[werd]

This is what I like about the BDP including the BDP1 which I own. They make computer audio pointless from a computer or laptop. There is no point now. You can now ditch the computer for audio use but still run files from the BDP

USB is a connect forced upon us by using computers or laptops. Unless you knew what you were doing with sound cards and setting up computers. You would drop the USB and run what ever else is on the sound card. That was pro. To go back to USB when you have XLR or BNC is kind of dumb. But it is ok kind of dumb because it sounds still pretty good... 

[vklyushnikov]

Well the BNC and XLR sound better and give you (or.possibly) an immediate A/B check from a BDP. The problem with USB on everything, there is an issue with the way it drives dacs. I do not know if it's the laptop, computer BDP Or what ever but it can not drive a dac like XLR or BNC. It Loses control in bass, it sounds less stiff. It might be the way dacs are conceived while some do not 75ohm choke on the input like the BDAs.

A USB only dac might be better but the ones I have heard seem to do the same thing. Or it could be just what I like but some fail bad.

The problem is that I didn't get good enough result even with Berkeley converter...

[werd]

Back to your OP. Don't ever let an audio mag confuse you. You were right the first time.

[CanadianMaestro]

This is what I like about the BDP including the BDP1 which I own. They make computer audio pointless from a computer or laptop. There is no point now. You can now ditch the computer for audio use but still run files from the BDP

Agree 1000% with this. 

Different universe altogether.

[werd]

Agree 1000% with this. 

Different universe altogether.

Haha yah I know  . Best deal in used gear is a BDP1 if audio performance is a preference. I have seen BDPs for 700usd. There is no way in hell you will get a source with a toroidal power supply for anywhere near that new or used.

I don't know why you want to run a HD in the BDP2 but what ever? Some people want the ability to run it like an appliance. Like a coffee maker with a bean grinder. Then a lot of the problems associated with the BDP exists with all systems like tags and indexing. I guess the access to the their library is an issue but not for me. I have been known to listen to the same album for a weeks. If you go for the sound only all the computer stuff is just a small inconvenience.

[CanadianMaestro]

Haha yah I know  . Best deal in used gear is a BDP1 if audio performance is a preference. I have seen BDPs for 700usd. There is no way in hell you will get a source with a toroidal power supply for anywhere near that new or used.

I don't know why you want to run a HD in the BDP2 but what ever? Some people want the ability to run it like an appliance. Like a coffee maker with a bean grinder. Then a lot of the problems associated with the BDP exists with all systems like tags and indexing. I guess the access to the their library is an issue but not for me. I have been known to listen to the same album for a weeks. If you go for the sound only all the computer stuff is just a small inconvenience.

I know what you mean. I use BDP-1 with Loony Loon. Never uupgraded to Moose or whatever its called now. Read the many posts on the Bryston support forum, regarding glitches with album art and the extra little bits outside SQ for Moose versin x.y. Just scared me off. When I listen.....my eyes are closed most of the time,so artwork and all that stuff never wirried me. Oh well....life is simpler for some.

[Krutsch]

I know what you mean. I use BDP-1 with Loony Loon. Never uupgraded to Moose or whatever its called now. Read the many posts on the Bryston support forum, regarding glitches with album art and the extra little bits outside SQ for Moose versin x.y. Just scared me off. When I listen.....my eyes are closed most of the time,so artwork and all that stuff never wirried me. Oh well....life is simpler for some.

Another alternative: run Manic Moose with the Bryston DB disabled; then, the BDP-1 is a very well designed, clean sounding MPD player. I only use Manic Moose to mount NAS shares with my library and to check for firmware updates. The advantage is getting newer versions of MPD, which may help with formats like AIFF and embedded tags.

With 3rd-party MPD apps, all of the album art, browsing and tagging issues are gone (for me, anyhow - MPaD, MPDroid and Soundirok, my favorite, all are flawless with my collection). I think I am going to hunt down another BDP-1 for the living room.

And I agree: the sound is the best I've ever heard from any digital source.

[werd]

Another alternative: run Manic Moose with the Bryston DB disabled; then, the BDP-1 is a very well designed, clean sounding MPD player. I only use Manic Moose to mount NAS shares with my library and to check for firmware updates. The advantage is getting newer versions of MPD, which may help with formats like AIFF and embedded tags.

With 3rd-party MPD apps, all of the album art, browsing and tagging issues are gone (for me, anyhow - MPaD, MPDroid and Soundirok, my favorite, all are flawless with my collection). I think I am going to hunt down another BDP-1 for the living room.

And I agree: the sound is the best I've ever heard from any digital source.

good idea 

Thanks

[CanadianMaestro]

Another alternative: run Manic Moose with the Bryston DB disabled; then, the BDP-1 is a very well designed, clean sounding MPD player. I only use Manic Moose to mount NAS shares with my library and to check for firmware updates. The advantage is getting newer versions of MPD, which may help with formats like AIFF and embedded tags.

With 3rd-party MPD apps, all of the album art, browsing and tagging issues are gone (for me, anyhow - MPaD, MPDroid and Soundirok, my favorite, all are flawless with my collection). I think I am going to hunt down another BDP-1 for the living room.

And I agree: the sound is the best I've ever heard from any digital source.

I love MPad, with an iPad. Still doesn't get album art always correctly. Probably my fault, when I rip my CDs, I don't save the cover art in a cache or something.

A good day for me is if I can open an attachment.   

[werd]

I have heard and owned lots of gear and nothing beats Bryston for beats. It's like the king of toe taps and the second place guy is way back there. BDPs are the start of it all.

One thing I know James T knows for sure. If they ever dropped the ball on a gear piece I would be the first to say. This fricken thing sucks.

