How do you listen to Digital Files?

[SSS]

Laptop with Windows 10 64-bit and Audirvana via USB to audiolab M-DAC to Yamaha C-85 preamp. Then to Crown DC-300.

 

[Ears of Tin]

Two Raspberry Pi3B's with rAudio software. One on the main floor of house has a DAC hat that connects to an integrated amp with RCA cable. One in bedroom has hifiberry amp hat which connects directly to speakers. Another raspberry has LMS/piCorePlayer installed which casts files to multiple Chromecast devices around the house. All the Pi's connect by wifi to a single NAS containing music files. Everthing controlled by the closest device (usually an android tablet) with a browser.

 

[Philbo King]

Maybe I'm a Luddite, but I still use Winamp on my PC. (VLC for FLAC files since it makes makes Winamp gag and crash.) Or Bluetooth from my phone when in the car.

The PC uses APO EQ with a custom homemade stereo IR file for a bit of room correction.

 

[Mr. Widget]

Since I am an audio enthusiast and not a computer geek I am not particularly interested in playing around with computers and software that occasionally need rebooting, updating, and other unpleasantnesses. To provide seamless access to music streaming and my NAS based music storage I use a Roon Nucleus+ with several Roon endpoints. This is accessible throughout my home in one convenient iPad navigated package.

 

[sam_adams]

I listen to my digital audio files one bit at a time.

 

[Chazz6]

Like you, I have a large collection of files. I keep them on my PC. With Minimserver on the PC and a fine app BubbleUPnp on an Android tablet, I choose a file to play, it goes over a wifi network to a receiving box (Denon HEOS2) and then to a DAC (it could go by Ethernet cable instead). The analog output from the DAC goes into the audio system proper.

Note that this setup does not depend on Windows audio functions, which are rated substandard.

Almost surely, your NAS could fit easily into this scheme instead of storing files on the PC hard drive or SSD.

As more or less noted above, an app like BubbleNPnP on a tablet has a much larger screen than your DACMagic. It can all the details of the file and album art.

 

[Mr. Widget]

I listen to my digital audio files one bit at a time.

A man who savors his music.