Hopefully the greater experience of this group of audio enthusiasts can expand the range of options...
Single-unit streamer/pre-amp minimum requirements:
- Streamer: stand-alone, NAS (FLAC and others), AmazonHD and native MQA
- Connectivity: Wifi, Ethernet, Bluetooth aptX-HD
- Pre-amp: for input selection and volume control
- Inputs: coax SPDIF (for DVD-player), RCA (for other analog sources)
- Outputs: coax SPDIF (for connection to input of miniDSP nanoDIGI)
- Wireless remote
- Front-panel display
- PC/Android app control
Bonus for the following:
- Amplifier built-in (example: NAD M32)
- Phono input (example: NAD M32)
- Sub output(s) (example: NAD M32)
- Shows album art on front display (example: NAD M10/M33/M50.2)
- Balanced XLR in/outputs
- HDMI in/outputs (example: NAD M32 w/HDMI-2 MDC module)
- Roon endpoint capability (example: NAD M32/M50.2)
Examples that don’t meet requirements and why:
- Bluesound Node2i: missing coax SPDIF input
- NAD C388 w/BluOS2i: missing coax SPDIF output <-- what I have now (no coax output)
- NAD M10 and M33: missing coax SPDIF output
- Denon DNP-800NE: missing coax SPDIF output
- Denon DRA-800H: missing coax SPDIF output
- Marantx ND-8006: missing RCA input
- Anything that doesn’t have AmazonHD integration
- Anything that uses non-commercialized software, like Volumio-based things (ex: miniDSP SHD)
Examples that meet requirements:
- NAD M50.2: streamer/NAS/pre-amp
- NAD M32 w/BluOS: streamer/integrated
What other units fit these requirements?
