Probably a REALLY dumb question-bought an MB50, I assume I no longer need the Sonos?

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by clpetersen

Hello McGuy -

See you have a U-turn turntable - what are your thoughts on this?

Thinking about getting into vinyl, and U-turn looks like a reasonable way to start. Plus they are made 15 miles from my home in metro-west Boston. Support a local start-up isn't a bad way to go if it makes sense.

You might also check Ed’s (aka “For The Love of Music”) system thread, he bought a U-Turn recently to start his vinyl journey while waiting for his new Kuzma to arrive. He was pretty happy with it.
https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=46915

[McGuyDLF]

looks like I'm going to sell the MB50 - I'm not using it much at all. Vinyl guy here...should have known better...

[clpetersen]

Originally Posted by Antonmb

You might also check Ed’s (aka “For The Love of Music”) system thread, he bought a U-Turn recently to start his vinyl journey while waiting for his new Kuzma to arrive. He was pretty happy with it.
https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=46915

Thanks!
That is what I was looking for - does look like a great place to start vinyl (U-Turn)

[torxx]

I totally understand widespread frustration with the MB50 as it is currently my only music source on my listening system which is also in my home office. My experience is that it sounds great although the only other quality streaming product I have to compare it To would be the node2which is far inferior SQ imho. Wireless streaming has been mostly flawless with the exception of Amazon Hi-Rez music has buffered a few times but not always mostly at high peak traffic times on the Internet And only the hi Rez music. One Thing I really like about the Mb50 is there good wifi streaming quality which eliminates the need for a USB cable or ethernet cable which requires more money and more research time. If it wasn’t for Spotify connect the playfi app would be unbearable but for me I do hear a subtle difference but enough to notice with TIDAL and Amazon over Spotify. I wish that wasn’t the case because I love Spotify. Currently Amazon via the playfi app is almost useless. Playfi claim they’re working on it with Amazon. FYI Spotify connect is a Spotify feature. Using the required playfi app to stream amazon or tidal results in severely stripped down interface compared to native apps for those services. Spotify is the exception because of the connect feature. Unless they greatly improve the way the play fi app interacts with Amazon Music I’ll either have to ditch the mb50 myself or keep Spotify premium and Amazon HiFi. I canceled tidal shortly afterAmazon came out with new platform. For me Spotify it’s perfect for casual listening but when I’m really getting into the music I do like having the higher quality res streaming option.

[McGuyDLF]

yep, just sold the MB50 after having it for a few weeks. It was very frustrating and the play fi app is just not that great. Tidal and Qobuz did NOT sound any better than spotify at all for me and yes, I had the higher tier subscriptions. And that's fine, I don't listen to digital all that much, prefer vinyl. The MB50 is very pretty though, but that's all it was to me, another showpiece.

[W9TR]

McIntosh makes excellent amplification components.

[macman007]

I've never ventured into the streaming components Mc has had to offer. Digital tech changes too fast and for the price of another Mc piece, I'd rather stash an old desktop running say a P4-4ghz processor with 8Mb Ram, Linux or even Windows 10 after trimming all the bloatware. Use a quality outboard USB 2 channel USB DAC such as the Dragonfly (or even a PCI socket DAC card) for my Hi Res files with limited streaming ( I HATE MP3, it sounds like it's underwater) and I'm set. With a 1TB SSHD, you can store a serious number of lossless compressed and uncompressed (.wav) music files. This option allows one to download and stream, but in my case, over a dedicated wired LAN connection, even though I could use high speed wireless.

That said, we have many wireless devices in our home, multiple Smart TV's, laptops, desktops, tablets, phones, game consoles, and 2 kids. I've yet to experience my wireless network perform at the levels I was told it could when it was installed. Then again we're also limited by the available bandwidth in the neighborhood, which isn't great and we are 100% fiber optic here. When EVERYBODY cranks up their internet, during peak hours , when popular stuff is on, such as the Grammy's, AMA Awards, Country Music Awards, Super Bowl speeds can get pretty slow. I'll take a wired connection over wireless anyday. If nothing else the bandwidth in our home network is far more hearty and stable, a lack of available bandwidth to our home aside.

For digital (specifically CD) storage and playback, I use several options, MS300, MS750, MVP-861, MLD-7020, a handful of older Sony ES and Pioneer Elite players. I own many CD's and other physical digital media of all types, SACD, DVDA, HDCD,.. several thousand in fact, plus the stuff purchased / acquired online and downloaded. 9 times out of ten, that stuff is burned to CD or played directly from computer through a USB DAC.

An all in one McIntosh digital solution would be nice. Price aside, the technology changes or disappears too fast. Granted I haven't been to a dealer in several years, but I haven't read about or heard anywhere regarding a standalone Mc piece which can everything I need it to in the digital audio realm.

As far as a server type situation, I want to build a dedicated computer, strip it down for Hi Res, and other lossless digital file streaming, perhaps Hi Res video storage and streaming/download as well. For not a lot of money one can pick a nice case that is black and glass, then choose the McIntosh colors to illuminate it . Cooling fans today are very quiet, having a computer in the room is no longer an issue. A modest Pentium, I/5 or I7 Core processor, with 32 or 64 MB of RAM, a decent DAC and a few SSHD's provide a kick-butt digital storage and streaming machine with a GUI, and for not a lot of dough.

Is it as pretty as something Mcintosh? No way, not even close. But as MCGuyDLF and others above, I'm far more of an Analog Kid. I'd rather save money on my digital solution then buy more records, or purchase another upgrade for my VPI turntable. That Fat Boy arm is pretty sweet!

Then again, if I were to venture across the right all-in-one digital solution from McIntosh, I would most likely be inclined to purchase it as well.

After all, there is no such thing as owning too much McIntosh gear, right?

[W9TR]

It is highly unlikely McIntosh will ever market a truly state-of-the art digital solution. They seem to go outside to third parties to get it done and I don’t see that changing much in the near term.

You can see from my signature that I’m a big fan of the brand. But for digital sources, streamers, and HT Pre/Pros there are so many better options out there that I don’t see them catching up.

For a server solution I am going to use a Synology NAS to store all my digital content and probably Roon to serve it up. No need for a PC anymore.

Tom

[macman007]

Originally Posted by W9TR

It is highly unlikely McIntosh will ever market a truly state-of-the art digital solution. They seem to go outside to third parties to get it done and I don’t see that changing much in the near term.

You can see from my signature that I’m a big fan of the brand. But for digital sources, streamers, and HT Pre/Pros there are so many better options out there that I don’t see them catching up.

For a server solution I am going to use a Synology NAS to store all my digital content and probably Roon to serve it up. No need for a PC anymore.

Tom

How would you implement the NAS in a typical system. How about audio quality, access to files etc? You use a network device to access (tablet, smartphone, laptop) then what? You can't store stuff like SACD's and multichannel software titles can you? I see various models will support up to 4K Ultra video content. Is there a digital output or a built in DAC for the audio, or do you still need the external DAC?

It's much more compact than a desktop computer that's for sure. I'm not up on the latest computer based storage and access over network. I prefer the hard line between components and network, again, not a big fan of wireless quality for video or audio access and consumption.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by macman007

You can't store stuff like SACD's and multichannel software titles can you?

Of course you can; even 4K/HDR video.