Well...I am taking the plunge into digital..

Thanks for this 4afsanakhan....from what I can see the vinyl available market is getting smaller... people like me who have "great vinyl systems" are falling away, and like me, I dont want to be interrupted entertaining friends changing an album. I have found the digital options to be very good, exceptional in some areas...I agree, I will never walk away from my vinyl room... the options presented are economic based for sure... Once I get his system up and running I will revert with a better assesment... 

Streaming can get me in the zone. It is a very convenient format.

To these ears, a well set up analogue vinyl system is the reference in sound quality. Analogue vinyl just sounds more real, more natural, more present, and more resolving. Studio grade tape is tops, but software is so limited, whereas vinyl offers a huge category of music.

I use the Qobuz streaming service. About 70%+ of the new music that pops up, hi-res or no, does not quite appeal to me. Sometimes there are gems to be found in new music, but not often. Too often the new stuff is un-inspired, boring, and lacking any real musicality. Album-cover art notwithstanding. There are so many gems to be discovered on older and re-released vinyl records. Or indeed speciality labels such as Kavi Alexander’s Water Lily Acoustics, and Chesky. I must surmise that in audio industry shows at booths using streaming sources either primarily or exclusively to demonstrate their sound systems, they just can’t be bothered setting up and maintaining the deck and vinyl.

A quick update... Purchased the Manly Stingray II, Tannoy Autograph Mini's and the Bluesound Node....awaiting arrival this Friday...very excited, my sincere thanks to all the folks on this thread for their council on this...

So a quick update on my journey so far.... for the past 6 days I have awoken evangelically convinced of the brands, components and installation configuration... and by late afternoon that days conviction was discarded! 
 

what I gave found is that while many brands have solid distribution and technically savvy people, others are run from a sales perspective so poorly they have to be hurting their marquee...

Todays journey took me to a well known manufacture, whose website was so poorly updated I had to use  the 7 zip codes I have lived in across the country to try to find a dealer who was still operating. I finally got thru on Linked In, but the experience was not reflective of a high end anything...

Others, Kent at PassLabs, Phil at Zu, Jon at Music Direct have been exceptional... the fun continues... so much to read and so many options to listen and to and consider... 

Thanks to all for the council as I narrow my decision points

I use Google nest for wifi, but added a prior generation point which has a wired capability to my streamer.

Using wired is my preferred method, though I can understand the need to use WiFi.

If you do go wireless, try to use the 5ghz band instead  of the 2.5. It has a shorter range, but has much fewer signals running on it.

B

My wifi connected streamer sounds as good as my high end analog rig.

glad you are getting good sound, but wifi is pretty limited - it may not support the highest rates (upsampling, etc.) and will certainly demand bigger buffers (more delay and some associated issues). If you can hard wire via ethernet.  Wifi is also very noisy (radiation, impact on ground plane noise).  A streamer cannot improve sound, but in the chain from source to DAC, there are plenty of places to create trouble - compression, ground noise, drops, etc.

I get fantastic sound through my streamer using a wifi extender plugged in next to my streamer. My streamer was not much harder than setting up a preamp… but it is a really good streamer. So it excels at isolation, not passing on noise… making up for any network deficiencies… etc. get a really good streamer and it takes care of the hassles. 

Yes... Christos Anesti! For those celebrating American Easter...

I  very much appreciate the feedback comments from those who have boldly gone before me... 

welcome to the the Dark Side.  I waded in carefully, but have become both curious about how to get great sound, seduced by the convenience, and impressed with the sound. Despite my many 100s of albums and three excellent turntables, i rarely play them any more. I can generally find a remastered version of "X" on Tidal or Qobuz that is significantly better.

I have sweated the details, form power supplies to networking to isolation.  Yet by many high end standards i have a pittance invested.  Its somewhat unfair of course since i build and modify my own stuff frequently.  Right now, as I learn, i have three DACs, all with somewhere between 30% and 50% my on content - fixing the weak or obsolete points (e.g.: replace SPDIF with USB and a great clock; isolate the input, build a super clean LPS).

My digital sounds like analog, minus the faults.  But its easy to get mediocre or even annoying digital sound, ans many have proven.  I wont go into the long version.  Do a quick search and find some extensive posts i've made for others.  I ought to consolidate them into a blog and link the whole enchilada.

Have a joyous holiday, whichever flavor *(hey, the last supper was seder after all....)

AirPlay isn’t bad, maybe just a notch below Red book CD.  Chromecast sounds much better.  At any rate, using AirPlay means that you haven’t optimized what digital can do.  If you are happy with current setup, that’s great, but don’t make any conclusions about the capabilities of digital until you go there

I used a Netgear extender with ethernet cable to my Node.

Now I use Google Nest, a much better solution.

Thanks for the tip on John... has any of folks use the netgear Ethernet over house wire to be better than a large wireless pipe ? Seems it may be more stable yet house wire has A lot of noise

Though digital streaming is just 1's and 0's, software is the beast behind the curtain. I would recommend that you either call or PM John Rutan (Audioconnection). He can give you great information at a great price-Free!.

Bob

Streaming can be both frustrating and incredibly enjoyable. One can have relatively simple setup, for the curious many rabbit holes to go down. I'm in curious camp, steep learning curve in beginning,  network stuff can be very complex, over time things become clearer. If seeking deeper knowledge, audiophilestyle forum is the place to go.

@poke33 You have the proper attitude going in, finding the whole thing interesting is good!

Touché serjio!

