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Native FLAC Player

Are there any receivers that can play FLAC natively? I feel that its a shame that the logitech Squeezebox Transporter is the only native (at least form what I can find) Flac player.

Am I too far ahead of the curve or does anyone else feel let down by Onkyo, Yamaha, Denon etc with the fact that none of their receivers can play FLAC naively?

Some of them will use uPNP to connect to "media servers" but the media server has to stream the FLAC so it down-converts as it transcodes (translates digital info to music) over the network for the receiver to play.

Even the highest high end Onkyo TX-NR906 does not support FLAC through its USB ports. This is particularly confusing because certain reviewers claim that it can play FLAC - well yes it "can" via the "media server" as described above.

Why haven't all the high end audio device makers not seized this opportunity? Is it because the true connoisseurs still listen to loss-less music on analog media (LP) ? What about the rest of us (ok ME) that can't afford the great analog equipment ?

Or... am I completely missing the boat on this? Are there good quality receivers in $2000 range that can play native FLAC?
anuruddhak
kirkus
502 posts
 
Some of them will use uPNP to connect to "media servers" but the media server has to stream the FLAC so it down-converts as it transcodes (translates digital info to music) over the network for the receiver to play.
I'm not sure where you got this information, but "down-conversion" isn't at all part of the uPNP protocol . . . the fact that it's "streaming" it from a network device doesn't mean that the audio quality is converted to typical "streaming" internet-radio quality. Plain 'ol 100Mbps ethernet has way more than the necessary bandwidth to stream 192KHz/24bit and beyond . . . so if a uPNP media renderer (i.e. the receivers that you describe) is properly designed, there is no loss of quality in transferring the file across the network.

You might take a look at the Linn DS components - they deliver pretty amazing performance, and support FLAC natively.
bgee
1 posts
 
Pioneer SC-05/SC-07 play FLAC natively via USB or ethernet to pc media player.

You might also check out Western Digital WDTV - amazing little box plays just about every audio/video format on external USB drive for $100.
starcon
98 posts
 
there are a bunch of new DSS players coming online. Check out Blacknote at blacknote.eu They have a new model That I belive is around $2000. I personally have a Blacknote 30 tube model and its a killer.
anuruddhak OP
10 posts
 
Kirkus,

Thanks for your response. I use my PS3 to play flac files stored on a computer (or media server) Since PS3 cannot play flac files from its own hard drive the media server has to process the flac file, down-convert and stream it to the PS3.

The flac compatible receivers, at least the one I looked at, claimed to play flac via uPnp. Wouldn't the same hold? Or should I be trying to fix the other end of the problem... i.e find a media server that can stream 192KHz/24bit to my PS3?

Thanks for your recomendation; I will check out Linn DS...

Bgee and Starcon... thanks for your comments as well...
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