Really need help choosing audio streamer !!!


Hi all,

I really need help from the wonderful people on the forum. I have a dilemma choosing Digital transport for my music system which will be in my bed room.

Just to give every one some background, I have an expensive stereo system in my living room (~$20,000 in total) and it sounds great. Now, my wife wants something similar in our master bedroom. I want to come up with some thing that sound great but does not cost a lot of money since I have already invested heavily in the living room’s system.

So, my speaker of choice is the Wharfdale Deton 80th Anniversary
So far, I have chosen a DAC (PS Audio NuWave DSD DAC), and an amp (Yamaha A-S1100)
All of my interconnects are from AudioQuest, and the speaker cable is the Rocket 33

My dilemma is I have a hard time choosing the correct streamer for that set up. My budget is $600 for the streamer, I afraid that I cannot go over that since I just want to build a fun and easy listing system.

The streamers that I found so far is :

1. Allo DigiOne Sig Player + Shanti PSU ($466)
2. Allo USBridge Sig Player + Shanti PSU ($410)
3. Intel NUC (used one) + HDPlex 200Watt PSU ($500)
4. Blue Sound node 2i ($549)

The trick here is to find a streamer that offer the best bang for my buck because I have limited amount of cash to throw around. All of the DIY player will use Volumio player (I don’t like to use Roon and never want to).

So my question is how these streamer compared to the others? Will one player be superior to the other based on specs or personal experience ... ? For example, I know that Shantai PSU and HDPlex is better than SMPS but I have never heard them in real life, so it is hard to tell if the speculation is true (right or wrong ??). Any idea is welcome, and thanks for your support.
128x128viethluu
I consider that a RPi4 based solution is the best quality sound option. You can use the Allo Digione Sig Player + Shanti.
Another option is the Pi2AES, that will cost you half of the Allo Digione Sig and its performance is very similar. 

I think you can find a microRendu in the used market.  I did.  You need a power supply that you might also find used.  I used mine with an Ayre Codex DAC, Ayre A7e integrated, and KEF LS50s.  I eventually upgraded to an ultraRendu -- much harder to find used, but I did, and a UpTone linear power supply.  The sound with the microRendu was very good.
Get a NAD M10 or Naim Uniti Atom.  One box, and you have a streamer, DAC, and amp/pre amp in one box.  See the review on Darko’s you tube channel.  He reviews them side-by-side.