[skunark]

James... I'm excited... Also price is what I expected which means it's going head-to-head with the transporter, naim uniti, etc. 

But the total investment is probably closer to 5k.. 4.2 for the BDA/BDP along with ipad/ipod touch and a SSD.     No more noisy PS3 or overheating Apple TV for me.. well unless I want to watch a movie.

It's a sizable price and I do hope there's a long term codec support for the BDP. 

[Napalm]

And an idea for the CD nostalgic.... order these in bulk, rip CDs one per key, and keep the keys inside the respective CD cases. Will act as backups too.

Then you just do as usual, go to the library, pick up a favorite CD, look at cover art etc. except instead of inserting the CD into the BCD-1 you insert the USB key into the BDP-1. Press Play and voila nothing has changed, you can still browse the booklet while listening.



Nap. 

[skunark]

Read what Elias Gwinn from Benchmark Media Systems has to say about the OSX sound subsystem:

http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/108bench/index5.html

The iPod is broken too, it took me little time to figure it out. No measurements needed.

Nap. 

After reading Benchmark's wiki it's rather nice to know that mac osx and the optical output can be bit transparent with 44.1/16 files.  I would prefer more measurements like that and would expect the BDP to also be bit transparent. 

After reading through Benchmark's wiki it was a little shocking on their acceptance of volume control through iTunes for 7.x and 8.x but yet prefer that you don't allow do the volume normalization.   From what I can tell that is just an embedded constant that get's applied to the volume function.   I would expected that you would be okay with both or none.  On a negative note, I do think they should update their wiki with 9.x data and remove the versions of iTunes that nobody has.

[ted_b]

James,

As a computer audio and HiRez (moderator) nerd I am impressed with the thinking on this product, albeit a bit expensive at first glance (although once one puts together a hi-end, quiet, EMI/RF-less pc or MAC environment with music player, etc it adds up).  My questions surround the music player itself.
 
I've had lots of experience with Pure Music, Amarra, Squeeze Center, etc.  Each typically uses the remote GUI like an iPod/ touch similarly, with iTunes-like album artwork, browsing, etc.  But each has its own way of handling gapless playback, playlist support, etc:
* What does the player interface look like on an iPod Touch (at least at this point)? 
* Will there be an iPad app, too (taking advantage of the larger real estate)? 
* Will the player incorporate metadata beyond the typical (i.e liner notes, lyrics, etc.)? 
* Will the player allow for WAV tagging? 
* Will the player do gapless, and handle compilations and various playlists? 
* Sonically can you say anything about what the player has over others (some of whom are trying such functions as integer support and memory playback to alleviate yet one more aspect of cpu-memory conflicts...obviously something you're already doing with a heuristic approach toward music delivery )

Look forward to its introduction; although not a BDA-1 user per se, I am always looking for better music delivery to my DAC of choice.

[skunark]

* What does the player interface look like on an iPod Touch (at least at this point)? 
* Will there be an iPad app, too (taking advantage of the larger real estate)? 

James has said in other threads that the ipod touch/iphone app is MPoD.  It's open source so you can install the server on a computer and give it a go.   

Also... there's tons of MPoD solutions so there is probably an app for every smartphone out there...

[ted_b]

James has said in other threads that the ipod touch/iphone app is MPoD.  It's open source so you can install the server on a computer and give it a go.   

Also... there's tons of MPoD solutions so there is probably an app for every smartphone out there...

Oops, sorry, didn't see that.  MPod is fine, cool.  I love one silly aspect of it
* Option to hide artists that only appear on compilation albums
and wish iTunes would do this correctly ("part of a compilation" really doesn't do it for me, I still have wayyyy too many artists in my artist list, many of whom have one song)

I guess we're relying on Berrie to do an iPad version.  Oh well, bet he will before Apple does.

[Napalm]

Oops, sorry, didn't see that.  MPod is fine, cool.  I love one silly aspect of it
* Option to hide artists that only appear on compilation albums

How about a Shaved Bieber option. Hide it permanently on any media just in case a friend shows up at your place with a drive that includes some of his masterpieces.

Nap. 

[95Dyna]

I will definitely go and have a listen to this gear when it is out. I just feel like we are on this huge circular ride to achieve a truer, digitally created analogue waveform - it is almost like we are trying to re-invent vinyl or magnetic tape using 1‘s and 0‘s.

Although I do not own a TT, I have a sneaking suspicion, that in the not so distant future, some creative marketing consultants will re-introduce the LP as the ultimate analogue source for home audio…

Be well...

