Streaming Novice Question: Experience with SmallGreenComputer vs. Fidelizer Products?


Hello All!

While I am a life-long audiophile with experience in "the industry" and well versed in analog as well as "traditional" digital, 15 years spent away from the hi-end audio game has left me scratching my head on the "new" computer based/streaming digital options.   At the same time I have been truly smitten with TIDAL!  What a fantastic idea for music lovers.  And I must admit my Surface Pro 5 plugged directly into the "USB-DAC" input of my Marantz KI Ruby SACD player sounds promising, especially on TIDAL's MQA files. :) 

But as an audiophile, more is more, right? 

The question:  Where to start in the upgraded streaming world?  I read about these two companies here and got to thinking maybe our collective community could help?  I am NOT opposed to more pricey options, but recall one thing about digital-it gets "old" fast, meaning the tech moves SO FAST it's easy to be saddled with yesterday's latest greatest at a not insignificant financial penalty. ;) 

System:  Technics 1500/AT cart; Marantz KI Ruby SACD; Benchmark LA4, (2) Benchmark; AHB2's bridged into mono; Martin Logan Renaissance ESL's; Benchmark cables (interconnects and speaker cable).  

Thank you,

BH
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Which hi end USB 2.0 isolator?

My Marantz SACD player (KI Ruby) has a great DAC. Does that change your recommendations?

What is SHC??

 Thank you!! 🙏
Unless you’re subscribed to ROON don’t start with SHC. I couldn’t get it to play anything NO help from them. Returned it on their dime. You’ll get the Ras Pi going faster but be prepared to spend a few hours I recommend piCore/LMS OS.
You pretty much have to start with BluNode, it’s the only plug and play box under $2000.
Although the Pro-Ject S Ultra is pretty easy. 
Fidelizer is a must for a PC but even the Ras Pi sounds better and easier to control.
I moved on from that tomfoolery years ago

I completely agree that the Node 2i's internal DAC is not the greatest but as a gateway to a high-end DAC it's hard to beat for simplicity, versatility and price. I use one for Tidal streaming to a Bel Canto DAC 3 through the coax SPDIF output and the combination is trouble-free and exceptionally good sounding.
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Thank you! Any sense how this might compare with a Node2i? I was not impressed by that unit. Best, Craig 
I’ve recommended here before the pretty risk-free option of getting a Raspberry Pi 4 and a Allo DigiOne HAT.  About £100 all in - a bit more if you want the best HAT.  Really easy and quick to set up. Run Ropiee or equivalent on it, and in an hour you can stream Tidal (or whichever service you use). Roon loves it too.  Given a number of £1000s+ streamers are using R-Pi inside (but only a few acknowledge it) it seems like a place to play. And for £100 if the technology changes beyond what R-Pi can run, you haven’t sunk so much to regret it.