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- Thread starter Henry_L
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Hi
Could you clarify your question?
If I understood it correctly, you'd like to find a DAC/headphone amp with a mass storage compatible USB port. Or, instead, you'd only look for a DAC with that function because - maybe - you already have an headphone system?
In the former case, the only thing that pops to my mind is the Naim Uniti Atom HE, favorably reviewed on Stereophile (https://www.stereophile.com/content...m-headphone-edition-focal-clear-mg-headphones) yet quite pricey.
In the latter case, instead, you could consider the Bluesound Node upstream of your existing system. I own its previous version (Node 2i) and I'm very happy with that. It has a USB port to which you could connect your HDD or - as I do - you could network-share your HDD connecting it to your router and ethernet-connect the Node to the router or use its WiFi input. The Node has a headphone output too, but, IMHO, it is not decent enough, so I'd either use its coaxial output to connect to a DAC/amp or use its line out to connect to an analog headphone amp.
Another option, if you had a DAC/amp with USB input only, could be getting a Raspberry Pi to bridge between your HDD and your DAC/amp. I've never tried it and I'm afraid it could be quite distant from being plug & play, but it would also cost just few bucks.
Hi Henry and welcome!
Could you clarify your question?
If I understood it correctly, you'd like to find a DAC/headphone amp with a mass storage compatible USB port. Or, instead, you'd only look for a DAC with that function because - maybe - you already have an headphone system?
In the former case, the only thing that pops to my mind is the Naim Uniti Atom HE, favorably reviewed on Stereophile (https://www.stereophile.com/content...m-headphone-edition-focal-clear-mg-headphones) yet quite pricey.
In the latter case, instead, you could consider the Bluesound Node upstream of your existing system. I own its previous version (Node 2i) and I'm very happy with that. It has a USB port to which you could connect your HDD or - as I do - you could network-share your HDD connecting it to your router and ethernet-connect the Node to the router or use its WiFi input. The Node has a headphone output too, but, IMHO, it is not decent enough, so I'd either use its coaxial output to connect to a DAC/amp or use its line out to connect to an analog headphone amp.
Another option, if you had a DAC/amp with USB input only, could be getting a Raspberry Pi to bridge between your HDD and your DAC/amp. I've never tried it and I'm afraid it could be quite distant from being plug & play, but it would also cost just few bucks.
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