[HooStat]

I am just wondering why Bryston doesn't implement asynchronous USB in their products?  Many companies are using some form of this to allow up to 24/192 to pass directly from a computer.   Personally, I would have already bought an SP3 if it had this feature.  But, my issue aside, I am just wondering why this isn't being addressed?  The computer-stereo interface is the fastest area of growth in the industry.  The only thing I can think of is that it would obviate the need for the Bryston stand-alone USB music player (which still makes no sense for my application).

[James Tanner]

I am just wondering why Bryston doesn't implement asynchronous USB in their products?  Many companies are using some form of this to allow up to 24/192 to pass directly from a computer.   Personally, I would have already bought an SP3 if it had this feature.  But, my issue aside, I am just wondering why this isn't being addressed?  The computer-stereo interface is the fastest area of growth in the industry.  The only thing I can think of is that it would obviate the need for the Bryston stand-alone USB music player (which still makes no sense for my application).

Hi HooStat

We will be looking at that going forward but I would still recommend the BDP-1 approach - computers , Laptops, etc are very noisy devices (both electrically and mechanically) and have operating systems that are not really dedicated to playing music files.

The SP3 USB input is on a daughter board so retro fitting in the future will be a simple task.

james

[HooStat]

Hi HooStat

We will be looking at that going forward but I would still recommend the BDP-1 approach - computers , Laptops, etc are very noisy devices (both electrically and mechanically) and have operating systems that are not really dedicated to playing music files.

The SP3 USB input is on a daughter board so retro fitting in the future will be a simple task.

james

Thanks James.  That is good to know.  The problem with the BDP is that it is not, from what I understand, very friendly with home networks.  In other words, if I want to use my ipad to choose from my music library and play songs, or if I want to use an on-screen display to do so, it is not possible.  But, with asynchronous USB, I can do all of that immediately.

But I look forward to the development of the USB interface.  Another option, of course, it so use a USB to SPDIF converter.  But I am trying to keep is simple, and to justify the budget of the SP3 to my better half. 

Thanks again.

[James Tanner]

Thanks James.  That is good to know.  The problem with the BDP is that it is not, from what I understand, very friendly with home networks.  In other words, if I want to use my ipad to choose from my music library and play songs, or if I want to use an on-screen display to do so, it is not possible.  But, with asynchronous USB, I can do all of that immediately.

But I look forward to the development of the USB interface.  Another option, of course, it so use a USB to SPDIF converter.  But I am trying to keep is simple, and to justify the budget of the SP3 to my better half. 

Thanks again.

Hi

NOT TRUE - the whole idea with the open source Linux operating system in the BDP-1 is you can connect wireless-ly to many different programs for music file management. I use an IPAD with a program called MPAD and it rivals iTunes in functionality.

james

[Anonamemouse]

HooStat is talking about streaming. Which is not possible.

[HooStat]

Just to clarify, I would like to access my iTunes library on my home network.  I need to use one software program to manage the information (so my whole family can listen and use the same, simple system).  That means streaming (I think, as mentioned above) the song via my network to my pre-pro.

I know there are other ways of doing this, but the only way it will work for me is to make it dead simple.  I had a Bryston DAC and had to sell it because it was too much trouble to try and get everything to talk to each other.  Asynchronous USB allows me to use any interface I want, as long as it can get the file to the USB port.  From there, the pre-pro takes control of all of the signal management, including the timing (reducing jitter).

It might help (and my apologies if I missed it) to demonstrate the BDP and how it interfaces with different options.  In my mind, it is just another stand-alone player (albeit better in a variety of respects with regard to high res files).

Just to be clear, I am want to get a bryston product if I can.  I just can't argue for it yet.

[skunark]

The BDP is another player, and you can consider it like a infinite disc CD jukebox.

If you want to play all the music that you have within iTunes, you would copy all the files to a USB drive and plug it in. You also use the BDP as a network share and copy the files that way, but a network is now required. 

If you have several systems that you need to share your iTunes library then I would consider using an Apple TV (ATV) or other like products in addition to a BDP. 

Both the BDP and ATV have iPhone/iPad apps that you can use to control them (the dead simple part) but an Ethernet network is required.   The BDP can also be controlled through a web browser and also any "MPD Client" that can be found on various phones and handhelds.   The Apple TV can also be controlled through iTunes and a simple remote.   I have both, the heathens end up using the Apple TV over the BDP only because they can access both music and movies on a single device with a single remote.

