ifi makes a streamer that is in the $300 range that’s excellent, and will give you enough of a savings to purchase a nice ethernet cable and or usb cable to round out a really high performing unit for very little money. I have one mated with their dac in one of my vintage systems and I’m astounded by it’s performance for the money. IMO it out performs the Node. Hope this helps.
Streamer only
I am not tech savvy and I have a DAC already in my integrated amp.I just wanted to try streaming. I would like to use Qobuz and need to purchase a streamer. I don’t need the dac included within the unit. I hate to pay a large amount for a unit that has a high quality DAC included. Are there any high quality streamers where I am not paying for the higher quality DAC included in the unit? My system is a Levinson 585 and Acendo C8 R speakers.
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Node 2i is an excellent product but it’s really designed to be used with its analog outputs. It will likely beat everything in its price category especially given its fantastic app. A pleasure to use, speaking from experience. However, if you can stretch your budget by 200 bucks for a used entry level USB based Aurender, it will be a major jump up in performance without a doubt. Its app is also proven to work well. The beauty about Aurneder is that its software and hardware built together in the same factory, a huge advantage and their entry level products are just as well engineered as their higher priced products. That should put you on a good path in your journey to music appreciation. |
Very well could be a real life experience, whatchya describe. That’s the discrepancy between individual/personal experience and demonstrated pattern through controlled investigation. In any case, if OP already has a Mac (or PC), tries it first, then gets a $1K USD streamer and perceives the latter as better, where exactly does the issue lay? 😉 |
I've had several including my PC and MAC as a source (my first source). I've tried some ChiFi (Suncos @ $500) and a sound card plugged into my first decent DAC (PS Audio Perfect Wave). I got talked into a PS Audio AirLens and have been very happy with it. It's been trouble free unlike my former purchases. I think the reason it sounds so good is it's isolation technology. From their website which Audiogoon won't allow links to: Unfortunately, connecting your sensitive DAC to the noise generated by computers, routers, NAS, local networks, and modems via either WiFi or Ethernet cable is not a great-sounding solution to bringing high-performance audio into your listening environment. The PS Audio AirLens™ completely eliminates the problems of noise, jitter, and EMI influences through complete galvanic isolation and perfect reclocking of the digital audio signal. You’ve not yet heard how great streaming can sound until you experience audio through the AirLens. Prices have dropped to $1,600 with a free 30 day return policy if you don't like it. So far I'm really happy with it. However because the technology obeys Moors Law you can expect 2X the quality at 1/2 the price in 18 months or so. |
A Bluesound Node w/ a LPS (Small green computer) because the app to run it is easy to use. The App is an important component. This is a bit over 1K and vey good, |
Hi @pal I think it’ll be up to you, figuring out whether benefit lies in spending your full budget or 10-20% of it. Here’s why - Streamer DIY doesn’t require being tech-savvy but if you want fully plug-n-play enough to spend upwards of a grand, maybe the latter is the better route. For an off-the-shelf streamer system (basically a limited-purpose laptop in an AVR-looking chassis with, in some cases, specialized power supply of generally unsubstantiated performance benefits), your main concern should be connectivity (what does your DAC accept - asynchronous USB, TOSLINK, etc.?) and whether you like the on-screen or smartphone app. The OS/software part sometimes gets glazed over because most streamers use a company-made OS (often based on Linux?) and each has to keep theirs up, or else you eventually have a brick of an audio computer. There is no empirical evidence that a streamer can affect sound quality in an audible way. All support for this belief is anecdotal and generally is held without practicing any proper testing controls. Some folks dislike this notion, but when recommending how a stranger should spend the USD 4-5 figure$ that many file transports now command, I think it’s in order to make clear. Okay, stepping off that soapbox now 😅 Start with any computer you already have, while you learn more about streamer models within your budget and decide if/which ones are worth trying. Because, well, why wait if it doesn’t cost you anything to start now, hey?
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You get what you pay for… it all depends on how revealing a system you have.