Touche, Andy.  We were all pretty much hoodwinked back in the early 80's when the CD came on the stage.  It was marketed much in the same way you describe.  I guess at the time I had too much other stuff on my mind to give pause as to why you would want to take a perfectly good analog sine wave and try to "represent it" with on and off electical pulses then turn right around and decipher this representation back into the real thing for playback.  I just bought a new TT and am going "back to the future".  I'll give your regards to McFly when I get there .

[James Tanner]

Hi Ted:

In answer to your questions as best I know at this point:

* What does the player interface look like on an iPod Touch (at least at this point)? 

Attached is a screenshot of what the incomplete interface looks like





* Will there be an iPad app, too (taking advantage of the larger real estate)? 

At this point we are trying to avoid being reliant on other products.  Meaning we don't want to take the time to build what is essentially a MPD client for the iPad, submit to Apple, wait 2 months just for them to turn around and reject it.  However we do plan on releasing the Bryston BDP-1 with multiple web interfaces to take advantage of the real estate of large screens like a desktop, laptop or ipad and a separate interface designed for mobile devices like iPhone, android and Zune HD.... well maybe the ZuneHD. 

* Will the player incorporate metadata beyond the typical (i.e liner notes, lyrics, etc.)?

The BDP-1 is based around MPD.  Currently is does have limitations as to the types of tags it will take advantage of and appears to be limited to version 1.0.  We are currently looking into reliable ways of using newer tag versions such as 2.4 and 3.0.

*Will the player allow for WAV tagging?

I have absolutely no idea at this moment, as far as I'm aware MPD natively doesn't support WAV tags making it a feature that we would have to build support for in our player.

* Will the player do gapless, and handle compilations and various playlists?

MPD has support for gapless playback and we do plan on releasing our web player with the ability to create playlists.

* Sonically can you say anything about what the player has over others (some of whom are trying such functions as integer support and memory playback to alleviate yet one more aspect of cpu-memory conflicts...obviously something you're already doing with a heuristic approach toward music delivery.

As far as I'm aware the player is one of very few capable of playing audio without stutter. We are currently taking steps towards increasing the resources available to MPD by putting the Linux OS that powers the BDP-1 on a "Diet".

Hope it helps

james

[StigO]

Plans for support of monkey audio? For me it is the only thing missing...

[sfraser]

James, can you clarify this a little bit please ? Is this referring to hi-rez formats?

"As far as I'm aware the player is one of very few capable of playing audio without stutter."

I have been playing with a wide variety of digital playback devices over the years, and currently have  7 squeezebox's throughout the house.  All squeezebox's are served from one back end squeeze server dishing out FLAC's/WAV/M4A's and MP3's, often with several squeezebox's playing simultaneously.  I have installed the squeeze server on all types of platforms including REALLY low end devices (Fit-pc's, Koolu's etc) and seldom if ever had stutter issues? For a while I even had a low end (VIA CPU) unit serve as the squeeze server and stream hi-rez video (40 mbps). 

Cheers, and Thanks

Scott

[ted_b]

Yes, I play 24/192 all the time...no stuttering (Macbook 4GB SSD to Weiss DAC2 or MH LIO-8).  Not sure what that referred to.

[KeithA]

James, can you clarify this a little bit please ? Is this referring to hi-rez formats?

"As far as I'm aware the player is one of very few capable of playing audio without stutter."

I have been playing with a wide variety of digital playback devices over the years, and currently have  7 squeezebox's throughout the house.  All squeezebox's are served from one back end squeeze server dishing out FLAC's/WAV/M4A's and MP3's, often with several squeezebox's playing simultaneously.  I have installed the squeeze server on all types of platforms including REALLY low end devices (Fit-pc's, Koolu's etc) and seldom if ever had stutter issues? For a while I even had a low end (VIA CPU) unit serve as the squeeze server and stream hi-rez video (40 mbps). 

Cheers, and Thanks

Scott

I have to agree. I have had a Squeezebox and now have a Duet and Transported running two separate systems upstairs and down and I have never experienced 'stutter' (I've been running it for 3 years now)

I suspect the stutter would mostly be caused by the 'cache' in the player running dry due to a reduced signal from the wireless. However, the signal on my wireless runs at 99% to 100% so there is never an issue with 'stutter' or 'dropouts'.

Keith

[KeithA]

James... I'm excited... Also price is what I expected which means it's going head-to-head with the transporter, naim uniti, etc. 

The only difference is that the Transporter includes a DAC which is pretty darn good. I have the Transporter and the BDA-1. The Transporter DAC is not far off the BDA-1. However, I still use the Transporter to feed the BDA-1 because it is marginally better for me.

