Need suggestions for streaming files to my stereo


Hello everyone. I'm looking for a way to stream files (AAC, ALAC, FLAC) to my home stereo. The files are on my PC laptop, or on iTunes on my iPhone etc. I pretty much exhausted my budget on my power amp and speakers so Im looking for the best budget pieces I can afford to get the music flowing for now. I currently have Kef ks50s, a Red Dragon S500, a SMSL Sanskrit, and a Google Chromecast Audio.   I'll likely pick up a Schiit SYS preamp. 

With this current setup I can only pretty much stream Pamdora, since Itunes won't work with the CCA.   It's looking like the lowest cost option available is to use different software to handle the music files such as JRiver, or PowerDVD Ultra, but I'm unsure if this is the best way?  Any other ideas, software, hardware etc?  I have an insanely low budget of around $200 left to buy the rest, let's see what you guys can think of. 
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Showing 2 responses by thunder240

OP,


Please don’t feel that in order to get “audiophile” quality sound you need to spend $500+ on a Bluesound Node or Aurelic Aires Mini. These are great devices, but they are more than twice the budget you stated of 200. People on forums such as this have a nasty habit of ignoring budget and simply recommending one of the devices they have experience with and like, or worse, something they’ve read about and which is well reviewed. (In the case of the latter, all they are doing is serving as an echo chamber.)


There are three functions you need fulfilled by one or more products


1. Software that can stream your music from your devices (PC and mobile device) to your network, in other words server software 

2. Hardware that can receive your streaming music from your network and turn it into PCM signal, either TOSLINK, SPIDF, or USB

3. Software that you can use to control what you play (you will need this on both your PC and your mobile device


You may already have 2 in the form of your chromecast. I’ve never used chromecast myself, so I can’t advise you what server and playback software are compatible, but I’m sure you can research this.

Airplay is a viable option, assuming you are running software on your PC that supports it, but as far as I know, the only software that does is iTunes. Also, the Airport Express, which performs function 2, only offers TOSLINK out. If that works for you, great. From a SQ perspective, Airplay can be improved upon. It relies on your playback devices (PC / mobile) to decode the music files to PCM, and streams the PCM. So a spike in network activity can cause your music to freeze. Also, jitter is quite high.


If chromecast and Airplay  also won’t work for one reason or another (e.g. it isn’t compatible with your DAC, or you want to stream hi-res tracks and it only supports resolutions up to 48k/16), or you better sound quality, then I suggest you check out what can be done with DNLA / UPnP. Tons of devices support these protocols, some of which you might have lying around without realizing! e.g. almost every network DVD player made in the last 5 years can be used as a DNLA / UPnP streamer. And there is plenty of free or very cheap software that can perform functions 1 and 3 available for Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS. If you don't already have a DNLA / UPnP device on hand, then for well under 200 you can build an audiophile grade DNLA / UPnP streaming device using a Raspberry Pi, which I'll describe in a moment.


For function 1, options include JRiver, Kodi, Plex, anything from this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_UPnP_AV_media_servers_and_clients 


For function 3, JRiver and Kodi both can perform this as well, and both have their own remote clients for mobile devices. I happen to like 8 Player for iOS. There are tons of other free options, so try out several and pick the one with the functionality and interface that you like.


For function 2, if you want to build a dedicated DNLA / UPnP streamer using a Pi, start by picking up a Raspberry Pi 3B, and get an 8 or 16 GB microSD card and install your audio playback OS of choice (free options include Moode and Volumnio, JRiver and Roon both make software that costs money). Also buy a power supply (you can go cheap switching supply or expensive linear power supply) and Hifiberry Digi+ or Digi+ Pro (to obtain PCM output over TOSLINK or SPIDF — otherwise the Raspberry Pi can already already give you USB output), and finally a case that is sized for the RPi together with the Hifiberry (HifiBerry makes some of there own, but there are others, or you can improvise. If you plan to connect the Raspberry Pi to a wireless network, be sure to use a plastic case, since a metal case could degrade your signal. If using wired ethernet, then you have no such problem. The solution I just described costs less than 100 and will give you sound quality that will rival and possibly exceed the Bluesound and Aurelic Aires Mini. 


If you decide to go with the Bluesound or Aurelic, you are getting good products that will provide you with reliable streaming playback. Without a doubt, the biggest issue with the DNLA / UPnP improvised approach that I described is that it isn’t a commercially built and debugged all-in-one solution. There will be times when your server software crashes, or when your RPi freezes, or whatever, and your improvised solution needs a full reset. 


Goodluck!


Apologies if my description made the Pi solution sound intimidating. Here are the parts you need if you go this route and want to use a Hifiberry Digi+ to connect the Pi to your stereo's DAC using either TOSLINK or SPIDF.

- Raspberry Pi 3B (other versions may work, but depending on the version, you could lack sufficient processing power to stream 192/24, or you may lack desired network capabilities, etc. With the 3B, you will have no trouble)

- A 5V DC power supply with a micro-USB connector that supplies at least 2A of current (I use the iFi Power 5V version, which includes a micro-USB tip)

- Hifiberry Digi+ or Digi+ Pro (it will come with all of the small parts necessary to connect the Hifiberry board to the Pi -- no need to buy any others assuming you use one of their enclosures). 

- An enclosure for your Pi/Hifiberry device (Hifiberry makes several that are sized properly, https://www.hifiberry.com/shop/ , although the cases can also be purchased from other sellers, including Amazon I believe)

- A micro-SD card, which you will use to install an operating system on your Pi (the OS will be used to play music). The RPi 3B has a micro-SD slot, so once the OS is installed on the card, you will insert it into the slot and simply leave it there.

The hardest part will be installing the OS on your micro-SD card. Follow these instructions:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/installation/installing-images/

If you have decided to get a Hifiberry board in order to add TOSLINK/SPIDF outs, be sure to choose an OS that supports it. I know that Moode and Roon both support it. I can't say for sure whether other OSes support. 

If you go with Moode, here is documentation to configure it to work with the Hifiberry once it has been installed on an SD card.
https://www.hifiberry.com/build/documentation/moodeaudio-installation-and-configuration/
Be advised, however, that this documentation makes no mention of configuring the RPi to work on your network. My advice is after completing Step 8, wait a few minutes for your Pi to reboot and then return to Steps 4 and 5. This time, Instead of clicking "Audio" (step 6), click "Network" and make the necessary changes so that the Pi connects properly to your network. At this time you can also disable unnecessary components (e.g. Bluetooth adapter, wireless network adapter if you are connected with ethernet cable)

I hope I demystified this solution somewhat. Again, good luck!

Lastly, @prpixel is absolutely correct that there are also many other small kits available that can serve the same function as the Pi, if this still sounds intimidating.