[Krutsch]

I love MPad, with an iPad. Still doesn't get album art always correctly. Probably my fault, when I rip my CDs, I don't save the cover art in a cache or something.

A good day for me is if I can open an attachment.   

Fellow Head-Fi'er, do I have the tool for you: http://www.blisshq.com

John Darko just did a review of it and he's been using it for years to help him with his digital library. Might be just what you need without a lot of work.

[Marius]

+1
BDP1, MM without the BrystonDB. My way to go. 
NAS-shares are easy and great. (several USB hdd's on an externally powered USB -Hub too though, preparing the BPD1 for several extra years without the need for an upgrade)

Cheers,
Marius

[/size]

Another alternative: run Manic Moose with the Bryston DB disabled; then, the BDP-1 is a very well designed, clean sounding MPD player. I only use Manic Moose to mount NAS shares with my library and to check for firmware updates. The advantage is getting newer versions of MPD, which may help with formats like AIFF and embedded tags.

With 3rd-party MPD apps, all of the album art, browsing and tagging issues are gone (for me, anyhow - MPaD, MPDroid and Soundirok, my favorite, all are flawless with my collection). I think I am going to hunt down another BDP-1 for the living room.

And I agree: the sound is the best I've ever heard from any digital source.

[Marius]

I understand your point and agree with you. What I can't get that everyone is talking about great sound of new Bryston IAD board but it is actually USB/AES converter...

James,
could you or engineering please make a more conclusive answer to this question? Is the new IAD board  a USB/USB converter really, or a full fledged Soundboard a la BDP1, but one with a better power source.


Cheers,
Marius

[vklyushnikov]

Another alternative: run Manic Moose with the Bryston DB disabled; then, the BDP-1 is a very well designed, clean sounding MPD player. I only use Manic Moose to mount NAS shares with my library and to check for firmware updates. The advantage is getting newer versions of MPD, which may help with formats like AIFF and embedded tags.

With 3rd-party MPD apps, all of the album art, browsing and tagging issues are gone (for me, anyhow - MPaD, MPDroid and Soundirok, my favorite, all are flawless with my collection). I think I am going to hunt down another BDP-1 for the living room.

And I agree: the sound is the best I've ever heard from any digital source.

Well, all these software is quite limited comparing with JRiver for example. I didn't try soundirok, but MPad is forgotten by its developer and is not updated since beginning of 2014. I would not count on it. So the main reason why I'm looking into USB playback is simple - a freedom of choice for player software on Mac platform. I also tried DLNA playback via Jriver and upmpdcli, but disappointed - Jriver has annoying bugs in such configuration. There are also minor complains about MPD quality  - it may sound different in different versions, and also skips half of second of song on switching sampling rates - this is a specific SPDIF/AES issue.

[vklyushnikov]

James,
could you or engineering please make a more conclusive answer to this question? Is the new IAD board  a USB/USB converter really, or a full fledged Soundboard a la BDP1, but one with a better power source.


Cheers,
Marius

From review on Absolute Sound: "Yes, the new IAD is not a PCI audio interface in the traditional sense, as was the original customized ESI Juli@ card, but rather a dedicated USB-to-SPDIF-and-AES/EBU converter, connected by a short jumper to an internal USB port on the BPD-2’s motherboard. Inspection of the IAD itself reveals the same essential configuration as both the BUC-1 and its progenitor, the asynchronous USB input of Bryston’s BDA-2 DA"

[James Tanner]

From review on Absolute Sound: "Yes, the new IAD is not a PCI audio interface in the traditional sense, as was the original customized ESI Juli@ card, but rather a dedicated USB-to-SPDIF-and-AES/EBU converter, connected by a short jumper to an internal USB port on the BPD-2’s motherboard. Inspection of the IAD itself reveals the same essential configuration as both the BUC-1 and its progenitor, the asynchronous USB input of Bryston’s BDA-2 DA"

Hi Folks

Yes this is correct.

james

[CanadianMaestro]

Fellow Head-Fi'er, do I have the tool for you: http://www.blisshq.com

John Darko just did a review of it and he's been using it for years to help him with his digital library. Might be just what you need without a lot of work.

Thanks, Krutsch. That looks pretty good. Will have to find some time to probe it. I have my Flac library in folders on my portable drive hooked to my desktop. I transfer folders manually to a pocket drive for connecting to BDP-1. Then MPad at listening chair. I hope Bliss can clean up folders on my hard drive (click to select, then specify parameters?). Will Bliss replace MPad as my control software for BDP? Or is it only for library management prior to uploading files to pocket drive and BDP?

Anyways, I won't get obsessive about album art, ....until another time when I can mess with Bliss.

cheers
Pete

[Yitshak]

Very intresting thread

So...what I get by reading all post here is that USB is not totaly failed method for
transferring audio data if all done right to overcome it's designe limitations?

And the way BDP-2 with the new IAD board is implemented and approach this in designe is the
way to fully overcome the USB issues.

Right?


Itshak

[vklyushnikov]

Very intresting thread

So...what I get by reading all post here is that USB is not totaly failed method for
transferring audio data if all done right to overcome it's designe limitations?

And the way BDP-2 with the new IAD board is implemented and approach this in designe is the
way to fully overcome the USB issues.

Right?


Itshak

Generally you are right, but I still can't understand why properly implemented BDA-2 USB input sounds bad for me - even with properly implemented BDP-2 USB output

[James Tanner]

Generally you are right, but I still can't understand why properly implemented BDA-2 USB input sounds bad for me - even with properly implemented BDP-2 USB output

Hi vklyushnikov

i am at a loss to explain it as I get superb response from my BDP-2 and BDA3 USB input.  In fact I now use that combination at all the recent shows we have done (and have for the past year) and as you know we always get great feedback on our show demos.  You have to believe your ears and your system of course so go with what you think works best for you.

james