2. digital
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Streamers and software

It's been a battle.  I have had a Bluesound Node 2i for 5 yrs.  I upgraded the power supply.  There is nothing wrong with function or sound.  I switched to Qobuz a few months ago.  I transferred my songs from amazon to Qobuz.  Qobuz works great when using the Bluetooth function.  When I want to play Qobuz thru BluOS, I am missing several thousand songs, called Favorites.  Loading and searching times are not usable.

Finally after 2 months BLUOS says they have no solution.  QOBUZ is working on a direct connect app to the streamer, but no release date.  

So, reluctantly, I started looking at a streamer.  I find several other streamers but have buggy software.

So, from what I see the Innuous pulsar mini has good software I would like to spend as little as I  can but it looks like $1-$2k?  It would be nice to have a linear power supply. Thanks for any suggestions are welcome.

Here is some I looked at.

Holo Audio Red, Ever solo, Innuous, Volumio

 

128x128daledeee1
nigeltheflash
51 posts
 

Just another guy chipping in with a Node to Innuos success story. Loved BluOS for years, had my Node pimped with a linear PSU, sound quality great. Added a Mutec MC3+ which tightened up the timing (better clocking of the bitstream)...

... but then I tried a Pulse Mini (you may not need the Zen Mini Mk3’s storage but it could be a cheaper way in as there are more used ones around) with matching LPSU. Sound quality even better than the much-loved and much-pimped Node, brilliant control app (I like it even more than BluOS) and I actually saved money in the process of reducing my box count by two.

I stream Qobuz and it all works great. No downside, all upside.

Nigel

russbutton's avatar
russbutton
433 posts
 

Most here hate my take on this.  All of these streamers are just dedicated computers, mostly running Linux with the vendorʻs user interface on top of it.  Bits is bits.  

 

They love to tout this $5000 wonder versus that $3500 wonder.  And of course thereʻs always last yearʻs $7000 wonder on Audiogon for only $2800 today...

Bits is bits.   Thatʻs the beauty of digital.

 

I run Ubuntu Linux with JRiver on a miniPC I got from Amazon for $130, plus and external drive that holds my music data, for another $100 or so.  And of course, being an actual computer, I can access any streaming service I want.

Hey.  Itʻs your nickel. Iʻm saving mine.

charles7
110 posts
 

russbutton is right. You don't need to buy a dedicated computer which to the user is neither Windows nor iOS nor Linux.

You can, for example,
• store .flac and such files on the hard drive of a Windows PC
• select files to be played with an Android app, like the near-free BubbleUPnP on Android
• thus telling  free program like Minimserver to send the files out to your home network
• receive the files off the home network with a Wiim or Denon LinkHS2 or similar device costing in the low US$hundred
• feed them to your DAC or preamp or integrated amp
and as well you can
• store links to Internet radio stations in a simple .m3u8 text file and choose with BubbleUPnP which to play
and as well you can
• stream from most of the streaming services, selecting with the Android app

 

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