Moving from Analog to Digital

I’ve recently used a Bluesound Node 2 as a Roon endpoint to play music ripped to a Qnap NAS via the Node 2 S/PDIF output into a DAC/integrated amp and found it on a par with very satisfying CDP and CDT/DAC sources I’d used in years past. I could easily live with the setup and keep my Node 2 as a backup for that functionality.

+1 on the Bluesound Node 2. I will add the customer service for technical issues is top notch.

Over the years I've owned several systems anchored by NAD electronics.  The last NAD equipment was their "Masters Series" components.  Though I loved the sound of their equipment, most of the pieces I've owned needed to be repaired.

I always lusted after McIntosh equipment, love their amps and preamps (and integrateds as well), find their digital is very good, but not the best.

After I got the last kid thru college, went on a journey of upgrades to a system with a McIntosh amp and preamp, and PS Audio for the digital.  I think I've died and gone to heaven.

Here's the equipment I have now...don't have the "hots" to upgrade:

McIntosh C2500 pre amp, MC452 power amp, Autonomic MMS-5A server, PS Audio P10 power plant, DirectStream DAC, DirectStream CD transport, Focal Sopra No2 speakers, JL Audio F113V2 sub woofers (2), Sennheiser HD800 headphones, Dell laptop iTunes/Tidal/Roon, Wireworld cabling

I started my stereo journey in 1969 in Vietnam of all places.  I bought a Pioneer "record player" which turned out to be a turntable but I had no amp to play it with.  I shipped it home.

In the 70's, I was all Pioneer.  In the 80's, I purchased most of my current analog gear - minus the Mac equipment.  I have a Pioneer SPEC-4 power amp, Soundcraftsman SP-4001 equalizer/preamp, Techniques SL-1600MKII turntable, Pioneer PL-1000 turntable, Rodec Mixer, original Bose 901 speakers, dbx 3BX range expander, Teac X10-R reel-to-reel, dbx 224 noise reduction unit, Teac cassette deck, w/ another dbx 224.  I was in analog stereo heaven for a long time. 

Around 2005, I got an unbelievable deal on the Mac gear and a pair of DCM TimeWindow 3 speakers.  The MC2600 pushes them quite well.  For whole house stereo, I bought 3 NAD 7140 receivers, a pair of JBL Century L100 studio monitors, Boston Acoustic, Polk speakers, and AudioEngine powered bookshelf speakers.  I used AudioEngine W3 transmitter/receivers, 2 Squeezebox Duets w/ Logitech Media Server  to connect it all together.  Everything worked great.  

Fast forward to today.  I got tired of walking around a 3 story house turning amps on an off, so I decided to go with wireless speakers where before I had NAD amps.  I ended up buying a Riva WAND Festival speaker (family room), and 3 Riva WAND Arena speakers for other rooms.  The sound coming from those little speakers is awesome considering their size.  They blow Sonos away.  I still use Logitech Media Server and with a plug-in I'm able to emulate the AirPlay enabled Riva speakers as Squeezeboxes.  Everything works great.

I gave my Bose 901's, JBL Century L100, and Boston Acoustic speakers w/ NAD receivers; and the Pioneer PL-1000 turntable to family members.

I just turned 70 and have decided to finally retire for good.  So, I'm building a music listening room.  Hence the purchase of the M12 and M22 v2, and a pair of Tannoy DC‑8Ti speakers.  Streaming Tidal masters via the BluOS 2 module has given me a totally different perspective on music fidelity.  All I can say is Wow!! 

I can also stream Tidal via the Squeezebox (coaxial cable) but the sampling rate is only CD quality; it sounds really good, but not as good as the BluOS 2 module. I'm using my Mac CD changer via coaxial cable and it sounds really good.  Even my 35 year old Techniques turntable sounds really good.  Forgive the long post, but with my new toys, I'm like a kid in a candy store.  

I plan to complete my listening room by the end of the year.  My next step is acoustic room treatment - floor carpet, wall panels and bass traps.  And then furniture - shelves or something to store my 1200 vinyl albums and comfortable seats for me and the wife, and a few other things.  Eventually, I'll buy some better headphones, a dedicated laptop so I can stop moving my current one around, and the NAD 50.2 digital music player.

Lord willing, I'll be around for quite a few more years.  Now I just want to enjoy the fruits of my labor :-).