What is your preferred way of connecting your digital files to your hi-fi system?

I've got the same vintage MBP, the 17" behemoth with the hot (and I mean HOT!) GPU chip. I've still got the 1TB spinner in there (200GB iTunes library is on Mac mini backed up to Time Capsule and NAS) but I'm thinking your 500GB SSD sounds pretty good. Any guidance on who, how, and how much to make it happen?

That's a nice machine!

We use lots of Samsung Pro series SSDs at work and have been very happy with them. So that's what I purchased for my MacBook when I rebuilt it. I got mine on Amazon. It was easy to install and then I just used Apple's existing tools to install a fresh copy of OSX on the new drive. I couldn't believe what a difference that new drive made - it felt like a brand new machine and was significantly faster than it was with the old spinner. Had I known I may not have upgraded to a new MacBook ..

I also added another 4GB of RAM bringing the total to 8GB. However, I'm pretty sure it was the SSD that led to the huge performance increase.

-Matt
 
Oppo UDP-205 directly connected to tube power amps. It works great for me in 2.0, 2.1, and 4.2 (multi-channel) systems. Will play every type of digital audio and video format I've encountered - CD, DVD, SACD, Blu-ray, Pure Audio Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray, and hi-res downloads (24bit/192kHz PCM or DSD). You can connect a Chromecast Audio via TosLink for audio streaming (e.g., Spotify Premium).
 
I have a NAS for my Raspberry Pi3/HifiBerry DAC+ Pro/Volumio setup in the living room. The PC that I use with headphones pulls off its harddrive. Any new rips go on the PC with a Topping D10/Schiit Magni 3 and the NAS monitors that folder for changes and mirrors it. So I have a copy on the NAS and the PC at all times. I also do weekly backups of the PC to another attached drive just in case. That drive is rotated every couple weeks, taken off site and replaced with another one. I have a little over 3TB of music....would hate to loose it.
 
I run a USB HDD > HEOS Link > Parasound P5 > Emotiva XPA-2 > KEF REF 2 > Me "HAPPY"

HEOS will also use TIDAL HIFI, Spotify Connect, Music server "I use Plex -FLAC 24/96", and Tune-in.

When I have parties I'll use my laptop USB with Spotify straight to Paraound P5. You can still do transport stuff from any device.
 
Oppo UDP-203

SATA HDD to USB 3.0 Dock to the Oppo USB input.

Rip with Foobar2000 to the laptop and transfer files to the SATA HDD. So easy even I can do it, and pretty inexpensive.

You do need a cheap TV for the Oppo interface, but then you can watch movies in your music room;).
 
Oppo UDP-203

SATA HDD to USB 3.0 Dock to the Oppo USB input.

Rip with Foobar2000 to the laptop and transfer files to the SATA HDD. So easy even I can do it, and pretty inexpensive.

You do need a cheap TV for the Oppo interface, but then you can watch movies in your music room;).

This is my inexpensive 13" small HDMI monitor that, that I bought specifically for use with, my OOPO UDP-203 feeds for information(tagging) of what`s playing, and plus the OPPO`s menu setup information needed..
Bought it from MCM before they merged with Newark electronics, and comes with a 12 volt wall wart power adaptor, since it was pitched as a mobile monitor/Digital TV receiver..
The owners manual indicates MTBF of 10,k hr`s, which is around a year of 24/7/365 of use..
But it`s still functioning without any issues, well over 2 yrs. 24/7/365 of use, but then again, I have all my house`s electrical devices well protected from all surges & spikes..
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Oppo UDP-203

SATA HDD to USB 3.0 Dock to the Oppo USB input.

Rip with Foobar2000 to the laptop and transfer files to the SATA HDD. So easy even I can do it, and pretty inexpensive.

You do need a cheap TV for the Oppo interface, but then you can watch movies in your music room;).

You don't need a TV to connect to the Oppo player since the Oppo app (iOS or Android) will let you control and operate the unit
 
You don't need a TV to connect to the Oppo player since the Oppo app (iOS or Android) will let you control and operate the unit
I have the remote on my phone. I can't seem to find where you select your music folders and see the album art.
 
PC hardwired to modem, modem to Yamaha via Wifi. Life is good. I can and sometimes will hook up via bluetooth from phone to Yamaha via Music Cast, but it's really rare and it's just a check for me after a firmware update to varify that it's still working.
 
You don't need a TV to connect to the Oppo player since the Oppo app (iOS or Android) will let you control and operate the unit

I see several Apps out there. Which one are you using?

I don't care about anything but viewing and selecting the music files or directories to play.
 
PC with Roon Core & Roon Remote with iPhone ---> AIFF files Streams WiFi to Netgear R7000 ---> 50 ft Cat6 network cable ---> Bryston BDP-2 ---> Curious USB cable ---> Bryston BDA-3 ---> Yamaha CA-1000 amplifier

I plan to shortcut Roon Core eventually and use the 1tb SSD onboard of my BDP-2 since there is a slight but noticeable decrease in SQ when streaming. But Roon is such a blessing for us audiophiles..
 

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Headphone setup:
Streaming from Plex server to my Note8, which I'm then casting to a Fire 7 tablet located two (2) feet away, but just out of reach for now. ;)
 
PC with Roon Core & Roon Remote with iPhone ---> AIFF files Streams WiFi to Netgear R7000 ---> 50 ft Cat6 network cable ---> Bryston BDP-2 ---> Curious USB cable ---> Bryston BDA-3 ---> Yamaha CA-1000 amplifier

I plan to shortcut Roon Core eventually and use the 1tb SSD onboard of my BDP-2 since there is a slight but noticeable decrease in SQ when streaming. But Roon is such a blessing for us audiophiles..

Okay, finally managed to upload all my digital library on the onboard SSD. I am now using Rigelian app to control the MPD of the BDP-2 directly. Now looks like that :

Rigelian app with iPhone (R7000 router with 50 ft lan cable for control only) ---> Bryston BDP-2 (AIFF files on internal SSD) ---> Curious USB cable ---> Bryston BDA-3 ---> Yamaha CA-1000 amplifier

Final step to this setup would be to install the Bryston WiFi dongle to cut the lan wire.
 
NAS === USB ===> CAPS 3 server === USB ===> Wyred for Sound reclocker === USB ===> McIntosh D100 === balanced XLR ===> McIntosh MX135
 
All my media is stored on a NAS in the garage, my 2x Win10 HTPC's have JRIVER installed and access directly from the NAS. I've found loading the full decoded file into memory works best. In each case I've a DAC connected to the HTPC via USB (Muji Studio DAC II & Gieseler GroB). Works wonderfully well for me.

If Linux were more reliable I'd use that though my experience is it sooner or later breaks itself
 
FiioX5 > coax out > Modi 3+ DAC > Loki+(mostly to tame that high 8kHz treble on my DT770's > Heresy AMP > headphones(3 diff ones) or preamp to Bose 700 Surround Speakers.
I am in heaven with this semi-portable setup. The sound checks 99% of all my "must have" boxes.
 
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