You are much better using a wired connection.
CDs are better ripped via a PC. Much easier to tag at will.
There is none out there......
I need a Wi- Fi streamer and cd zipper in one box......I have a 30 K system.....no ethernet connection........Bluesound Vault is the Only streamer out there that meets my requirements BUT ......I've been told by Hi-Fi sales people, "it won't sound that good on a high end system".......All the other cd Zippers/ Streamers are Ethernet hard wired ONLY........Anybody know of one?
31 responses Add your response
You needn’t limit yourself to a Wi-Fi connection. You can get a Wi-Fi extender or Mesh system and go hardwired from that to your streamer via an Ethernet cable, and many have found this connection to sound much better than using Wi-Fi alone, which is a nice bonus! With this kind of setup you can entertain streamers like the Innuos Zen or Zenith and get everything you’re looking for. Hope this helps, and best of luck. |
There is none out there cause Wi-Fi is not recommended for optimal audio performance from a streamer. As @soix pointed out, get a pair of mesh network pods to extend the range. |
You can stream content over WiFi to many streamers as many have suggested by using a WiFi extender near a streamer that utilizes an ethernet input. NAIM do make streamer / DAC that have WiFi capability internal, i use one in my condo system w excellent sonic results ( NAIM Atom ). I’ve tested it hardwird and the sonic differences were minor. There are a lot of variables that might effect that result, so YMMV… Also Moon make an excellent MIND2 that seems to perform well w WiFi…i had that in my reference system to evaluate and it did well. NAIM also build a Server / Ripper called Core but as others have noted it will be a LOT less $ to rip elsewhere using a product like DB Poweramp and then move the files. |
OP,
Let me be clear. Just buy a $59 wifi extender and plug it in next to your system. Plug your streamer into that. I bought two streamers with internal wifi recievers, one was an Auralic Aries G2. It was a mistake. Internal WiFi, even on fairly expensive streamers do not work well. My $150K system runs off a wifi extender. I know of many others. Do not keep the requirement of wifi on your list. Companies that make the very best streamers like Aurender do not have internal wifi receivers. This is because they are not required and put noise inside of the box. You do not want a wifi receiver inside of the streamer… especially when the problem can be solved for $59. |
How much would it cost to pull ethernet cable to an appropriate location? It has to be a trivial cost in the scheme of things. I'm lucky enough to be in Google Fiber territory, where we get crazy bandwidth on the cheap. A decent network doesn't cost much. You can get spendy but the basic cost is really not a big deal to set up a hardwired network. Wifi is ok but I don't rely on it for hi-fi. Spend the two bucks. |
@whart +1
Streamers are networking computers. There are plenty of IT people around that can hardwire your home for a few hundred bucks. They don’t have to know a thing about audio, just how to set up a network. The cost is trivial in the context of your entire sysytem. Yes you can go wi Fi only but some of the very best gear will only go wired, such as Melco. |
This will do the trick and much less costly than the mesh. You just have to make sure they are on the same circuit. Not circuit as in circuit breaker but as I understand it in the USA there are 2 different zones (call them zones for lack of a better word) as long as the 1 near the router and the other are on the same zone this will totally work. You might have to try a couple of different outlets near your rig (I did and it connected)...
|
Not a fan of the AC / Ethernet adaptors. IMHO the pure Wifi to Ethernet adaptors are better. Have a single Ethernet cable you hook to your streamer. Use a phone Wifi analyzer first to ensure strong signal and that you aren’t competing with other routers on the same channels. Also, these adapters only need a single unit to work, as opposed to one near the router and one near your streamer:
|
Hifi sales people think you should spend more? Will wonders never cease... I have 2 Bluesound Nodes and they work very well, sound great and the app is nonpareil. Try it first, at least, to see what you think. BTW, I use a Simaudio Moon 390 in my main system, but the Node is no slouch. The Mind 2 app is not nearly as good. |
Lots of options here. I went with the TP Link to feed my Project Ultra Stream Box / Schiit Yiggy. I could tell a slight improvement over my Wi/Fi only. As mentioned above, I was concerned about added electrical noise. But it seemed an improvement. What’s funny is I just recently installed Solar and requested an entirely new service panel as my house is 35 years old. The panel was installed a month ahead of solar. I do a lot of late night listening and I could hear a sound quality improvement over the previous panel. I was not expecting that, but upon reflection I changed out the panel as it was shot and noticed lights flicker occasionally while running a high current device. Now I’m thinking about moving up to hardwired and an optical link to entirely isolate my device. As far as streaming goes, I’m sure I’m at the low end and will invest in a better streamer after that. I would say considering the items above are relatively cheap try a couple different ways and see. Cheers , Mike B. |
