Music streamer device vs laptop/phone?

If it sounds great to you keep your money in your pocket. Yes a good streamer can make a difference but if you are happy avoid the expensive upgrade trap that most of us get caught in.

The combined streamer/DAC is pretty expensive, but if all you need is to move bits from the web to your integrated amp look at Roon.

I use a Raspberry Pi 4 as a streamer, and an old Linux box in a closet as the core/server component.

Best,

E

I use a phone and a dedicated streamer. Six of one half dozen the other. Whatever works best for you will sound fine. DACs can make a big difference ( I use external DACs always into my system) but even the DACs in newer smartphones are pretty good at least into a suited pair of easy to drive headphones, if running without a headphone amp.

The last time I went to an audio show was a few years ago so take this with a grain of salt: in every room that used a laptop as the source that I visited, I asked if the laptop was good enough and the answer each and every time was, yes.

That, and at a lot of the show reviews online that I see, they use a laptop and the reviewers had nothing but great things to say about the sound.

If it sounds great to you, then the only person you need to impress is already, impressed. 😄

All the best,
Nonoise

You could find yourself spiralling "out of control" once you start down the path of streaming devices - it really depends on how good you want it to sound - But that is what this hobby is all about - isn’t it?

The more affordable streaming devices like the Bluesound Node 2 will probably sound better than your laptop/phone/DAC combo right from the start - but it can also sound so much better if treated to some good power and interconnect cables - and this is where the spiralling starts.

But - what is your definition of streaming? just services like Spotify, Tidal?

For me - streaming is simply an infrastructure that allows me to play ALL digital content, whether it be...
- internet radio stations
- streaming services like Spotify, Tidal etc...
- Digital content from my NAS drive - I’ve ripped my CD library to the NAS
- Digital content from USB sticks from friends and my Android phone

So I wanted a single component that allow me to
- accomplish this with ease - i.e. setup, intuitive interface, infrastructure
- not be reliant on USB - with its various issues
- have great technical support,
- not be at the mercy of the latest OS updates,
- play resolutions up to 24/192
- have an intuitive multi platform user interface
- but most of all - sound fantastic

The Node 2 has lived up to my criteria.

I started by using a computer connected via USB to my Schiit Bifrost DAC and after a lot of cable tweaking, Still had to deal with OS upgrades, software upgrades, etc...

Making the transition to the Bluesound Node 2 that uses Ethernet for internet connectivity has been amazing.

Bluesound provides regular software and services updates and I'm yet to have one fail. The interface is intuitive to use and I have only had to call tech support once, but even then it was my router that was at fault.

But the bottom line here is really....
- if YOU are happy with your sound using the software/hardware you have available - then stick with it and don’t worry about other solutions.

Regards - Steve

Mini Mac & DAC.  Upgrading a DAC is easy.   I've used a computer & DAC since late last Century. Over the years, I have upgraded computers many times but only 3 DAC's.

After years of using a MacBook Pro to stream Tidal to my DAC and integrated, I recently switched to a Pro-Ject Stream Box Ultra 2.

The convenience of not having to dedicate or continually set up a laptop in my system is great, but for what it's worth, I think the MacBook sounded better... 

I recently bought a Mytek Brooklyn Bridge which is a streamer and a dac and have been using with Roon.  Sounds amazing, however, my friend recently plugged in his iphone via camera adaptor/usb into the bridge and playing amazon hd, was able to get 32/192 resolution.  Through roon/ethernet, I can get a max of 24/192.  In the book, mytek claims you can get up to a max 32/384 through a usb source and a max of 24/192 though the ethernet. 

I'm new to high end streaming too, but it seems I could have just bought a dac(like the brooklyn dac+)much cheaper and ran my phone into it for the ultimate resolution...Unless I'm missing something, stick with your "tethered" option if you want Hi Res, and go to a streamer if you want wireless interface and a "music hub" like roon.