Streamer and DAC Combo or separates
Hey Jamal, There's no substitute to visiting your local hifi dealers to see and hear what they offer. You mentioned the PS Audio Directstream DAC w/ Bridge 2 and that's a well-reviewed device but it presumes you have a NAS or file server with the audio tracks on it. You also mentioned you have some hi-res and dsd audio files already. Are these on a PC? Laptop? Streaming is a term that can have different meanings. For me, streaming means when I'm listening to music via the internet using Tidal, Spotify, iTunes, etc. Other people refer to it as listening to digital music played locally but not from a CD. Wanted to clarify that. You also didn't mention whether you wanted something to be a "dedicated" streamer. That is, it doesn't do anything else except deliver music. A PC or Mac isn't a dedicated streamer but it has other uses and advantages/disadvantages. Good digital playback/streaming systems are available from Aurender, Auralic, Antipodes, etc. That's just the A in the alphabet. ;) So you know there's a ton out there. What your local dealer's carry is a good place to start. Your budget isn't a problem. IMO. I use Roon streaming from the USB on my Mac Mini via an LH Labs DAC that is compatible up to DSD256. My audio files are connected to the Mac via a DAS but I plan to acquire and use a NAS soon. Roon is just now coming out with linux versions of their software that will run on the recent vintage NAS and allow me to take my Mini out of the playback chain and control via iPad. Not to worry android user: Roon's software controls are also available in android versions and run on a wider variety of android based devices. (And you can control an entire household/nightclub/office of music playback, if you like.) I keep thinking that if your files are on a PC/Mac, get yourself an inexpensive dsd compatible dac (say, ESS Sabre chip-based) for a few hundred and listen to your audio files through it. Then shop and audition those higher end DACs that use R2R technology or FPGA chips which are considered better (by some) at rendering the digital audio stream. It's really how your library sounds best that matters. Good luck and keep us posted. |
Hey Amal (Not "Jamal" + apologies) If you can give Roonserver a trial, I suggest that first. This would reveal whether the linux build will work on the NAS you have. Visit the Roon Community Forum: https://community.roonlabs.com It reads like you're pretty up-to-date on the tech and looking for a streaming system that eliminates the hardware of a player like a pc or box. Though I haven't tried putting the Roonserver linux build on a NAS - yet - there are Roon users having success with that topology. Good luck. He said with budget envy ;) |