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@alvinnir2 He said $1000 not $100. |
If your budget is $100 max then you really only have a couple of options. One is the Wiim streamer with the optical out and that will give you the best user experience but your DAC would need to have an optical input. The app interface plays a big part in how you access the music and how much you get out of a streaming service. If your DAC does not have an optical input then USB from a computer is the way to go and all it costs you is a USB cable. You certainly won't be getting anything near the sound quality you would get from a better dedicated streamer but at least you can dip your toes in and see what a service like Qobuz has to offer. Someone suggested a Raspberry Pi but from what I have read, that is not the best option for someone who is not tech savy. I bet once you try streaming and see how much music it opens up to you, you will likely go up the food chain. Digital streaming has come a long way and is the preferred method of listening to music for many audiophiles these days. |
In addition to the budget examples already cited (e.g., RPi, Wiim), there are a bunch of well regarded products that cost between $400 and $1k. They include the iFi Zen, the Volumio Rivo, Holo Red, Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra, the Primare Np5, and probably a few others. I have both an iFi and a Pro-Ject. |
Nothing to loose starting out using a device you already have. You can compare that to your sound otherwise via say phono and decide from there. I use all WiFi connections personally. Different steaming apps on the same device alone can make a big difference in sound. As can DACs. The only way to know is to try listen and compare. Cost alone is often not a good indicator of actual performance. |
A computer directly to a DAC is almost always a no go. Though I would not be surprised if the latest PlayBack Designs DACs are not affected. Reason you do not want to hookup a general purpose computer directly to the DAC is that the electrical noise in the computer would travel into the DAC. You want to have a moat around the computer or use a dedicated music server, which is just an audio optimized computer. I use a general-purpose computer ($500) to run my ROON Core. I also use a Sonore OpticalRendu to provide the moat. The oR uses fibre optic cable which is made of glass and glass cannot carry the noise from the computer, network, printers, security systems, that may be connected to your home computer network. The OpticalRendu’s can be found for under $1000. Last used one I bought cost me $700. The other parts needed could add about $300-$500 more. This is very high-quality stream. BTW - If you use ROON with my suggestion you would have a great and easy to use streaming setup. |
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MOON MIND2 This is the MOON MiND II Network Streaming Music Player. is the perfect link to the modern world of streaming networked music and digital hi-resolution playback of any kind at its pricepoint. you could plug this into any existing HiFi setup with a suitable DAC and you are immediately up and running.
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Isn’t anybody going to mention that any old PC or Apple computer could act as a streamer? If your preamp doesn't have a compatible input, you could buy an inexpensive DAC that would take a USB input from the computer. The DAC would then be connected to your preamp / integrated amp. You’d need software, that would run on the computer, that would supply the appropriate data stream to the DAC. I use Roon. Roon is equipped to receive the digital stream from Qobuz, and pass it along to the DAC. You could copy, or "rip", your CD files directly to your computer’s hard drive. You can do it! |
One option would be to get a Bluesound Node for $499 (includes a cheap DAC) and add a Teddy Pardo linear power supply for $395 and you’d have a solid streamer setup for about $800 (note this Node only has an SPDIF digital out — no USB out). The power supply provides a notable boost in performance and can always be added later. The Eversolo DMP-A6 is $859 and has a USB out if that’s a concern. Best of luck. |
If you want to get into streaming at nominal cost, check out the WiiM Mini (about $100) or the WiiM Pro (about $150) -- both support Qobuz and other streaming services, are very easy to set up and have a good app for your phone for selecting and controlling music. The Mini is optical-out only but the Pro does both optical and coax out (no USB out on either.) Amazon has both available. (There is also a Pro Plus but you're paying for a nicer built-in DAC which you said you don't need.) If you decide you need something fancier after that you can upgrade to something audiophile-approved without having spent a bunch of money on round one. (I use a Mini with a bluetooth speaker in my office for radio and background music, so there is always another use. ) The Raspberry Pi approach is also another alternative (and will do USB out) and can be done for $100 or so, but takes a bit more of a DIY approach. |
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