Help with Android flac player.
Jul 6, 2021 at 6:21 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 5

halo26

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I hope this isn't in the wrong area (not sure exactly where it would go). I think I found a setup that meets my needs, but I have a few questions about it.

I have a couple of setups: schiit Modi 3+ DAC and asgard headphone amp; and
and schiit Lyr 3 amp with built in multibit. They both do the job for me, and this thread is not about upgrading them (YET!!).

Most of my music is on about 400CDs, so I ripped them to FLAC files. I really don't want to be tethered to a computer, so I put them all on a 256GB SD card, which is in a newly purchased Amazon Fire 8 PLUS. I use the USBC to connect it with the USB input of the DAC. (And the kindle can be charged wirelessly, which is great). To me, this seems like an elegant solution to storing digital music -- a dedicated tablet on which I have virtually no notifications, no email.... nothing except for my flac files, music players, and a kindle book or two. And of course the output is not via the kindle fire's 3.5mm output but through the USB.

My question is with regards to getting the best, most pristine musical experience. I could use poweramp, which I think is a great android app which looks nice graphically. But am I degrading the digital signal if I use it? Do I need to use it with its equalizer and tone controls off, and/or its reverb effects off? (In other words, do these controls negatively impact the resolution/fidelity of the music?) For that matter, does poweramp change the signal into something less than the original flac file? Is a program like VLC better (despite it's clunkier interface)? Or is there another android program that I can use?

PS any android flac player should work if it is available on google play, as I set up my fire to be able to download from google play store. But I don't want to do something which will result in my DAC receiving data which is less than hi fidelity.
Also, I am NOT interested in any streaming service or subscription.
 
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Jul 7, 2021 at 5:13 AM Post #3 of 5
Do I need to use it with its equalizer and tone controls off, and/or its reverb effects off?
I should start with disabling all kind of DSP but most of all things like reverb.
These gimmicks alter the recording.
Of course you can use volume control.
Likewise EQ. Personally I do thing my Bluetooth headphones a bit to bass heavy so I use EQ to lower the bass with 3 dB arounf 100Hz.

If your USB DAC has a sample rate indicator, check it.
As the source is CD, it should see 44.1 kHz at the input.

You might have a look at Foobar Mobile
It supports EQ and crossfeed.
 
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Jul 8, 2021 at 2:06 PM Post #4 of 5
I appreciate both of these answers. I am checking out USB player pro, and I appreciate the recommendation. But I'm still wondering: is the digital signal actually different depending on which program I use, assuming I turn off all reverb and DSP effects? Does anyone know DEFINITIVELY what the answer is? (It seems like this is definitely knowable by someone with a deep knowledge of DACs etc)
 
Jul 11, 2021 at 9:23 PM Post #5 of 5
I appreciate both of these answers. I am checking out USB player pro, and I appreciate the recommendation. But I'm still wondering: is the digital signal actually different depending on which program I use, assuming I turn off all reverb and DSP effects? Does anyone know DEFINITIVELY what the answer is? (It seems like this is definitely knowable by someone with a deep knowledge of DACs etc)
If you're not doing anything upstream in EQ or DSP, it's literally a bit-perfect hand-off to your DAC.
 

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