Bricasti Design M5 Network Player
The Bricasti M5 Network Player delivers low-noise digital playback with a wider, more dimensional soundstage, sharper transient attack, and richly resolved vocal and instrumental texture. Jerry Del Colliano found it a meaningful sonic step beyond mainstream streamers, while its AES/EBU connectivity, high-resolution support, and stellar aluminum build make it a serious endpoint for an accomplished external DAC.
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Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
95/100
Build Quality
95/100
Features Usability
86/100
Value for Money
84/100
Pros
Produces a wider soundstage, finer detail, deeper vocals, and more convincing instrumental texture than mainstream streamers.
Low-noise design and substantial power supply contribute to clearer transients, stronger bass attack, and an engaging, realistic presentation.
Exceptionally robust anodized-aluminum construction with premium fit and finish.
Offers valuable audiophile connectivity, including AES/EBU, plus 192 kHz PCM and DSD64/DSD128 support.
Cons
Requires third-party music-management software and separate hardware such as a Roon Core, computer, or server; there is no native operating system or control app.
The half-width chassis may not suit racks built around standard full-width components.
For current Bricasti DAC owners, the considerably cheaper internal network-card option may offer better value than the standalone M5.
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What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 95/100
The M5 was praised as a genuinely audible step beyond mainstream streamers, bringing wider staging, greater detail, stronger instrumental texture and more convincing vocal depth. Its improvements are described as incremental rather than transformative, but the reviewer repeatedly found the presentation more engaging, immediate and faithful to the recording.
Overall Sound
95/100
Across rock, pop and progressive recordings, the M5 was said to reveal a wider soundstage, more detail, deeper layered vocals and more emphatic guitar work. The reviewer found distorted guitar more realistic and engaging, bass attacks more forceful, and described the player as delivering the long-promised sonic advance over mainstream streaming hardware.
Digital Signal Integrity
94/100
The review characterizes the M5 as focused on exceptionally low noise and credits its substantial power supply as central to its performance. In listening, this translated into clearer detail and more snap and attack than competing mainstream servers, while its network-to-DAC role is described as passing files cleanly and painlessly.
FEATURES USABILITY PERFORMANCE 86/100
The M5 is a purpose-built network transport rather than an all-in-one streamer, relying on established third-party control software instead of a proprietary interface. Its connectivity is notably strong for a compact unit, particularly for systems that can benefit from AES/EBU output and high-resolution PCM or DSD playback.
Streaming Software
85/100
The M5 has no native operating system or control app, so daily use depends on third-party software such as Roon, JRiver or AudioNirvana. The reviewer used Roon successfully, and the support for these established music-management platforms gives owners flexibility, though it does not provide an integrated Bricasti software experience.
Features Connectivity
89/100
Wired Ethernet operation and AES/EBU output are particular strengths, with the latter identified as an output absent from popular alternatives including the Sonos Port and Bluesound Node. The player also supports 192 kHz PCM plus DSD64 and DSD128, and offers SPDIF, RCA, optional BNC and USB digital-output options.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
95/100
The reviewer calls the half-width M5 "built like a brick shithouse" and contrasts its feel favorably with the plasticky construction common among mainstream streamers. Its build quality is described directly as stellar, with no construction-related reservations raised.
Value for Money
84/100
At $2,500, the M5 is less persuasive for owners of current Bricasti DACs, since its functionality can be added through a $1,000 internal card; the reviewer explicitly calls the separate unit seemingly wasteful in that situation. For other DAC owners, the review presents a compelling sonic case, while also noting Bricasti's unusually strong resale retention among professional and audiophile buyers.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
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Specifications
- Finish
- Anodized Aluminum
- Input
- Wired Ethernet
- Output
- AES, standard SPDIF, RCA or optional 75 ohm BNC up to 192k PCM and DSD64. DSD64 & DSD128 as DoP with USB
- Supported Formats
- Over 100 different file types including: AAC, AIFF, ALAC, ATRAC, Au, AVI, Dolby Digital, DSDiff, DSF, DV, DVD, FLAC, FLV, IFF, M1V, M2T, M2V, M4A, M4V, Matroska, MJPEG, Monkey's Audio, MP1, MP2, MP3, MP4, MPC, Music Tracker files, Ogg, OpenMG, Opus, Quicktime, RealMedia & RealAudio, Sidplayer files, Speex, SWF, video game media files, W64, WAV, WMV & WMA, Xvid, 3GPP & 3GPP2
- Trigger In
- 250ma
- Trigger Out
- 12V
- Weight
- 5 lbs
- Shipping Weight
- 6 lbs
- Mains Voltage set at factory
- 100, 120, 220, 230, 240 VAC, 50 Hz - 60 Hz
Manufacturer's Description — Bricasti Design
The Bricasti Design
Model 5 Network Player
The Bricasti M5 network player is a network interface and media renderer that connects to your server via a local area network. With wide support for DLNA and other popular network protocols, the M5 delivers pristine lossless audio from your network to your Digital to analog converter; your music server can go anywhere you choose. The M5 connects to your LAN via Ethernet with SPDIF, AES outputs supporting sample rates up to 192k PCM, DSD 64 and DSD 128 over USB.
Play from anywhere
The M5 plays ethernet wired over your data network. In addition, audio listeners have become accustomed to having a computer server and additional storage drives directly in the listening environment. This can get messy with the added cables and power supplies that accompany them. With the M5 Network Player you can find new freedom from your server devices and place them anywhere on your network, away from your system.
Purity of sound
The M5 is a dedicated DLNA and Roon Ready audio media renderer. Simple, raw data is served to the M5 over the network from your NAS or server and only then does data become rendered as a real-time audio stream to its SPDIF, AES or USB outputs, connecting to your D/A like our M1SE to do its magic. Many computer servers play dual roles as archival systems and players but not when you have a dedicated player like the M5. With the M5 dedicated player the audio rendering is in the M5, and close to its D/A destination for a pure, noise free experience that we believe is exceptional.
A class unto itself
The M5 is built solid. The chassis is milled from solid aluminum with beautifully rounded corners all the way around. Inside the chassis lies the Bricasti media player and powered by the same linear power supply as found in the M1 digital to analog converter for superb low noise performance under the most demanding circumstances. The M5 takes the Network player experience to the next level, and no add-ons are needed with the M5, it comes complete.
Handcrafted in the USA
All of our products are crafted in the old world tradition, in a classic brick mill building in Massachusetts USA by a team of individuals dedicated to excellence.
Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for Bricasti Design M5 Network Player
- Akalın Muzik Ltd. — in-store — İstanbul, Turkey (website)
- Alma Music & Audio — online and in-store — San Diego, California, United States (website)
- Audio Archon — online and in-store — Libertyville, Illinois, United States (website)
- Audio Magic - EU — online and in-store — Wola, Województwo mazowieckie, Poland (website)
- AV Solutions - Italy — online and in-store — Aosta, Valle d'Aosta, Italy (website)
- East End Hi-Fi — online and in-store — Brookhaven, New York, United States (website)
- Erdal Stereo — in-store — Erdal, Vestland, Norway (website)
- Fat Cat Audio — United States (website)
- Fred's Sound Of Music AV — in-store — Portland, Oregon, United States (website)
- Jordan Acoustics — in-store — Christchurch, England, United Kingdom (website)
and 27 more verified dealers