"HiFi" MP3 Player

[Dantoo]

I guess that the title is a misnomer really but I dont wish to delve into whether or not MP3 format is high fidelity or not. What I am trying to find is a hardware MP3 Player/Storehouse/Jukebox that can sit with the HiFi gear. I wish to be able to load and manipulate files directly from my pc by cat5 connection. I would also prefer the ability to rip straight from my cd player. There are a few around for cars and of course the Nomad and Rio walkabout machines, but I'm not interested in any of them. Want a black rectangular box that blends in with the rest.

The "Jukebox" function would allow me to set up a session of music for mood, party, driving the neighbours insane - whatever. Belting out the MP3 through the multi-dollar Mirage speakers is a thought that is driving me on this.

Anybody have any ideas or experience here?

 

[ViRGE]

Stop on by Rio Home.com. Sonicblue's Rio division donsn't only make portable audio players, but also makes a complete system called the Rio EX1000, and a shelf piece called the Rio Central.

 

[Dantoo]

Checking it out now, thanks. You don't miss much do you Virge?

 

[ElFenix]

mp3 is a hi fi format if you use lame --r3mix settings for encoding. regardless of how much is spent on a stereo its impossible to tell a difference between the cd and the mp3.

 

[Dantoo]

The Rio Central looks to be the concept that I'm after. I have also found the rather interesting Hp De100c. It seems to have slightly different features and costs considerably less.

I'll have to do more research yet. I like the internet radio concept of the Hp but am ambivalent about the need for using TV for configuration and control and I didn't see an ethernet connection in specs, (read pretty fast tho). The Rio seems to have all the features that I specified, but for the price you might hope for the full range of possibles, plus I just read a review that says it won't play MP3 cd-r's (neither does my Sony DVD player).

More thought needed.

Hi El

PS: Celly 566, Linux, internal modem - lets get this sucker clocked and cracking blocks!

 

[ElFenix]

heheheh celery



of course it should be crackin'!

 

[Goosemaster]

This is the best of them all..It is however, very financially precious....looks better than the others..


The HP and the RIO have too much plastic to be next to quality equipment (I'm not saying the player's aren't good...I'm just commenting on their appearance)

 

[Joony]

isn't the term "HiFi" dead? hasn't been used since the early 90s i think

 

[Goosemaster]

*WHispers* "let him live the dream"

 

[Rhombuss]

Isn't it kind of counter productive to have an external system that reads off of the computer to play music? If your computer is in the same room as your theatre equipment, why not patch cables from your line out of your soundcard into your amp?

 

[ElFenix]

<< If your computer is in the same room as your theatre equipment >>

i'm guessing thats not the case here.

 

[desy]

Home/car/portable whatever

 

[ViRGE]

<< Checking it out now, thanks. You don't miss much do you Virge? >>


Ehh, it helps my stock price. I invest in Sonicblue(stock I've held since the Diamond MM glory days), so seeing that people know about their products is beneficial to me. Besides, with a namesake like ViRGE, I have to give something to S3 in return for not suing/harrassing me.

 

[Dantoo]

Thanks guys for the replies. The Turtle Beach Audiotron is certainly very interesting. It acts as an interface only and therefore doesn't have the componentry of the others. It relies on your PC being connected to it to operate. This makes it much cheaper at about 20% of the price of the others.
Goosemaster I don't understand the comment therefore about being "financially precious." Comparatively, you could get half a dozen of these for the price of my sub-woofer alone.

Joony if HiFi hasn't been used for 10 years then are you going to break the news to all the magazine producers, or am I? You'd be surprised. Many buffs still use "valve" amplifiers (predating transistors) because of the "warmth" of the sound generated. It's a world removed far from PC's and the use of the MP3 format to these guys is anathema.

Rhombuss they are in different rooms at different ends of the house. When I built the house though i laid Cat5E cable throughout.

desy that's an interesting device but lies just outside the realms of what I'm looking for. Thanks for the input.

Virge Millionaire in the making

 

[Goosemaster]

<< Goosemaster I don't understand the comment therefore about being "financially precious." Comparatively, you could get half a dozen of these for the price of my sub-woofer alone. >>



I'm Poor....


Oh wait....:frown:

 

[jaeger66]

No compression scheme that uses perceptual coding is hi-fi. MP3 is fine for a plane ride or in the car, but not serious listening on a serious(IOW, you didn't get it at Best Buy) hi-fi stereo system.

 

[RC7]

<< isn't the term "HiFi" dead? hasn't been used since the early 90s i think >>



It certainly isn't. It's just been pushed to the side due to the rise of mass produced mediocre audio equipment.