2. digital
  3. 191637-302

Streamer for LTA Aero

I've been shopping for a highly capable, yet sensible streamer to pair with a LTA Aero DAC... on order. I'm trying to read everything, but being just about as far away from tech savvy as one can be, I have to give great weight to the guidance of others. The streamers that are most of interest to me are the Aurenders N200 and N150, and the Innuos ZEN and ZENith. My interest in the Innuos line is due mostly to their ripping feature - that might be unfair - I have a couple thousand CDs. That being said, I'm not deaf to those who advise that If I get the streamer/DAC thing right, I'll never reach for a CD again. My interest in the Aurender line is not only that they are high end, but that they are a friendly choice for those with limited computer savvy (I ain't kidding either, my new cellphone is kicking my behind). After talking with the Aurender rep at Axpona, I was all in on the N200. Now that I've chosen the Aero DAC, I'm considering that I'll be paying for capabilities, not relevant to the Aero, and that the N150 might provide essentially the same SQ at half the price. I'm very happy with my amplifier/speaker combination and believe that it's a highly capable pairing. They're pretty obscure in this country, but FWIW, I have a New Audio Frontiers Supreme 300B SE integrated feeding SoundKaos 40 speakers. I'm open to criticism as well.

phaelon
sls883
343 posts
 

@phaelon it's been a while, but I have Jennifer Warnes - The Hunter ripped and it's available on Qobuz. I think both were equally excellent.  I haven't ripped much that is available to stream. 

phaelon OP
1,050 posts
 

Thank you, sls883 and audphile1. With my current system, the only thing I’m missing, that I’m aware of, is that level of detail and resolution that’s needed to suspend disbelief and allow total emersion into the music. I just want to avoid the pitfalls. Over the years, I’ve witnessed so many friends, who sought maximum detail, wind up with systems that sounded more real but somehow felt less real, if that makes any sense. I probably should have mentioned that I’m currently using a ModWright Sony CDP. In sure that during its seventeen years of faithful service, digital technology has advanced enough so that it wouldn’t be difficult to take a significant, incremental step forward. Into my seventh decade, I’d like this to be more of a final step.

sls883
343 posts
 

I'm using the Innuos with a Gustard R26 r2r dac which is paired with a LHY ock-2 clock. I suspect your Aero is it's equal, or more likely better.  I had mostly been using my Denon DCD-1700NE sacd player and preferred it to streaming with a Node or with the Gustard renderer.  After purchasing the Innuos, my preference changed to streaming.  Innuos makes more expensive streamers, but I don't feel the need to spend more to potentially get something better.  I was fortunate to find a like new Innuos that still had a year of warranty remaining.

I did some cable swapping to get things where I really like them.  I'm pretty happy with where I've ended up.

I'm in my 6th decade, so I'm also thinking of things in terms of a final step.

zlone
658 posts
 

I owned the Aurender N10 for awhile and the sound was excellent, however the user software was not my cup of tea. I also had opportunity to work with their support team, who were responsive, but not able solve my system issues. 
 

I switched to Innuos  Zenith Mk III, and I have been very pleased with the solution, too to bottom. Their software is good, and solid, and comes across as more cutting edge in terms of design and progress. 
 

Whatever you choose, invest in a quality USB cable, it makes a difference. 

phaelon OP
1,050 posts
 

Thank you, zlone. My main caution with Innuos is the quantity of posts with owners describing the number of ancillaries they added to attain optimal SQ. One poster added five elements, three of which I never heard of. If I was more technically capable, I might find that challenging and even fun. As I’m not, it’s a concern. It’s not that it won’t sound wonderful as stock, it’s that I’ll always be wondering.

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