However, if I want I can take the Transporter upstairs (or leave in my main system) and have a world class transport and DAC (all in one). Even though it may not be 100% of the performance...it mid to high 90's for sure. So, really you need to compare the price of the BDA-1/BDP-1 to the Transporter to be fair...and that's $2,000 vs $4,200. Sure, the BDA-1/BDP-1 may be better, but I'm willing to bet its pretty close.

But I'm a big Bryston fan and always have been, so I'm sure it will be a solid product. However, even for me the Transporter into the BDA-1 is hard to beat using the Duet as the interface. This thing is just great..so, the 'user-friendly' side wins out for me...



I did think that the BDP-1 would be cheaper based upon the early descriptions of a 'pared-down' unit. However, $2,100 is not expensive in the audio world. There is more expensive out there. I think the only thing is that the BDP-1 will be competing in a market where there are oodles of 'similar' products that will likely have most or much of the performance with more user-friendly interfaces.

I'm sure I may eventually get one. It would be a 'no-brainer' if record companies issed new albums on individual 'thumb drives' for about the price of a new CD today.

Keith

[Laundrew]

" I just bought a new TT and am going 'back to the future'..." 

A perfect summation Bill

I could not help but relate this subject to an original Star Trek episode “Court Martial.” Yes I know the names of all of the original Star Trek episodes

Just substitute “digital music file” for “computer”, “music” for “law” and finally, “Records” for “books” in the partial Star Trek script below.

Enjoy

Kirk: What is all this?

Cogley: I figure we'll be spending some time together, so I moved in.

Kirk: I hope I'm not crowding you.

Cogley: What's the matter? Don't you like books?

Kirk: Oh, I like them fine, but a computer takes less space.

Cogley: A computer, huh? I got one of these in my office. Contains all the precedents, a synthesis of all the great legal decisions written throughout time. I never use it.

Kirk: Why not?

Cogley: I've got my own system. Books, young man, books. Thousands of them. If time wasn't so important, I'd show you something--my library. Thousands of books.

Kirk: What would be the point?

Cogley: This is where the law is, not in that homogenized, pasteurized, synthesized... do you want to know the law, the ancient concepts in their own language, learn the intent of the men who wrote them, from Moses to the tribunal of Alpha 3? Books.

Kirk: You have to be either an obsessive crackpot who's escaped from his keeper or Samuel T. Cogley, attorney-at-law.

Cogley: Right on both counts

E-mail me about your TT and pre when you get a chance

Be well...

[95Dyna]

A perfect summation Bill

I could not help but relate this subject to an original Star Trek episode “Court Martial.” Yes I know the names of all of the original Star Trek episodes

Just substitute “digital music file” for “computer”, “music” for “law” and finally, “Records” for “books” in the partial Star Trek script below.

Enjoy

Kirk: What is all this?

Cogley: I figure we'll be spending some time together, so I moved in.

Kirk: I hope I'm not crowding you.

Cogley: What's the matter? Don't you like books?

Kirk: Oh, I like them fine, but a computer takes less space.

Cogley: A computer, huh? I got one of these in my office. Contains all the precedents, a synthesis of all the great legal decisions written throughout time. I never use it.

Kirk: Why not?

Cogley: I've got my own system. Books, young man, books. Thousands of them. If time wasn't so important, I'd show you something--my library. Thousands of books.

Kirk: What would be the point?

Cogley: This is where the law is, not in that homogenized, pasteurized, synthesized... do you want to know the law, the ancient concepts in their own language, learn the intent of the men who wrote them, from Moses to the tribunal of Alpha 3? Books.

Kirk: You have to be either an obsessive crackpot who's escaped from his keeper or Samuel T. Cogley, attorney-at-law.

Cogley: Right on both counts

E-mail me about your TT and pre when you get a chance

Be well...

Brilliant!  Just like "beer in 6 packs"!

[skunark]

The only difference is that the Transporter includes a DAC which is pretty darn good. I have the Transporter and the BDA-1. The Transporter DAC is not far off the BDA-1. However, I still use the Transporter to feed the BDA-1 because it is marginally better for me.

However, if I want I can take the Transporter upstairs (or leave in my main system) and have a world class transport and DAC (all in one). Even though it may not be 100% of the performance...it mid to high 90's for sure. So, really you need to compare the price of the BDA-1/BDP-1 to the Transporter to be fair...and that's $2,000 vs $4,200. Sure, the BDA-1/BDP-1 may be better, but I'm willing to bet its pretty close.