Thanks ghdprentice... I have 5 tube ham radios from the 1920's... which I restored to mint + over the years...I went over to state of the art solid state for that hobby and while I still use the tube stuff on occasion, 98% of my activity is with the solid state side now. I am completely refurbishing my Scott 299... love the amp, the sound, the look and feel... but I just want that system to be my " vinyl" room... 

Thanks for your comments... that's exactly what I plan to do... get qualified if u will on the home theatre side and really delve into the acrhitexture of what I am looking for and find the solution that I can really enjoy and be proud of...

in moving this system into from the engine room to the bridge, in addition to ALL of the audiophilic variables, I have to blend it into the room optics because harmony is not only a musical thing... I have a credenza that I am using to house the system, so all of a sudden component depth is a factor... speaker size, cable runs all need to be considered.... lots of fun so far... the variety, technology, engineering paths of these components are really interesting...

I to have spent most of my life with vinyl. But added digital when it became available, although fidelity was alway second rate. But over the last few years all that has changed. Digital can now sound as good or the same depending what you want. The premium can be around 10%. The best thing is now you can have access to nearly infinite music. The is a paradigm changer. Now you can explore and open your horizons from playing only what you own. I now only play about 10%  of physically owned music.

Digital is just like analog. Every component matters… but particularly at the front end if you have a good system. Streamer, DAC, Preamp, and amp. Over the last 50 years I have slowly converted over to all tubes.. including my DAC which really improved the character of my system. If you have been a tube fan… I would not change to solid state now. You can see my systems under my ID. I was shocked to find my favorite tube company ARC makes a world class DAC… and has been for a long time. I compared this DAC with the Berkeley Reference Alpha 3 ($22K) and preferred mine… the difference was absolutely minuscule. I gave the node to the ARC because it was a touch warmer and more natural… minuscule though.

Beginning experimentation with a home theater system is good to get the ides of the technology down. But surround processors make poor sounding audio systems. Streaming from an iPhone or iPad works… but once you have a good DAC, they are really poor sounding. You can use it while looking around for a good streamer. 
 

You no longer have an analog system? If you still have your analog system  just get a streamer and DAC. 
 

If I was doing this, I would look at Aurender for a streamer (many people recommend Lumin), it is all they do and have streamers from inexpensive to one of the best available at any cost. For DAC look at ARC Reference 9 or Schiit Yggdrasil as a budget option. For an outstanding tubed integrated amp ARC Vsi75. I don’t have a recommendation for an inexpensive one.

On last thing. I would resist CDs. Put the money into streaming. Remember well chosen digital can sound just as good as analog and the same as CD, or file playing… well chosen… maybe the same cost as an analog rig. 

Not 
 

it's too late... (or do you think you'll live 110 years?)

Good luck!   I hope you surface in a place that suits you.

MahlerAirPlay is what I am using, so I can tell the sound is lacking... I am sure nothing is hi res...

gdnrbob- I agree... the blue sound is just to learn as I settle on the digital system. will park it in my home theatre... rat hole for sure..but a fun one to explore

thank u both

Hello My self having 40+ hours in Audio and owned a Audio store for years 

I am in a multi state Audio club and see and hear far more then any one show in a year which is a blessing you didnot mention what your budget is , dac, computer ad cables all instrumental. To know.

So the Yamaha AVR is playing Qobuz and you are controlling it with the MConnect app on the iPhone.  How is Qobuz getting to the receiver?  Is there a Bluetooth connection?  Or is it coming via Ethernet?  In other words, does the Yamaha have a built in streamer?  Or if not Bluetooth or Ethernet, are you using AirPlay?

The DAC in your receiver, as well as the Bluesound Node will be pretty bare bones.

Like most things in life, the more you pay, the more you get.

My 2 cents-

get your system dialed in a best you can, then take on digital. 

I started with the Bluesound Node, which is great for the money, but not the end all in terms of sound reproduction. It all depends upon how far you want to go down this rabbit hole.

Bob

I could... but current just connecting via Wi-Fi... it is my understanding the phone degrades the signal either way, and as my receivers DAC capability is more algorithmic than a dedicated component I am sure I am not hearing Hi Res anything. I think my next step is to pick up a Bluesound streamer and hear how much difference I gain

Are you directly connecting the iPhone to your amp?

I agree... Vinyl still is a commitment for me... however digital is no longer just a convenience, the technology has come very far of late and at least for my ears competitive when all the variables are calibrated. Your observation is exactly what I am working thru now...evaluating reflection points, cable runs and " optics" within the room was a full day today.  I still would prefer class A amp/pre amp integrated solution and then component separates for the streamer and DAC... My room is 22x15 with a 22 ft vaulted ceiling... At the moment I am leaning towards the Zu Soul 6 (213cobra's analysis was exceptionally helpful)...speaker and studying up on streamers and DAC's... the immersion into the brands, functions and comparability's and complements is what I enjoy just second to listening to the music this effort brings forth.

I  have never regretted  my move...

I had thousands of cd...

I  put them  all on files...Slowly ...

It is way convenient...Now...

And i studied room acoustic to compensate for the small lost on S.Q. quality by these transitions..

At my great surprize i discovered that the greatest possible improvement in audio is nothing of what audio lovers speak about like cables, tube/ss, or analog vinyl/digital, etc

But room acoustic is the most important change, even over MOST gear choices upgrade , upgrade near the same level for sure...Exhanging a 100 bucks amplifier to a 50,000 bucks one is NOT an upgrade...

i am nearly the only one to say that because small room acoustic is difficult to figure out...And no gear dealer like to speak about that, i dont know why?

😁😊