CD players with USB inputs and their ability to play FLAC or other Hi-Res files

[psylocyber]

Hey,
I hope this is the right spot to post. I'm surprised that CD players, or perhaps "Optical drives" don't merit at least a sub-catagory on this forum.

I am considering buying a Yamaha s-303 CD player with USB input. For many years I have wanted a way to play Hi-Res digital files on my home stereo. Now everybody does streaming and I am considering a streamer with USB input, but I'd rather have a CD player because even tho' I'm subscribed (for free) at the moment, I won't always be. But while I am I will be downloading onto CD's and USB sticks. (Well to my hard drive first). I like CD;s and USB sticks because I drive a lot and like to take it with me and I hate phones.

What I find amazing about this Yamaha, and what's missing in every other player I've looked at under $1500 (which admittedly is not very many, mostly Crutchfield and Amazon):
Supposedly, it can play FLAC files, not only from it's USB port, but also from the CD. Does anyone else know of a comparable CD player (old or new) that does that?
Because I've also read mixed reviews on the s-303's musicality. Nothing really negative, but nothing overwhelmingly positive either. One of the main reasons I want another CD player is they are one of the few devices that occasionally offer a USB input for digital files. I'm perplexed at why CD players that can decode FLAC from the USB, can't decode FLAC from the CD. Isn't it decoded in the dac?

Also, at this point in time, why aren't all CD players also DVD players by default? All DVD players can play CDs, right? Why not just call them Optical Drives and be able to play either?
Thanks

 

[YY1]

I can partially answer the second part.

CD does not need the overhead of video decoding and indexing.

If you've ever played a CD on a DVD player, you'll notice a significant lag between the time the disc is inserted and the time it's ready to play, and even between the time you press play and the time it actually starts playing and if you skip tracks. Each time you do that the DVD player needs to figure out what media is being accessed and what operations need to be performed (like decoding surround sound). You may even need to navigate a menu or series of menus before being able to do so.

A dedicated CD player OTOH, is a much simpler device.
Load disc.
Press play.
Under 10 seconds.

 

[ET16]

This Marantz seems to have a USB input:

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

 

[swechsler]

Also, at this point in time, why aren't all CD players also DVD players by default? All DVD players can play CDs, right? Why not just call them Optical Drives and be able to play either?

A dedicated CD player OTOH, is a much simpler device.

In theory. In practice, it's my understanding that modern CD players are actually computer based as well, which is why it can be difficult to find a modern CD player that can do gapless playback - they play each track separately, rather than playing the entire disk as a single stream like older players did.

But there are other reasons: DVD is pretty much dead as a media format. DVDs need a different laser than that of a CD. And of course there's the necessity of all the video processing circuitry. On the other hand, this makes used DVD players practically free.

As far as storing FLAC files on a CD, I personally wouldn't consider that to be a great feature; while you do get more tracks per disk than you would with uncompressed audio, it's still not a huge amount vs even a 32GB USB drive. Plus there's the hassle of burning disks vs. just copying to USB.

 

[Vlad Soare]

This Marantz seems to have a USB input:

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

I was going to suggest the same, but then took a look at the manual. While it does support many audio file formats (including FLAC) when using the USB input, on data CDs it only accepts MP3 and WMA. As I understand, the OP wants to play FLAC files from a CD. The Marantz won't do that.

 

[psylocyber]

I was going to suggest the same, but then took a look at the manual. While it does support many audio file formats (including FLAC) when using the USB input, on data CDs it only accepts MP3 and WMA. As I understand, the OP wants to play FLAC files from a CD. The Marantz won't do that.

Hey,
Yeah, thanks to ET16 also, that is one of the ones that I was looking at. Thank you for that link. That's a great price even tho' it's reconditioned.
That's the part I don't understand. If it can decode FLAC and all those other Hi-Res files from USB, why can't it decode the same from CD?
Doesn't it happen in the DAC?
Thanks

 

[Vlad Soare]

That's a good point.
The decoding of the files certainly happens before the DAC, because it can play them via optical or coaxial S/PDIF as well. My guess is that the CD transport and the USB unit do their own interpretation of the files (i.e. extracting and uncompressing the PCM stream out of them), rather than just blindly retrieve the raw data and then send it to a separate unit for interpretation. And the CD transport is probably more limited in this area than the USB unit is.

 

[psylocyber]

I can partially answer the second part.

CD does not need the overhead of video decoding and indexing.

If you've ever played a CD on a DVD player, you'll notice a significant lag between the time the disc is inserted and the time it's ready to play, and even between the time you press play and the time it actually starts playing and if you skip tracks. Each time you do that the DVD player needs to figure out what media is being accessed and what operations need to be performed (like decoding surround sound). You may even need to navigate a menu or series of menus before being able to do so.

A dedicated CD player OTOH, is a much simpler device.
Load disc.
Press play.
Under 10 seconds.

Yes, thanks to you and swechsler .
I wasn't really thinking about the video decoding because I'm not much into that. I was just selfishly thinking about how much better it would be to be able to put those big audio files on a DVD rather than a CD. And I knew they had different lasers but I figured if the DVD laser could read the CD, we'd be all set.

Anyway, another way I could go is this: SMSL PL200. It's supposed to be a "Super Great" CD player and DAC (going strictly by measured parameters. I like this site link included below). I don't know if anyone has heard much about these. Supposedly fantastic measurements. A little above the price I was going for but they have a PL200T that is more of a transport and is $170 less. But I don't understand what that means exactly. It still has a DAC I think, it just seems like it has different outputs.

SMSL PL200 Review (CD Player)

Hello Everyone, This is a review and detailed measurements of the SMSL PL200 CD Player and Transport. It was kindly sent to me by Aoshidaudio.com. SMSL PL200 - Presentation Released in 2023 and hosting an AK4499EX, this full aluminum CD player intends to be a high-end one. There a...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I hope this link posts ok.
edit: It didn't look like that when I posted it, sorry if it's improper.

And thanks to everybody that answered, always appreciate it.

 

[psylocyber]

I just want to add, to be honest, I don't really understand a lot of those measurements and charts. I'm just taking that guys word for it that they are really good. It's also one of the reasons I started to have doubts about the yamaha S-303. It supposedly has a high noise floor (which I do understand) although he says he can't hear it. This is often true when you get too deep in the measurements and forget that (most) humans can't always hear the difference.

 

[SLTHORP]

I had a Yamaha CD-S300 CD player which was fairly good for the price, but like the OP I wanted to be able to play files from a USB port, and I too looked at the CD-S303 because it had a USB port. In the end I purchased and refurbished a vintage Kenwood DP-1001 for CD's and a purchased a new JBL MP-350 streamer with a USB port to play WAV copies of my vinyl and CD collection. Now I seldom play a CD or spin vinyl, most of the time I listen from the JBL streamer, sometimes I stream and sometimes I play from a USB flash drive. The JBL is connected to a Schiit Gungnir 2, to a vintage fully restored Kenwood KA-7100, to Infinity Reference Six's, it sounds good to me and I am not looking for any upgrades to my system.