BRYSTON has just announced the BDP-1USB, touted as the Canadian company’s “most affordable high-performance digital music player designed specifically for those customers using one of many popular USB external DACs available on the market.”
USB is this player’s raison d’être – you hook it up to external USB or NAS drives where it can manage up to 30,000 tracks from MP3 resolution and upwards.
To play these files back, you will of course need to connect the BDP-1USB to any USB DACs (it is compatible with asynchronous ones) – essentially, it is a USB-centric bridge (four USB ports are provided) between your audio files and playback system. A fast Ethernet connector is also provided
The lack of a premium-grade sound card on board allows Bryston to sell this for US$1,795, significantly cheaper than the flagship BDP-2 player.
“Our digital music players have been tremendously successful for us globally, and with the increased prevalence of USB DACs available in a wide range of prices, the BDP-1USB opens the door for music lovers seeking Bryston performance and build quality in an affordable package,” said Bryston CEO Chris Russell.
“Of course, we suggest that consumers consider the Bryston BDA-2 DAC – audio writers and reviewers agree that the Bryston BDA-2 is one of the very finest DACs available on the market today but the BDP-1USB can also be the foundation of an amazing multifaceted sound system,” Russell added.
The unit uses a noiseless linear power supply isolated from the digital audio path and AC power circuits.
Features include UPnP compatibility, Squeezebox® emulation and DoP (DSD over PCM), while the firmware is easily accessible from most web browsers. Control is via Apple or Android phones and tablets with a Bryston interface or several third-party apps.
The BDP-1USB ships from Oct 1.
