# NAS vs USB Thumbdrive

**URL:** <https://forum.psaudio.com/t/nas-vs-usb-thumbdrive/10439>\
**Category:** Network Audio\
**Created:** [April 19, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/nas-vs-usb-thumbdrive/10439 "2019-04-19T15:13:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@silo](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/silo)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/nas-vs-usb-thumbdrive/10439/1 "2019-04-19T15:13:57Z")

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So after reading Paul’s comment on CD transport, I decided to try USB drive into  
the DMP. I have a NAS connect through the Bridge into my DSj, it’s convenient  
but it’s not better than a physical disc. I listen to SACDs a lot and I have a lot of  
DSF files. I copied one album onto a 4GB USB drive, it took up 2.79GB. Plugged  
it into the DMP, no issue reading and even track titles were displayed. But it  
sounded much much better than the NAS. Quieter, more musical. I will try and  
compare USB drive vs SACD later, wonder which one will win.  
BTW, I use I2S between DMP and DSj

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**Author:** ![rajugsw](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/rajugsw/32/16086_2.png) [@rajugsw](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/rajugsw)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2019, 11:03pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/nas-vs-usb-thumbdrive/10439/2 "2019-04-19T23:03:00Z")

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On my “Budget” setup (PS Audio Stellar Stack with Sony true DSD playback (via UBP-X1000ES & STR-DN1080). I too notice a difference when streaming local files via the Stellar DAC/Preamp. I believe the fault in my system lies within the USB chain and my Music Server/HTPC’s Motherboard not my SGCD/Preamp. However I cannot discern any difference between DSD playback of an SACD versus it’s counterpart 2.8MHz .dff file.

I don’t play any DSD files via my PC’s USB link and all my 16Bit/44.1kHz PCM file (and 320mbps files/sometime 128AAC (ugh) are streamed (cast) from the PC to the Sony X1000 then played back throught the SGCD via a standard quad shield RG-6 cable. For CD’s and their equivalent FLAC/WAV files. This gives me the best results for those formats in my current rig.

There is a method to the madness.