Need help on buying a streamer / network player


Please help me to pick the right streamer.

I am currently streaming wirelessly from a NAS to a Windows laptop, and play using Foobar2000, digital (USB) out to a DAC.  There are some intermittent "interruptions" while playing.  I think that is caused by Foobar because the computer is fairly new, a powerful one and not running anything.  Also, I can't setup Foobar such that I can create smart playlist based on my rating, part of the reason is I play FLAC files with separate cue sheets.  Thirdly, I can free up the laptop for somethign else.  So, I am thinking to get a streamer, but I have some specific requirements:

1) There is no ethernet cable.  So, need to discover and stream music from the NAS wirelessly, and I can control it using my phone or tablet wirelessly.  If I buy a server and move all my music, than I don't need wireless for streaming, but I still need wireless to control it.
2) Can handle cue sheets.  I can split them up by track, but then it is (a lot of) additional work.  But if I can't find one, this may be one of the requirement to be dropped.
3) When I compare Foobar to Groove, I like Foobar better.  So, I hope the player in the streamer sound as good, if not better, than Foobar.
4) Stable.  No intermittent interruptions or drop out.  I read some comment for the Bluesound Note 2i that it sometimes failed to connect to NAS wirelessly.  Same thing happened on my Windows computer, sometimes the NAS drive disappear.  
5) <$1000 
6) I don't need a DAC, but it seems most of them has it.
7) I don't need multi room support

I am surprised many doesn't support wireless.  I gather the list below, and would like any feedback on them about stability.

1) Yamaha WXC-50
2) Bluesound Note 2i 
3) Primare NP5 Prisma
4) DenonDNP-800NE
5) find another software on the computer

Especially, I am interested to know CUE support, stability, and sound quality.
I know the Bluesound is widely recommended, but I read the audioscience testing saying that the Toslink is having some problem.  It also doesn't support CUE sheets.

Buying a streamer or network player is much harder than I thought.  =(
gte357s

Showing 11 responses by gte357s

@mrklas thanks for sharing, this is exactly what I worry about.  I don’t want to go through this hassle.  It seems a big part is looking up and connecting to NAS.  Having a server will avoid this problem.  If all the music is in the same box, then the remaining possible glitch is the player which is another software.
@lalitk i read good reviews on the Zen mini III.  And I think it supports CUE.  It is a server which avoids the possible glitches connecting to a NAS.  The only shortcoming is no wireless.  Actually, I have an Ethernet cable but it is used by my TV box.  Maybe a simple solution is to buy a Ethernet hub.  How come I haven’t thought about this before!
The Bluesound Vault in the other hand has wireless but doesn’t support CUE.  

From reviews, it seems the Zen has a better sound?  Is the interface to organize the songs easy to use?  I would like to have a smart playlist based on ratings.  And as a nice to have, it can gather data and auto adjust volume of each song.  Foobar has this, but it seems this is the reason causing the intermittent drop out while updating the database so I remove it.
@mahler123 it seems a third option is to buy something like a Mac mini + Audirvana.  It is cheaper.  The Mac mini provides more function.  But theoretically doesn’t sound as good.
BTW, on that route, how about Apple TV or something similar?  Can I install apps like Audirvana on Apple TV?
So, for sound quality, is there a significant advantage using a dedicated music server over a computer?  I think in theory, the main difference is the hardware, where a dedicated music server remove all unnecessary stuff that may degrade the sound quality.  The player also make a difference.  When I compare Foobar vs Groove, at the beginning, I like Groove more thinking it gives a warmer sound.  After more listening, I realize it also not as detailed and switch back to Foobar.  Given a computer, I can try different player.  But for a music streamer, I am stuck with what comes with it, and it is hard to compare which one is better.  These are the trade offs, I feel.
@knownothing Roon seems need a monthly subscriber fee, or $700 for a life time license.  Since I don’t need multi room control, it seems it is more than what I need.  Do they have a simple player?

i will look into JRiver.  As well as the Audirvana suggested earlier.  Thanks.

for now, I think I will avoid the streamer route except using a computer.  I am worried about technical challenges on playing music from the NAS.

i think my two preferred options are:
1) computer + app other than Foobar
2) music server

i just found out a Mac mini is as expensive.  
I found a Naim Unitiserve and a Bluesound Vault 2 (not 2i) in the used market in Canada.  Both are “servers” with internal storage, so, I don’t need to worry about connecting to a NAS.  Which one is better?  The Naim is more expensive at retail, but it is also older.  Since we are dealing with computer technology here, a couple years old may make a big difference.  Any comment on which one is better?
Actually, on a second thought, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to have a music server since I already have a NAS.  If I opt for a streamer, it seems I can save $500-$600.  And I am thinking, if I use a Ethernet cable, will it be ok streaming off the NAS?

@mrklas, when you have those trouble in the setup, are you connecting using Ethernet cable or wi-fi?  
 @mahler123  A Mac mini doesn’t have a screen, what do you use to set up the playlist and play music?  Is there an amp that can be installed on iPhone or iPad to do that?  Or you need to hook it up to a monitor?
@gelle i think $700 is too expensive.  I only need a simple player that allows me to browse songs, set up playlist, and play/stop/pause/skip .... etc.
Thanks for all the reply.  I decided to give the used Naim Unitiserve a try.  For similar amount of money, I can buy a Bluesound Vault 2.  The Vault 2 is a 3-year newer product than the Naim, but I hope the Naim has better quality parts and produce better sound.  However, it is the SSD version with only 16 GB of internal memory.  I guess this is because SSD is still new and expensive at that time (7 years ago).  I will try to connect to my NAS.  If that doesn’t work, it can take USB drives as input.  My library is not big, only 76GB.  I can buy a 1 TB drive and attached to it.  In fact, I can attach USB drive for Bluesound Node 2i, but maybe because it is quite new, the used price is not much cheaper than this Naim.  I think it is worthwhile to pay more just to get the CD ripper.

Anyway, hopefully everything works.  Once again thanks for sharing the knowledge and experience.  I will update back on how it goes.