Replace Apple TV


I stream from laptop to Apple TV, toslink into reclocker into dac. 

Would like to upgrade SQ. I mostly watch YouTube on the laptop and listen to 

radio stations. Is something like the Lumin U1 Mini, witch accepts AirPlay, the next step?
 

128x128jackiejr

Any dedicated player is better than laptop/Apple TV.

Take your pick. No need for Airplay.

I mostly watch YouTube

Actually, the streaming devices such as AppleTV, Roku, Fire, etc. all have an absolutely crappy youtube app.  The resolution is always poor and audio quality is massively compressed.  The superior device to stream Youtube videos into a DAC is always going to be a full blown web browser from a computer (either Apple or PC based).  You should connect the computer directly to the DAC or the reclocker (bypass any AppleTV / Roku / Fire streamer for this).

If you are willing to consider a PC desktop with Windows and an AMD processor, you can look at the JCAT USB card or even a Pink Faun if you want to do S/PDIF directly.

 

Now if you were just playing music files or streaming from Quboz or something, I'm sure there are many players out there which are better than a desktop/laptop computer.

If I get a dedicated player, with no need for AirPlay, how do I watch the video?

If I get a dedicated player, with no need for AirPlay, how do I watch the video?

You can’t. Dedicated players do not have video output.  Fuzztone did not read your requirement for watching Youtube videos.

So for listening to radio, a dedicated player, and for YouTube viewing, an AppleTv or the like.