Computer as a media player
Hello all My system is: Marantz Ki Pearl poweramp Marantz pm7004 preamp Marantz na7004 network audio player Marantz sa 7003 sacd player Paradigm Studio 100 spekers I have ripped all my cd´s to my computer in a WMA loosless format. I´m wondering if my computer is the weakest link of my system and if so what can i do to inproof it?My computer is rather old and nothing special.Do i need a new media/storage player?New soundcard to the computer
Via the network audio player
Your computer has no effect on the sound in that arrangement. Sometimes worth getting a better PC just for performance' sake, but not for the sake of improved audio.
Belated welcome to the forum, btw 
I would recommend you download a 30 day free trial of JRiver Media Centre through which you can play your music with no interference from the computer's internal workings/soundcard etc (i.e. bit perfect direct output to your Hi-Fi system) and you can also use it to store your movies, photos etc. There are other similar programmes for this of course but I have found this to be better than say iTunes in terms of features and a noticeable enough improvement in sound quality to make it worth buying.
Via the network audio player
Assuming it's a usb or network connection, then as John says, it's irrelevant. The sound card isn't even being used. You could take it out and put in a box and the music would still work.
Unless of course you are connecting via the headphone socket with a 3.5mm to twin RCA connector, in which case it wouldn't
I would recommend you download a 30 day free trial of JRiver Media Centre through which you can play your music with no interference from the computer's internal workings/soundcard etc (i.e. bit perfect direct output to your Hi-Fi system) and you can also use it to store your movies, photos etc. There are other similar programmes for this of course but I have found this to be better than say iTunes in terms of features and a noticeable enough improvement in sound quality to make it worth buying.
Why?
He's using a network music player.
I was just editing my post but it didn't work for some reason.
If the signal is direct and by-passes the sound card etc I agree there is no requirement but I would have thought that the external media center just works like a DAC with additional media display and functionality (i.e. does not in itself result in a direct signal to it unless the music files are stored on an external hard drive which it plays from and not on the computer itself).
I believe a direct (wired) connection (rather than network connection) would produce better results although possibly only marginal but even with a USB connection some USB outputs are not asynchronous and this can effect the quality of the playback.
I accept I may be wrong but this is what I would have thought would be the case.
It is usb conected
That to me is introducing a connection you don't really need. You;re using WMA so presume also using Windows Media Player. Fairly sure there's a setting in there called 'media sharing', which if you turn on, makes your PC a server which the NA7004 can access without wires (which is what it's for, really).
That to me is introducing a connection you don't really need. You;re using WMA so presume also using Windows Media Player. Fairly sure there's a setting in there called 'media sharing', which if you turn on, makes your PC a server which the NA7004 can access without wires (which is what it's for, really).
I don't *think* it has built-in Wifi?
No, you're right, so the OP would need to add a wireless access point or wire into the router if it's close by. he could use AirPlay with no extra hardware but would need to switch to iTunes and convert his WMAs to something else...
To be fair though, there's nothing wrong with USB
So in essence, the answer is simply "No, your computer is fine"
Phew, got there eventually. 
To be fair though, there's nothing wrong with USB
So in essence, the answer is simply "No, your computer is fine"
Agreed, I was just trying to reduce wires.
Hello all My system is: Marantz Ki Pearl poweramp Marantz pm7004 preamp Marantz na7004 network audio player Marantz sa 7003 sacd player Paradigm Studio 100 spekers I have ripped all my cd´s to my computer in a WMA loosless format. I´m wondering if my computer is the weakest link of my system and if so what can i do to inproof it?My computer is rather old and nothing special.Do i need a new media/storage player?New soundcard to the computer
How is the computer connected to your system?
“Out beyond ideas of wrong and right, there is a field.
I'll meet you there."