# Home stereo USB input suggestions, please



## RVT1K (Dec 9, 2020)

I have a pretty good home stereo, I'm running two Adcom GFA555 II's bridged into mono, a Denon pre-amp and  CD player who's make I can't remember right now. For anyone who's wondering, I have a pair of very efficient Klipsch F30's which will peel the paint off the walls when called upon to do so. 

What I want to do is play MP3's via a USB stick and need some sort of interface that will put out a high quality audio signal to my pre-amp. 

All I've been able to find is a DAC like this https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Au...rds=cambridge+audio+dac&qid=1607537194&sr=8-3

But this requires something like an iPod or other MP3 player to feed the digital data to the DAC. 

What I would really like is a _single_ component that will take the USB input, provide some form of interface to see the play list, jump around in the list should I choose to do so,  and output a high quality audio signal. 

Does anyone know if something like this actually exists or am I forced to go the MP3 player + DAC route?

Thanks


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## AlanKlein (Dec 9, 2020)

Can't you burn disks from your computer?   You might have to convert the MP3's in the computer from the USB stick to something beside MP3 depending on the disc player specs.  There are a lot of free programs on the internet that convert formats.


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## RVT1K (Dec 9, 2020)

AlanKlein said:


> Can't you burn disks from your computer?   You might have to convert the MP3's in the computer from the USB stick to something beside MP3 depending on the disc player specs.  There are a lot of free programs on the internet that convert formats.




Thanks for answering.
I've done that lots of times. My CD player will not recognize anything other than audio files so burning a CD with MP3's won't work. A CD will only hold roughly 70 minutes of music in audio file format and part of what I would like to accomplish is having hours of music on hand like you can with a MP3 player. I just want it through my stereo.


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## Rickbb (Dec 9, 2020)

iPod, (or similar), with an 3.5mm phono to RCA splitter to send the output to stereo RCA input. Some iPod/mp3 players might have a USB jack for loading files


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## Scott Whaley (Dec 9, 2020)

You will still need an mp3 player which could be your phone or tablet.


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## crf8 (Dec 9, 2020)

My answer (for me)  after a lot of research: ripped all 300+ CDs at high quality. Used ITunes, then transferred it all to a new IPod touch. Bought 3.5 to RCA cord, hooked up the touch to audio in on my Yamaha amp. No WiFi, no computer, only one type of software. I was told in order to use a thumb drive I would have to also connect my TV so I could have a screen to see what’s playing etc.


FB.me/CRFinTN  Facebook 
www.flickr.com/crf8/


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## mjcmt (Dec 9, 2020)

Get the Schiit Audio Modi DAC. The best budget DAC. Many many positive reviews online. BTW, I have one in a very nice system. 

Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in California

All their products are excellent. They're not Schiit. LOL


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## zombiesniper (Dec 9, 2020)

Personally I'd run a tablet with the audio software through some thing like an Audiolab M-DAC or M-One.
This allows you to have touchscreen control as well as a decent DAC with multiple outputs and sound profiles settings you can adjust to your liking. As well some tablets can be remotely controlled by your phone or a remote.

P.S. good call on the Klipsch. I used to run a pair of La Scala's. They were the best things I ever hear music through.


Edit: The Schiit Audio Modi DAC seems like a quality unit if you don't need the sound profile adjustability.


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## RVT1K (Dec 10, 2020)

mjcmt said:


> Get the Schiit Audio Modi DAC. The best budget DAC. Many many positive reviews online. BTW, I have one in a very nice system.
> 
> Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in California
> 
> All their products are excellent. They're not Schiit. LOL



That looks interesting. Thanks.


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## RVT1K (Dec 10, 2020)

zombiesniper said:


> P.S. good call on the Klipsch. I used to run a pair of La Scala's. They were the best things I ever hear music through.
> 
> 
> Edit: The Schiit Audio Modi DAC seems like a quality unit if you don't need the sound profile adjustability.




The F30's do a good job when pushed hard but I don't think they are as accurate and balanced as my old speakers. Those were a custom-made pair I bought from an audiophile/electrical engineer/carpenter I used to work with. 

I have yet to decide but I'm toying with the idea of building a pair of these: Do It Yourself: 88-41 Kit

I have a design for a simple switching system that would allow me to have both pair and play the F30's when I want to mimic the old Memorex ad and the second pair for more critical listening.


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## Scott Whaley (Dec 10, 2020)

My next door neighbor gave me a bunch of Akai system a few months ago.  It belonged to his father-in-law.  It has 2 reel to reel tape decks, an 8 track tape deck, a cassette tape deck, a linear turntable, receiver, and 2 Kenwood speakers.  There were more than 10 reels of recorded music from the 40s to the early 80s.  What a neat gift.


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## RVT1K (Dec 10, 2020)

Scott Whaley said:


> My next door neighbor gave me a bunch of Akai system a few months ago.  It belonged to his father-in-law.  It has 2 reel to reel tape decks, an 8 track tape deck, a cassette tape deck, a linear turntable, receiver, and 2 Kenwood speakers.  There were more than 10 reels of recorded music from the 40s to the early 80s.  What a neat gift.
> 
> View attachment 201119



It's a shame reel-to-reel decks are so cumbersome to use, a good one has amazing performance. 
I haven't used my cassette deck in many years and, last year, I gave my daughter all my old vinyl LP's for Christmas.


