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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 3 responses by mrklas

mrklas
441 posts
 
I have set up a Bluesound Node 2i as my streamer and to connect to my NAS.  I am not the most technical person and was close to returning it because it didn't do 'as promised' from my perspective.

However, my dealer recommended contacting the support group for Bluesound and they have been awesome and provided feedback live responses as well as via email and they have sent follow-up emails on both my issues.  Dropping off the network and connecting to my NAS.

Network drops. recommended setting up a DHCP reservation this worked for me.  I did it for a few weeks then set up an ethernet connection because I could.

NAS integration.  Functionality is provided by directing the Node 2i to a shared folder and then it indexes the media.  After struggling with using the computer name I used the IP address based on guidance from Bluesound and this worked like a charm.

On connections I have used both toslink and digital coaxial and I couldn't hear a difference so I went with the short cable - my toslink that I bought from Blue Jean Cable. 
mrklas
441 posts
 
@gte357s 

My NAS is a Western Digital PR 2100.
mrklas
441 posts
 
@gte357s 
My set-up issues were directly related to me.  I decided to switch from wifi to ethernet to make it easier for remote 'trouble shooting'.

And now that my system is set-up correctly I wouldn't change a thing.  Also airplay is useful when entertaining....others can share music.
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