2. digital
  3. 119396-8622

streamer for PWD DAC mkII - tired of a computer and complicated connectivity!

Hello All,

I have a PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC mkII (PWD II) and I am sick and tired of having a computer connected to my hi-fi system.  I find it far easier to clean and play a record than it is to play a digital file, this is not acceptable!

I would love to keep my PWD II as it is a great sounding piece of gear, but I need to feed it with a music stream that is simple, and eliminate the mac mini and software.  I would love to use a Sonos Connect, but it cannot handle high res music.  Is there any other solution?  Is there a competitor to Sonos that handles high res?  Can I plug in an Apple TV and play music from the network without needing to look at iTunes on a computer somewhere?  Is there a low cost streamer that can plug into the PWD?  Can I control a NAS drive connected to the PWD II via ethernet without a computer?

Or, do I sell the PWD II, raise some funds, and buy a Cambridge 851N or Sony HAP-Z1ES?  Both of these units look way simpler, and both have plusses and minuses:  The Sony supports DSD, The Cambridge supports iTunes Airplay (and I would assume I can stream Apple Music through that?).

Thank you for your help!
- Mark
marktomaras
oblgny's avatar
oblgny
848 posts
 
You're pretty much where I am regarding the music server / streaming thing - your choices are very limited.  I've had two Olive Media products, the One and the 03HD, a ReQuest Audio F4.800, and most recently a Bluesound Vault 2 with a single Node. 

All require being tethered to the Internet which for my needs simply did not work.  I've tossed in the proverbial towel with the idea of going this route and I'm returning to simply getting a good DAC. 

I'm no newbie to computers, either.  I just found the whole ordeal of ripping cd's time consuming with minimal return.  That's just me but...
marktomaras OP
544 posts
 
This sector of the industry is a quagmire.  I hope it improves in 2016!  Basically I want a hifi version of Sonos that I can plug into my DAC for a good price.  That or a single unit that combines a good DAC and a very convenient player.  For the moment, I am going to reconfigure things a little with my computer and see if I can get it to run more conveniently.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,432 posts
 
oblgny, you can rip what you listen at the same time.  Eventually all CDs will get ripped with no effort.  Technically speaking, rip is better than original.
jon2020's avatar
jon2020
988 posts
 
Mark,

Good news. You can keep your dac and get this :-

http://www.stereophile.com/content/lumin-u1-network-music-transport#5H22VdmDUCUTq8qP.97

J. :)
marktomaras OP
544 posts
 
Such a bargain!
More to discover