Old days & steamers vs newer stuff?

a newer less expensive product that is superior to older high end items.

The Martin Logan Unison streamer comes with the best automated room correction among all streamers available (ARC), and is a bargain at the MSRP of $399 and it is on sale for $199, unbeatable unless you want to spend at least 10 times that amount:

https://www.martinlogan.com/en/product/unison

This is the results I got using my streamer with ARC:

Yes, it is a GREAT streamer. Martin Logan is owned by Anthem and both Paradigm and ML makes a streamer with ARC. They are the same price but the ML also has airplay. I own the Paradigm version because I don’t use Apple and have the digital out connected to my Sony TAZH1ES dac and it is very versatile. This streamer also has RCA input so you can use it as a preamp and connect a CDP or a turntable, and also a digital/optical input to use it as a DAC. Yes, it comes with the calibrated ARC mic and the ARC software just had a major upgrade called Genesis and its free (unlike Audyssey and Dirac major upgrades). The streamer can be used with the DTS Play-Fi software run from a mobile device or a PC, spotify. and even DLNA. I have Bubble UPNP on my phone and can basically stream any file/service using DLNA if it isn’t installed on the play-fi app. The SQ is great and well worth the MSRP, the sale price makes it even sweeter. If you need an amp they also have the Forte amp which also has a steamer built in.

BTW, I also own the Bluesound Node but no comparison, when you use ARC this streamer is the winner.

There is no downside to an optical input.

Review:

https://www.techhive.com/article/582813/martinlogan-unison-review-dts-play-fi-and-airplay-preamp-streams-anything.html

The DTS Play-Fi app works fine and they update it for free, here is a video about the app. It will show you how to play uncompressed and hi res files with the app. I think Tidal, Quboz and Amazon Music all off hi-rez streaming which works with the app:

https://youtu.be/L7gHmTG8WiE

One more thing, DTS Play-Fi whole house audio is da bomb. There have been many updates to the app since it first came out. I have products from Klipsch, Paradigm, Deftech, Martin Logan and Philips throughout the house. Most of them were purchased on sale like the Unison. If you are going to add additional rooms to your system let me know and I'll post some updates. 

@labguy

I saw you are leaning between the unison and the forte. If you get both you can use the unison with your yamaha amp and the forte in another room with a separate pair of speakers. Play-fi is designed similar to Sonos so you can use whole house. I own the Forte amp too and it sounds like Martin Logan speakers, HUGE soundstage. Here is my review:

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/martin-logan-forte-amp-review

@nd1der

I have my streamer connected to a DAC. You use the optical/spdif out from the ML Unison to the input of your DAC. Once everything is hooked up THEN run ARC and you are all set. See page 8-9 of the manual. Anything you connect to the Unison inputs (RCA or optical in) will be passed through to your DAC and get the benefit of the ARC room correction. For example you could connect a turntable to the RCA in and a CDP to the optical in and they all will pass through to your DAC if you want via optical out OR you can use the RCA out to your preamp. No matter how you connect it everything will benefit from ARC, Just remember, you have to run ARC after connecting your DAC. That review/article is from 2018, both ARC and Play-Fi have had many software updates since then:

https://www.martinlogan.com/uploads/documents/manuals/manual-unison.pdf

@labguy , yes you can connect directly to the unison with spotify. Just open spotify and connect the same way you would with any other device, no need to open the playfi app.