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## AlanKlein (Dec 10, 2020)

When I was in the USAF in 1965, I bought an Akai reel-to-reel when I was stationed in Japan.  I had it for years along with the rest of my system. But like the rest of us, it got old and obsolete.    That's a nice system Scott.  Enjoy it. You might want to check the speakers.  I found my old Acoustic Research speakers eventually lost their woofers.  They do age from the vibrations so the fidelity might not be as good as they once were.


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## RVT1K (Dec 10, 2020)

AlanKlein said:


> When I was in the USAF in 1965, I bought an Akai reel-to-reel when I was stationed in Japan.  I had it for years along with the rest of my system. But like the rest of us, it got old and obsolete.    That's a nice system Scott.  Enjoy it. You might want to check the speakers.  I found my old Acoustic Research speakers eventually lost their woofers.  They do age from the vibrations so the fidelity might not be as good as they once were.




Which AR's? I seem to remember the AR9's were very desirable when I was a kid. 
Do you mean the foam that surrounds the cone?
That wasn't uncommon and there are tons of kits available to re-foam most drivers. I've done it before and it is not very difficult at all.


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## AlanKlein (Dec 10, 2020)

AlanKlein said:


> When I was in the USAF in 1965, I bought an Akai reel-to-reel when I was stationed in Japan.  I had it for years along with the rest of my system. But like the rest of us, it got old and obsolete.    That's a nice system Scott.  Enjoy it. You might want to check the speakers.  I found my old Acoustic Research speakers eventually lost their woofers.  They do age from the vibrations so the fidelity might not be as good as they once were.


AR2a speakers.  I didn't try to repair.  I figured I got about 40 years of service from them.  Plus I had discarded the stereo equipment which included a Fisher Stratokit preamp/amp I built around 1960, with tubes, along with a receiver, the Akai tape player recorder and Garrard record player.   I should have kept it all.  They'd probably be worth a lot like an old Leica.


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## RVT1K (Dec 11, 2020)

My first component stereo was a Hafler DH200 amp and DH100 pre-amp. I didn't build them but I bought them from the guy who did. 

I don't know about the electronics but old AR speakers seem to have some value out there.


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## Scott Whaley (Dec 11, 2020)

I priced the pieces I have and I could get between $2500 & $3000 for them if I pieced them out.  No way am I going to sell them.  I'm looking for 8 track tapes from the 70s.  I have bunches of cassettes.  

The Kenwood speakers are working just fine.  I would like to add a few tweeters for the high end.


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## RVT1K (Dec 11, 2020)

mjcmt said:


> Get the Schiit Audio Modi DAC. The best budget DAC. Many many positive reviews online. BTW, I have one in a very nice system.
> 
> Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in California
> 
> All their products are excellent. They're not Schiit. LOL



I've ordered one and it's on the way. Thanks for the tip.


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## RVT1K (Dec 11, 2020)

Scott Whaley said:


> I priced the pieces I have and I could get between $2500 & $3000 for them if I pieced them out.  No way am I going to sell them.  I'm looking for 8 track tapes from the 70s.  I have bunches of cassettes.
> 
> The Kenwood speakers are working just fine.  I would like to add a few tweeters for the high end.




I can't read the model number of the bigger reel-to-reel but I suspect it has specs that are quite good. Some of the better reel-to-reel decks had better s/n specs (when using good tape and the highest speeds) that rivaled the electronics. 

I had a car-stereo cassette deck in my garage, hooked up to a PC power supply, to play my old tapes through. But eventually the tapes all bound up and I tossed them in favor of playing CD's and MP3's out there. 

I'm also old enough to have owned several 8-track players and I mostly remember the tapes being problematic.


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## enezdez (Dec 18, 2020)

@RVT1K You may want to look into this

*Bowers & Wilkins - Formation Audio Streaming Media Player*

I just got one for my Marantz A - B set up from Best Buy...I haven't received it yet or else I would tell you how much I like it or not....

Cheers,

Enezdez


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## RVT1K (Dec 19, 2020)

enezdez said:


> @RVT1K You may want to look into this
> 
> *Bowers & Wilkins - Formation Audio Streaming Media Player*
> 
> ...




I already have this on the way: Schiit Audio: Audio Products Designed and Built in California

My next step is to decide on what interface. Someone I work with suggested a Kindle Fire and I'll be taking a look.


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## RVT1K (Dec 30, 2020)

I'm still researching for something to use as a digital source (leaning towards a tablet of some sort) but I decided that my carpentry skills and equipment were not good enough to build a pair so I bought a pair of Bowers & Wilkins DM604 S3 locally from Craigslist. They have better imaging than the Klipsch pair and I think vocals and strings -like acoustic guitars- sound better. My take is that the B&W's dedicated mid-range driver and non-horn tweeters are the main reasons. 
I currently have all four hooked up, the Adcoms can handle low impedance loads and throw a ton of current. I'm waiting on some parts to build a set of switches that will allow either/or/both listening. The B&W's for the Grateful Dead and the Klipsch's for Metallica.


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## crf8 (Dec 31, 2020)

iPod touch as my source


FB.me/CRFinTN  Facebook 
www.flickr.com/crf8/


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## RVT1K (Dec 31, 2020)

Here's my stack. Two Adcom GFA 555 II's each with a Aircom S10 to keep cool, Denon pre-amp, Technics tuner, and a plain-Jane JVC CD player. 

That's the Schiit DAC sitting on top waiting for some input. My satellite receiver has an optical output for audio and as soon as I get a cable.


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