Since the BDP isn't a DAC but a digital music transport, there's no way to plug another computer to the BDP (it's already a computer).  Now your can plug in your computer to the Bryston's external DAC (BDA) USB port and pretty much do play through iTunes. 

[HooStat]

I just have a problem with the BDP, I guess.  It seems like a lot of work, and quite frankly, expense, in a house that is fully networked.  I just don't appreciate the product enough to get one, I guess.  The sp3, on the other hand, seems like the best pre-pro out there by far.  Two things I would change would be to add video scaling and asynchronous USB.  The former is never going to happen (and is rather easy nowadays), and the latter seems so close that I wish Bryston would have taken care of it.  However, given how long in development the sp3 was, I can understand that they couldn't add everything.  Plus, it does have a decent USB input already.  I mean, not many pre-pros even have a USB input.

Having said all that, there is a USB to AES/EBU converter for $450 through Auraliti.  That might be a solid way to connect something like a mac mini to the sp3 and "have it all".  At least until the sp3 gets upgraded.

There are other Bryston and non-Bryston solutions as well.  But the sp3 seems like such a well designed piece from an audio perspective, one should be able to dispense with lots of other gear and just use one box.  I am strongly leaning toward getting one and testing it out. 

[Anonamemouse]

Having said all that, there is a USB to AES/EBU converter for $450 through Auraliti.  That might be a solid way to connect something like a mac mini to the sp3 and "have it all".  At least until the sp3 gets upgraded.

I think this cable would be a good solution for you. You still need a DAC though.

[skunark]

I just have a problem with the BDP, I guess.  It seems like a lot of work, and quite frankly, expense, in a house that is fully networked.  I just don't appreciate the product enough to get one, I guess.  The sp3, on the other hand, seems like the best pre-pro out there by far.  Two things I would change would be to add video scaling and asynchronous USB.  The former is never going to happen (and is rather easy nowadays), and the latter seems so close that I wish Bryston would have taken care of it.  However, given how long in development the sp3 was, I can understand that they couldn't add everything.  Plus, it does have a decent USB input already.  I mean, not many pre-pros even have a USB input.

Having said all that, there is a USB to AES/EBU converter for $450 through Auraliti.  That might be a solid way to connect something like a mac mini to the sp3 and "have it all".  At least until the sp3 gets upgraded.

There are other Bryston and non-Bryston solutions as well.  But the sp3 seems like such a well designed piece from an audio perspective, one should be able to dispense with lots of other gear and just use one box.  I am strongly leaning toward getting one and testing it out.

Any good dealer should help you set up the BDP for purchase or even for a demo.     IMO, what's a lot of work is setting up a USB DACs with their 20-step programs on configuring, the BDP takes care of all of that. 

BTW: You can pick up a mini-toslink adapter and use that in your headphone jack (it doubles as both).  At least that way you can give it a go and see if it's what you are after.   

[HooStat]

Just to clarify, it is not a USB DAC (dX-USB HD).  It simply takes the audio file from USB and puts it out over AES/EBU so that the SP3 can decode it using its stellar DAC and analog output stage.  Mac mini -> USB -> dX-USB HD -> AES/EBU -> SP3
http://www.auraliti.com/Store.html

Of course, I have just read about it, so I might be missing something. . .

[skunark]

It's 1/2 of a USB DAC.   It embeds a bus-powered USB to SPDIF/i2s chip in the cable.

[HooStat]

exactly.  it is perfect.  just to be clear, it is a box, not a cable.  But it does essentially act as a converter.

[alexone]

James,

is the usb input of the BDA-1 working asynchronus?

al.

[James Tanner]

James,

is the usb input of the BDA-1 working asynchronus?

al.

BDA-1 USB Input Info.


On the BDA-1 if you use USB it is capable of anything up to 48/16.  The way USB works is it handshakes with your computer and tells the computer what resolution the BDA-1 is capable of.  So if your sending a 96K file ‘YOUR’ computer will down-sample the signal before it is sent to the BDA-1.   We use what is called I2S instead of SPDIF (which eliminates one interface step) at the USB input on the BDA-1 and then we use a very high quality state of the art up-sample chip in the BDA-1 to do the up-sampling rather than allowing the unknown computer up-sampler to do it. If you play a 96/24 file you will see that the BDA-1 will accept it as a 48/16 file and then you can up-sample that to 192/24 using the up-sampler in the BDA-1 if you wish.
 
