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How the H E double hockey sticks do I stream music?!

Hello everyone (reading this),
I just “finished” building my two channel, living room system, and I’m very happy. I use a turntable, CD player and a headphone amp. Now I want to add streaming to the mix. In my kitchen I use a Sonos one with Spotify, and I love it. The ease and having music always available is great! So now I’m looking for a way to plug something (this is where you all come in) into my DAC (USB) that allows me to open Spotify, choose a song and jam out in my living room. I’d like to get something from around $300ish and under, that’s Bluetooth in and USB out, that works with Spotify and sounds great. If you have suggestions for anything above $300, I’d still like to hear them for future upgrades. Thank you so much for any help y’all can give. This is a wonderful community, and it has already helped me out so much.

*Also... I’d like to use my phone to control the music.
jedisomeguy
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Why don’t you just use your phone to do it all?
Stream Spotify from phone via Bluetooth to your system.
There are plenty of cheap Bluetooth aptx receivers on eBay that would do the job.
I think most are analog out but I have seen some that have USB out as well.

The Bluesound node 2i is a great budget streamer at around $300 used BUT..... it does not have USB out .
reubent
7,003 posts
 
For under $300, (actually under $120)

https://theauris.com/products/auris-blumehd-true-hi-fi-bluetooth-music-receiver

The Auris BluMe HD bluetooth receiver is really good. It is not a streamer. It's simply a high quality bloothooth receiver with a decent built-in DAC. It also has digital output, but not sure if it is coax/toslink only or if it also has USD. I use mine connected both via analog and via digital to my DAC and I hear very little difference.

Anyway, you just connect to it via bluetooth from your phone, tablet, laptop, etc. and play your Spotify. Works great and Spotify has an awesome user interface and great catalog. I use this setup every day. 

If I were going to subscribe to a streaming service that had hi-res (CD or better) quality, I would probably by a Bluesound Node 2i streamer ($550)

Good luck, have fun and enjoy the music.....
bkeske's avatar
bkeske
5,597 posts
 
I use an earlier version of the Dayton Audio WBA28. Do a search, it will come up. Sells through Parts Express for $84.00 the earlier version I have only cost about $55.

I connect to it via my phone or iPad. It also has an app you can use to connect to a sever you may have on your network.

I connect the adapter itself to my DAC via toslink > preamp via RCA > amp via RCA. It also has a USB and ethernet connection ports.
uberwaltz's avatar
uberwaltz
13,381 posts
 
Nice information from both Reubent and bkeske.
Thats What this forum is all about.
Many thanks and hopefully the op can get his Spotify fix now!
erik_squires
16,100 posts
 
Why don't you stick with the Sonos ecosystem if you are happy with it?  The Sonos Connect ~ $250, will feed your DAC.

https://amzn.to/2MdcwL7
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