But I'm a big Bryston fan and always have been, so I'm sure it will be a solid product. However, even for me the Transporter into the BDA-1 is hard to beat using the Duet as the interface. This thing is just great..so, the 'user-friendly' side wins out for me...



I did think that the BDP-1 would be cheaper based upon the early descriptions of a 'pared-down' unit. However, $2,100 is not expensive in the audio world. There is more expensive out there. I think the only thing is that the BDP-1 will be competing in a market where there are oodles of 'similar' products that will likely have most or much of the performance with more user-friendly interfaces.

I'm sure I may eventually get one. It would be a 'no-brainer' if record companies issed new albums on individual 'thumb drives' for about the price of a new CD today.

Keith

I should give the transporter more credit but the remote for it is practically useless..and ease of use is very important for me.    I'm thankful of the fact that it supports every codec out there, which is probably the biggest limitations of the BDP. Also I do like the fact that it has digital inputs but for the two setups i have, the DAC isn't a selling point.     I will be first to admit that the BDP-1 should have a DAC as an option but I also don't want anyone that has a B26DA or Pre/Pro with a digital input to have to spend extra money on a the dac when they don't really need it.    Nothing is perfect..    Streaming, a local HDD, using an ipod/iphone as remote..all has it's downfall... I've also been known to preach that records are the wave of the future      

As I enjoy my AppleTV tonight with a Bourbon Stout with a little Verilog and playing Phoenix, DMB and some Beatles.. (Sorry Napalm, i skipped Shaved Bieber... even though he's probably too young to shave...)   I'm reminded that it's overheating just like my PS3 and that i do need to make a change..   Oh and the MF Vdac doesn't sound any better than my TV's dac.... imagine that.. So I assume my TV is a class A or B in terms of DACs in the MF of MF Stereophile sense..

[Napalm]

(Sorry Napalm, i skipped Shaved Bieber... even though he's probably too young to shave...)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2010/jun/03/justin-bieber-shaved-bieber

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Internet-Applications-Addons/Mozilla-Extensions/Shaved-Bieber.shtml

Have fun!

Nap. 

[skunark]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/lostinshowbiz/2010/jun/03/justin-bieber-shaved-bieber

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Internet-Applications-Addons/Mozilla-Extensions/Shaved-Bieber.shtml

Have fun!

Nap. 

rofl,  If you ever make it to the rose city, I will buy you a drink at the goose Napalm... --Jim

[nico75r6]

James,

As I already wrote many times I am a Bryston fan and two years ago I built a "convolver pc" that I still enjoy because I needed to digitally correct the sound to fit my listening room.

My setup is:

Sony DVD player as transport (SPDIF)
Xbox 360 (Toslink)

From the players I enter in the htpc that runs a small linux distribution, loaded from an usb stick. I do not know Linux, I used a free pre packaged distribution I downloaded from http://www.acourate.com/ (Check "Brutefir on a memory stick").

The htpc is totally fanless. No hard drives. An industrial via EPIA motherboard and an RME professional soundcard. I just have to push a button to have the htpc turned on exactly as I do with my Bryston DAC.

From the htpc I go via SPDIF in the Bryston DAC that is linked to a Bryston BP26 + 3BSST combo. The htpc is between the transport and the Bryston DAC. The music chain is all digital.

I spent about 1000 Usd for the htpc. But it works as a Tact. Well, I believe....  better than a Tact.

It uses Brutefir to apply realtime digital filters to the sound in order to correct it. It does this better than a TACT. I use the free DRC (http://drc-fir.sourceforge.net/) to create the filters.

As I said I just have to push a button. If I am listening to CDs it uses excess phase full correction. If I put a DVD in the transport it corrects the sound in realtime at 48 Khz but the correction is minphase only (as Tact does) to avoid lipsync problem. If I want to play with my Xbox360 it does the same thing, minphase realtime correction at 48Khz.

If I want I can add filters for other resolutions but I do not have music in hi-res format.

I would buy the BDP only if it has the option to apply digital filters to the source files in realtime. And I believe all the people who is already enjoying digital correction with an htpc would do the same.

For your engineers it would be only a matter of implement Brutefir (or another realtime convolver software or to write a better one themselves) with the option to use it with different filters or to bypass it for people who do not want to manipulate the bits.
Filters could be uploaded to a flash drive directly on your fanless motherboard.

Selectable filters via remote would be a must.

Add a couple of selectable digital input on it and it will be able to handle the DVD/Games video side too as my htpc does. Then it would be the best digital "transport" available on earth.

Nicola