INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 19 for Windows => Topic started by: WeatherB on August 28, 2014, 09:58:20 pm
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Perhaps someone can answer this for me: I have been wondering if there could be any sonic advantages of putting my music on something other than a PC. Sonically speaking, are there any advantages to an external drive or NAS (Network Attached Storage) device?
What do you think?
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Each electronic component produces some dirt, be it EMI, RFI or a ripple on the ground plane.
You can’t rule that e.g. a ripple on the ground plane modulates the analog out of your DAC.
In the past this was a problem. On my old Toshiba laptop I could easily measure the difference between running on AC or DC (yep, the latter makes things worse!).
Today this is less of a problem, noise control is better.
Now if we apply this to your situation the question is will using different interfaces (local HD, external HD, Network interface) produces such a different noise pattern that it will become audible?
Personally I do think this not very likely.
I have fooled around with all three without noticing any difference.
But I do use an outboard DAC over Toslink so it is galvanic isolated from the PC by design.
YMMV as they say.
Best is to run a little experiment yourself.
Try local HD, a USB thumb, whatever you have at your disposal.
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Thank you, Vincent. :)