[Maxvla]

Looking to the future where physical media will nearly disappear I've been thinking about how to make my setup better. I'm currently using Foobar with ASIO bit perfect playback. This sounds great, but the program itself is clunky and ugly. It's hard to find things sometimes, and lacking album art or liner notes I feel less inspired to play things. I feel like I'm running up against a wall, especially regarding meet conditions, where my home data system is getting more and more of a library (high res downloads, lossless album online purchases, etc) and I'm unable to display these at a meet due to the poor interface or use them on other's rigs. As far as I know there are no programs that combine iTunes type interfacing with Foobar type back end compatibility. Is there? I don't care if it's Mac or PC, but would naturally prefer PC since that is what I've always used.

I guess it's about time I add to my standard meet demo CD a standard meet demo USB drive for all the iPads and computers I'm seeing more of as transports. It's awkward because I do most of my home listening with data, but when I go to a meet I expect to see, and thus am obligated to include in my own setup, CD players, which won't play any of my high res material, or I might not have included a track on my demo CD I decided I wanted to try (or burned any of my downloaded albums to CD). Even then, many setups that would take a USB won't play high res files. Kind of frustrating.

 

[adamlau]

Time for a Mac. Trust me, I had been anti-Mac for the longest time (anti-Windows for even longer). I am still anti-Mac for use as a general desktop (and will always remain anti-Windows), but there is no denying that Amarra + iTunes is a winner in both usability, functionality and overall sound quality output. Good stuff.

 

[Maxvla]

Amarra + iTunes can do 24/192 and bit perfect playback? How does it handle? By that I mean is Amarra like ASIO in that it runs in the background but the interface is through Foobar? Also does it work on iPad? Thanks.

 

[ROBSCIX]

@Maxvla,  The foobar player can offer all the info you are looking for.  My current config, shows the band, a pic of the actual CD, Front cover, inlay and back cover.  Now, you have to go and get this information an add it to your music so the player can find it but foobar offers a great deal of configuration if you want.
 
There are other applications which offer a more friendly interface out of the gate, such as media monkey, Album player..etc.
I would say look in the Foobar thread and find the one that has the features you want.
Here is a look at some configs I put together for the members of another forum.
Check it out here:->LINK
 
This will give you an idea of what is possible with Foobar.
Unless I am misinterpreting what you are asking for.

 

[bangraman]

Amarra? Pah. I guess it's a shoo-in for the deludophile set (who would lean to a Mac anyway), but jRMC is where it's at IMO. www.jriver.com
 

 

[Maxvla]

@Maxvla,  The foobar player can offer all the info you are looking for.  My current config, shows the band, a pic of the actual CD, Front cover, inlay and back cover.  Now, you have to go and get this information an add it to your music so the player can find it but foobar offers a great deal of configuration if you want.

There are other applications which offer a more friendly interface out of the gate, such as media monkey, Album player..etc.
I would say look in the Foobar thread and find the one that has the features you want.
Here is a look at some configs I put together for the members of another forum.
Check it out here:->LINK

This will give you an idea of what is possible with Foobar.
Unless I am misinterpreting what you are asking for.

That looks interesting. I'll check it out after this weekend.

--

JRMC looks exactly like what I want. Definitely will check that out.

--

I guess there are no apps that play high res on a tablet (Android or iOS)?

edit: I'm seeing some info on iPads playing 24/96, and possibly 192, but looks like a lot of hoop jumping.

 

[Maxvla]

Found Tyll's article on iPad as source. Really great and just want I needed.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/audiophile-play-ipad-digital-audio-source

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

FWIW, the article was written John Grandberg, not I.  He did a great job on it.

 

[Maxvla]

Yeah I saw when I found the comments. Thanks for putting it up, Tyll.

 

[bangraman]

In terms of a meet-going high-res rig, I'd say something like a combo of an HP Probook 6000-series and an RME Babyface would be pretty much ideal IMO.

 

[Maxvla]

Considering a touch screen monitor. There are several good ones in the $250-350 range for 21" or so 1920x1080. Could pair it up with an ITX book size computer for a few hundred. In the end it would be nearly the same price as an iPad, but the need for the dock makes the iPad a bit more, plus limited to 64gb on device and requiring use of iTunes (I guess). Bonus for first option is I can add the touchscreen to my current computer setup so it's all tied together in a nice package and it's a little cheaper and storage is upgradable. Downside is less flexible and requires purchase of laptop or ITX computer to run it elsewhere. iPad is more expensive, but significantly more flexible, smaller but higher quality display, and able to be used on the move as it's own unit with 4G wireless even, if I want to pay for the plan.

There's a lot of angles to this decision, heh.

Inspiration for touch screen idea:
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Joe-Sixpacks-Sooloos-Dell-SX2210T-Multi-touch-Monitor-J-River-MC-15