If you had to pick a laptop or mini-PC, which one?

@sar67

Plug your usb into a computer or laptop. From there if there is an analog out (like a headphone jack) use that to your stereo.  If no analog out then use USB to an external DAC then to your stereo.

I'm using a dedicated Dell laptop to host my FLAC files and for streaming. Playing through Audirvana software.  Then USB to an Ayre Codex DAC. Then to my Amp.  

I just ordered the Dell Inspiron 5000.  $600.  Thanks for the help!

Now looking for a USB reclocker to add to it.  

Also considering Audiophile Optimizer and Fidelizer.  

Never noticed any problems. Just wanted confirmation I’m not missing something.

What do you use to avoid Windows audio mixer?

@djones51 - That SanDisk card is sweet! An excellent solution. I assume the throughput would be adequate...

I see there's a 14" model too. This might just be the ticket!

Cheaper than a dedicated streamer and able to do more.  The only downside is having to use Voicemeeter Banana to avoid the Windows Audio Mixer when using apps like Deezer than can't use Wasapi.  

Do you think an i3 with only 8GB of ram is enough? Also, I have about 100GB of FLACs.  I could connect an external drive but that would take away one of the few USB ports.  Hmmm.

Doing more research and I'm reading some people saying that laptop sound can't compete with a dedicated streamer/network player.  I don't understand how this could be - they're all computers, right?  

@erik_squires - I like the idea of a Linux system but I'm not a fan of Roon.  If it could play all of the other services including Audirvana and Deezer, I'd be on board for that. 

@erik_squires - I was using a Raspberry Pi 4 for a while but I couldn't do Deezer or Amazon HD without using Squeezebox and that just didn't look ideal.  

@gdnrbob -
>I'll try changing the USB cable. 
>No problems with optical but optical isn't coming from the laptop. No optical out to test on the laptop.
>Don't think it's a router issue because it happens when I play local files.  

I'm going to try going back to Windows 8.1.  This is an old computer and it might be having issues with Win10 (I hope that's it!).

@lalitk 
- I had the Node 2i.  Liked it but I like being able to play just about any service and Deezer functionality was limited on the Node 2i (no thumbs up/down).
- Just about every streamer I look at is missing something I want (like a service, Deezer especially).

@djones51 - Only streaming and playing local FLACs.  That's it. 

A lot of these new laptops don't have a USB port. What the !?!?

@djones51 - Yep. That makes sense.  If I can't get it to behave with Win8 that's what I'm going to do.  Bummer that laptops don't have SPDIF or Toslink outs.... :-) 

@fuzztone - I'm not sure a streamer will "blow away" any computer sound.  Where's the evidence of that? I didn't notice any difference with the Node 2i.  

Ayre Codex.

I was thinking of the  UpTone Audio ISO REGEN because it does a few things.