Need some advice on which DAP to choose for downloading my cd collection from my computer. The computer is not an apple it is a windows version. I do not need to use any of the music downloads. Just want to listen to my cd collection on a DAP. I have a pair of Meze headphones wired ones but do not want to use bluetooth. My Astell and Kern AK70 MKII is doing great but was wandering about upgrading because for some reason the album covers do not show up. Someone has offered me a deal on a Pioneer XDP300r or Onkyo DPX1. Should I stay with what I have.
Which DAP is best for downloading cd's from your computer
- Thread starter Pappat
- Start date
There's a DAP comparison list here which should get you started: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hi-res-portable-daps-comparison-chart-2022.961903/
Specs are not enough for comparison--some are plagued with issues, like usability/laggy interfaces, wifi dropouts, etc. And some are excellent and well loved.
Once you settle on a few, you should read up on those specific models. Then post any questions in the DAP thread.
Specs are not enough for comparison--some are plagued with issues, like usability/laggy interfaces, wifi dropouts, etc. And some are excellent and well loved.
Once you settle on a few, you should read up on those specific models. Then post any questions in the DAP thread.
thank you
m-i-c-k-e-y
Headphoneus Supremus
Most modern DAPs for sometime now has the ability to be attached on computers and be recognized as external drives just like your smartphone. So no worries.
If not, most have external storage such as microSD (now on the market upto 1Tb). You can grab those and transfer your files from your PC with it.
If not, most have external storage such as microSD (now on the market upto 1Tb). You can grab those and transfer your files from your PC with it.
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".....for some reason the album covers do not show up"
I have the AK70 (original) and presumably it works like your MKII.
It may not be the DAP. It may be the way your CDs are ripped.
There are two ways the AK70 finds art to display.
One is if the art is embedded in each song file. The other is if, along with the music files, the album folder includes an image file named cover, album or folder (.jpg or .png). It's a tiny bit wasteful of storage space to embed the same art in every track. But on the other hand, if you have your own folder full of songs from various albums, then the embedded album art will come up with each track.
Your CD ripping software probably should have settings for how -- or if -- it is putting the cover art in the album folder. Some will find the cover online; others won't. If the art's not in there -- either embedded or as a separate image file -- your DAP won't show it.
You can look at your album folders to see if there's a cover.jpg, album.jpg or folder.jpg along with the music files. The AK70 should display those covers.
If you don't have the art separately in the folder, you can see if it's embedded with a great free piece of tagging software, MP3tag.
https://www.mp3tag.de/en/download.html.
Download the setup.exe file -- currently mp3tagv315setup.exe -- for 32-bit or 64-bit Windows (depending on your system), not any adware Download buttons that might show up on the same page.
Open mp3tag, open your album folder, drag in the .mp3 or .flac or .wav files and click View and then Extended Tags. A window will show you if the art is embedded. MP3tag is also great for fixing tags in all sorts of ways -- like maybe you want to change Artist from The Rolling Stones to Rolling Stones -- so it's good to have anyway.
I have the AK70 (original) and presumably it works like your MKII.
It may not be the DAP. It may be the way your CDs are ripped.
There are two ways the AK70 finds art to display.
One is if the art is embedded in each song file. The other is if, along with the music files, the album folder includes an image file named cover, album or folder (.jpg or .png). It's a tiny bit wasteful of storage space to embed the same art in every track. But on the other hand, if you have your own folder full of songs from various albums, then the embedded album art will come up with each track.
Your CD ripping software probably should have settings for how -- or if -- it is putting the cover art in the album folder. Some will find the cover online; others won't. If the art's not in there -- either embedded or as a separate image file -- your DAP won't show it.
You can look at your album folders to see if there's a cover.jpg, album.jpg or folder.jpg along with the music files. The AK70 should display those covers.
If you don't have the art separately in the folder, you can see if it's embedded with a great free piece of tagging software, MP3tag.
https://www.mp3tag.de/en/download.html.
Download the setup.exe file -- currently mp3tagv315setup.exe -- for 32-bit or 64-bit Windows (depending on your system), not any adware Download buttons that might show up on the same page.
Open mp3tag, open your album folder, drag in the .mp3 or .flac or .wav files and click View and then Extended Tags. A window will show you if the art is embedded. MP3tag is also great for fixing tags in all sorts of ways -- like maybe you want to change Artist from The Rolling Stones to Rolling Stones -- so it's good to have anyway.
Yeah like @earmonger said, it looks like you have a file tagging problem more than a DAP problem. I will give it to you that some DAP and music playback softwares are better than others at showing off the tag and files info but the recommended software mp3tag will show you what's wrong. It also depend what file types you have. Can you give us a bit more feedback on your music collection? Total size, file formats and how you saved your CDs to your computer?
No, I do not recommend you get either of Pioneer XDP300r or Onkyo DPX1. Those are very dated devices. Onkyo just filed for bankruptcy.
Thanks for the advice
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