I think this is an excellent thread for this subject. I agree with @ronboco about the bluesound node. This is good advice and if you add fiber to the mix with s good audiophile Ethernet cable you’re in for a good ride! Hard to beat in many respects However, I’ve been also considering the next level ie: Aurender or Lumin. Aurender has its issues being proprietary (I don’t want to get into it again with the two salesman) but it’s a great product. Lumin is also a great product with more flexibility. What I haven’t heard is an end game streamer, and I consider that to be dCS, which I am now looking at as something that will give me 10 or more years as some have mentioned in this thread. My main focus I’d flac files from ripped cds.
I’m not doing tidal or Quobuz, so my NAS is my server. In any event @kiwiscott I thank you for posing the question the way you did to get such good responses and wish you luck. You’ve helped me!
Using streaming as a main source ---DSD, FLAC, MQA Streamers and DACS
As I read these forums, and watch copious amounts of Youtube, I'm struck by what a bad idea some of the streaming / digital formats are doing. I'm trying to build a system where I have a streamer, dad, and amplifier (with pre-amp) as separate components but what I keep finding is that the streaming/digital world is totally confused.
--MQA--
MQA seems to be both advancing with new MQair support and dying (few audiophiles seem to like it).
-- DSD --
Seems to be favored by High-end audiophiles but not streaming services.
-- FLAC --
FLAC seems to be pushed by Qobuz which seems to be the preferred service for high quality audio (but not for music recommendations).
Choosing a Streamer / DAC is a nightmare -- given the industry going back and forth on quality, formats, special licensing. Does one choose the formats they want to use and then find appropriate DAC etc or does one choose a DAC that sounds great and then accept its limitations.
I don't understand why streamers don't commit to upscaling to 24/192 or DSD256 for any format so the DAC peeps can focus on a single format.
So how does one decide where to start?