Help with streamer software

If Internet Radio is a priority for the OP, then a lecture on sound quality probably isn’t relevant here. Obviously the OP has a good system and knows good sound, but the best we can do with IR is 320 bps, below CD resolution and stations that broadcast at that rate are relatively rare. And there a lot of reasons not to want to faff with Roon, which I won’t go into here; it’s enough that the OP stated he doesn’t want to go there.

One of the best IR presentations used to be iTunes. It was easy to choose by country and genre. I used it first when Apple computers were my streamers, and then secondly from Apple TV. Then Apple probably realized that they could monetize this and required people to use a subscription based service such as Tune In. However since Cambridge Audio can still offer excellent free IR via their app then this is eminently doable.

  One of the simplest would be to have a PC in the system and send IR by Ethernet, using Tune In, which the OP has already stated he was amenable to using

“Why not Roon”

Cause, it is not the best sounding software audio. The devil is in the details, those who have compared it, knows Innuos Sense and Aurender Conductor UI is much more faithful and natural sounding than ROON.

+1, @mahler123 

If OP focus is IR than pretty much any software will do just fine! 

@mahler123 ​@lalitk

I did compare Roon to other apps and found it lacking in sound quality. Not vastly, but it was definitely there. Regarding sound quality of IR, Jazz24 has two streams, one is MP3, the other is redbook. This is my primary music source from IR.

Regarding having a Mac or Lose as a source, nope. Talk about poor sound quality....

@ghdprentice

I2S is not a me-too add-on for PS Audio. If I am not mistaken they are the original proponents. Regarding compatibility, did you notice that both my DAC and this new streamer are from the same manufacturer? I think it is pretty unlikely that there is a compatibility issue here. In fact that is the only reason I am giving this streamer a try.

@carlsbad2

Jerry, I2S is central to the PS Audio digital gear. I’m giving it a try. If it doesn’t cut the mustard it is going back. But I do love the DSD Mk2 DAC. I have been using USB from my Lumin to my Mk2 DAC, and it sounds very good. I want to see if I2S to I2S is an improvement.

I hope the PS Audio I2s is compatible with your DAC. It wasn't with my Gustard X26 PRO.

@markmuse I too recently heard the PS Audio Directstream MK3 DAC in my home and was very impressed (even though I went with another [more expensive] option).  I didn't even notice that it had I2S.  

To be clear, I'm not saying avoid I2S.  Sounds like PS Audio is building around it so I'm sure they've done a good job... so now you have to hope that the other end of the cable is good.  I guess PS Audio Streamer to PS Audio DAC would be well implemented but you didn't like the streamer.  Best of luck.

Thanks for your first hand report on their streamer.

Jerry