Thanks for the recommendations; Chromecast audio was fie to start out with but I feel I can do better with my current setup.
Best steaming DAC with room correction
I'm looking to upgrade from my current streaming set up which is Google Chromecast audio feeding into a McIntosh 6700. My speakers are the Revel 228 Be. I listen to 100% streaming content; most Amazon HD. Budget is 5K or less. I really like Amazon HD over Tidal so that feature is a must. I also have a suboptimal living room set-up; hence the need for room correction. I was leaning towards the NAD 658. Thanks for any suggestions audiophiles!
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The miniDSP SHD is a streaming DAC/preamp with Dirac room correction. It also allows integrating subs. I have an SHD and can report that the streaming is reliable. It uses the Volumio streaming software, either with its own app or as a DLNA renderer. The NAD is less flexible, I believe, when it comes to adding a sub or subs. Also, it uses BluOS rather than DLNA. Many like BluOS; I have no experience with it so can’t comment (so obviously have not heard the NAD either). Definitely worth considering. The Anthem STR is a very nice DAC/preamp with ARC, Anthem’s room correction. For a few hundred more, one can add an Allo DigiOne SIgnature player to provide the streaming. I’ve built an Allo unit from their less expensive board and was highly impressed. That also would use Volumio, so either DLNA or Volumio’s app. I own an STR Preamp and like it a lot. The DSPeaker X4 also fits your budget and has gotten good reviews, I think. I hope that helps. Good luck! |
OH, almost forgot .... miniDSP now has streamer + Dirac Live units here: https://www.minidsp.com/products/streaming-hd-series/shd-series |
Sorry, a little mistaken. Anthem DOES have a preamplifier with built in DAC and ARC, but it does not appear to have streaming features built in. https://www.anthemav.com/products-current/type=pre-amp/model=str-pre-amplifier/page=overview Best, E |
What Anthem units are streaming DACs? As far as I am aware, there is only one product on the market that is a streaming DAC with room correction that ISN'T also an integrated amp, and that's the NAD C-658 you already mentioned. If you look at using an integrated amp, you get some additional possibilities. All of these have pre-outs for external amplification, if you don't want to use the in-built amps: NAD M10 NAD M33 Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 (over budget but can be had under $5k used) Arcam SA-30 Micromega M100 / M150 You could potentially count Devialet too with SAM, but that is speaker specific so you have to own a pair of speakers they have a profile built for. If you drop room correction from the list, more options open up (ELAC DDP-2, for example). |