
• a digital music transport/endpoint which can output digital music files

I purchased the following and got setup quickly:
RaspberryPi4
https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/?resellerType=home

HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro is a high-quality S/PDIF output for the Raspberry Pi
HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro | HiFiBerry

I then followed the most EXCELLENT information at the following link (thank you @Apesbrain )
HOW TO: Squeezebox player on Raspberry Pi with (or without) HiFiBerry board

You can do all of this for about $200USD if you get the Hifiberry Bundle with RaspberryPi and case and power supply and digitial output attachment module.

I have the LMS music server and player installed on Raspberry Pi4. It is running wonderfully.