First Streamer...

Thanks for a lot of help.  I didn't buy a streamer yet, but I note that the Bluesound Node is most recommended.

I guess I'm on catch-up with streaming, perhaps because I've got kids home or perhaps because I've been playing saxophone recently.      

My current plan is to use the DAC in the Rega CD player.   Run 100' of CAT8 cable from the upstairs FIOS box to the (as yet) un-purchased streamer and Kimber DV30 coax from the streamer to the Rega DAC.

One problem with this setup is that my amp will still have to warm up before I can stream.   But,  I don’t see  myself moving away from my old Audio Research valve amp which still sounds real  good.    

@johndyson 

Which do you play, alto, tenor,baritone? Are you a jazz musician?

Charles

I play alto.  I live in Brooklyn, NY and have been taking lessons with Matt Marantz and joined a rehearsal band at the New York Jazz Academy.

Your rega DAC is junky use a streamer with a built in DAC since you spent nothing on your other homemade speakers save up $7899 get an Auralic Vega G2.1. Hire an electrician pay him to hook up ethernet there to your router through the walls.

johndyson,

I have the original Rega Apollo CD player. Although it is good, the Wolfson DAC is dated now. My Node 2 and Schiit Bifrost 2 together sound a couple of notches better. In fact the internal DAC in the newest Node 2 would IMHO sound better than the Rega internal DAC. I would be very, very surprised if it did not. DAC’s are getting better every year. With my current setup, the Bifrost 2 does the DAC duties for both the Node 2 streamer and my Rega CD player. And both the Bifrost 2 and the Node 2 are considered budget products. Food for thought ....