Newbie needs Streamer Advise


Hi , I am relatively new to digital streaming and Hi Fi too, for that matter . So I have assembled a modest system and wish to replace my old Windows 7 laptop as my source .                                         My system is currently the following . Laptop with a Cardas Clear USB. Musical Fidelity’s M1CDT transport, A Schiit Yiggy , Rogue RP1 preamp , Dennis Had Inspire SEP amp. Zu Omens , Klipsch RF sub , Monster HTS 1600 Power center . All my tubes are high quality NOS and some new production power tubes.  My Interconnects are unbalanced Morrow MA5, CD has a Morrow Digital Coax , speaker cables are Anti - Cables Level 3. Power cables are Silnote Poseidon and an Analysis digital power cord on the Yiggy .                                       The Klipsch sub and the Monster power center are next up to be replaced . I’m running low power (12 wpc ) and the sub is straight into the wall socket . Right now I have no issues with grounding, noise or amp being underpowered .                                So back to streaming . I’m using Tidal and I am happy with their service. I have fast internet . I am however limited to WI FI for my Connection . I’m considering products like an Aurilic Mini or a Bluenode2 . I want to replace the laptop with something that I could control from an IPhone or IPad . I’m also interested in any experience with Amarro or some of the other services. I would like to budget at $1k as it’s a new venture for me .                           So please chime in and don’t forget to DUMMY DOWN your vocabulary for this neophyte.            Respectfully, Mike B. 
buellrider97

Showing 1 response by uberwaltz

I am going to assume that the sq from the node 2 is similar to the vault 2 which i have owned for over a year now and still feel no need to replace.
Even though in theory the analog outs of the vault/node support full 192, I still found that I preferred the sq out of the vault via coax into the dac of my Exogal Comet or lately the DAC of my Hegel H160. That is just my opinion in my system and ymmv.

I also own an Oppo 105 and although very slight I think the vault has the edge on Tidal playback.
That being said the Oppo is a fantastic all in one solution that does give you access to a lot of additional media like sacd. bluray audio etc.

You would likely be happy with either or for 2k you can get both!