USB is only capable of 96/24 at this point (as far as I know) and then only with companies writing proprietary software to implement it. When native USB chips become available that can do 192/24 (as all the other inputs on the BDA-1 are capable of) then we will certainly look at adding higher ‘RES’ capability to the BDA-1 USB input.
 
Also, in Brystons opinion, if you want the highest quality playback you are going to use SPDIF, BNC or AES-EBU inputs with a quality soundcard. Also as I have said many times I find that just because a specific DAC can do hi-resolution it does not automatically mean it has superior performance.  We have found that things like sophisticated power supply design, independent ground plains for digital and analog signals, separate circuit paths for digital and analog signals, Class A discrete analog circuits etc. far outweigh whether a specific file is 44.1 or 96K. Hopefully the customer will judge us on the sound quality first and foremost.

We introducing a Digital Player (BDP-1) which will go with the BDA-1 and it uses USB drive (Thumb-drive or Hard-drive) inputs and is capable of offering full 192k/24bit playback. Plug the BDP-1 into our BDA-1 DAC and you have a multi-input highest quality digital playback system.

[HooStat]

I assume the SP3 inputs are the same?  Or very similar?

[James Tanner]

I assume the SP3 inputs are the same?  Or very similar?

Hi HooStat

Correct.

james

[sfraser]

James, what is the current status of the BDP being able to mount file systems or "file shares" on other hosts (computers) via its ethernet interface and reading and playing music content on these shares / file systems? Is this still being looked at as a possible feature?

Cheers , and BTW happy holidays!

Scott

[budt]

BDA-1 USB Input Info.


On the BDA-1 if you use USB it is capable of anything up to 48/16.  The way USB works is it handshakes with your computer and tells the computer what resolution the BDA-1 is capable of.  So if your sending a 96K file ‘YOUR’ computer will down-sample the signal before it is sent to the BDA-1.   We use what is called I2S instead of SPDIF (which eliminates one interface step) at the USB input on the BDA-1 and then we use a very high quality state of the art up-sample chip in the BDA-1 to do the up-sampling rather than allowing the unknown computer up-sampler to do it. If you play a 96/24 file you will see that the BDA-1 will accept it as a 48/16 file and then you can up-sample that to 192/24 using the up-sampler in the BDA-1 if you wish.
 
USB is only capable of 96/24 at this point (as far as I know) and then only with companies writing proprietary software to implement it. When native USB chips become available that can do 192/24 (as all the other inputs on the BDA-1 are capable of) then we will certainly look at adding higher ‘RES’ capability to the BDA-1 USB input.
 
Also, in Brystons opinion, if you want the highest quality playback you are going to use SPDIF, BNC or AES-EBU inputs with a quality soundcard. Also as I have said many times I find that just because a specific DAC can do hi-resolution it does not automatically mean it has superior performance.  We have found that things like sophisticated power supply design, independent ground plains for digital and analog signals, separate circuit paths for digital and analog signals, Class A discrete analog circuits etc. far outweigh whether a specific file is 44.1 or 96K. Hopefully the customer will judge us on the sound quality first and foremost.

We introducing a Digital Player (BDP-1) which will go with the BDA-1 and it uses USB drive (Thumb-drive or Hard-drive) inputs and is capable of offering full 192k/24bit playback. Plug the BDP-1 into our BDA-1 DAC and you have a multi-input highest quality digital playback system.

    I'm a little confused. I recently had 2 dacs in my system. The Meitner MA-1 and Invicta dac . I used a computer as server  with Jrivers player and didn't upsample anything. If I played a hirez file over USB they showed the correct resolution ie. 24/176.4 or 24/192 .
  Are you implying this is not possible with the current USB interface? If so how are these dacs doing this as I am not upsampling anything?
   I

[srb]

24/192 is not limited by the computer's USB port (at least not with asynchronous USB proprietary code), but may be by a DAC's USB receiver.  The Meitner MA-1 and the Resonessence Invicta both have asynchronous USB interfaces.
 
The Meitner supports 24/192 over USB and the Invicta, although originally limited to 24/96 by it's programmable Cypress USB transceiver, was supposed to have a software patch to increase that to 24/192.
 
As mentioned previously, the Bryston DAC's USB input is limited to 16/48.
 
Steve