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Newbie needs Streamer Advise

Hi , I am relatively new to digital streaming and Hi Fi too, for that matter . So I have assembled a modest system and wish to replace my old Windows 7 laptop as my source .                                         My system is currently the following . Laptop with a Cardas Clear USB. Musical Fidelity’s M1CDT transport, A Schiit Yiggy , Rogue RP1 preamp , Dennis Had Inspire SEP amp. Zu Omens , Klipsch RF sub , Monster HTS 1600 Power center . All my tubes are high quality NOS and some new production power tubes.  My Interconnects are unbalanced Morrow MA5, CD has a Morrow Digital Coax , speaker cables are Anti - Cables Level 3. Power cables are Silnote Poseidon and an Analysis digital power cord on the Yiggy .                                       The Klipsch sub and the Monster power center are next up to be replaced . I’m running low power (12 wpc ) and the sub is straight into the wall socket . Right now I have no issues with grounding, noise or amp being underpowered .                                So back to streaming . I’m using Tidal and I am happy with their service. I have fast internet . I am however limited to WI FI for my Connection . I’m considering products like an Aurilic Mini or a Bluenode2 . I want to replace the laptop with something that I could control from an IPhone or IPad . I’m also interested in any experience with Amarro or some of the other services. I would like to budget at $1k as it’s a new venture for me .                           So please chime in and don’t forget to DUMMY DOWN your vocabulary for this neophyte.            Respectfully, Mike B. 
buellrider97
buellrider97 OP
393 posts
 
Thanks David , that was a thought as I posted the text . Other than cost , does length matter ? I have an Apple TV that I could try that with too . Thanks for the link . 
david_ten
5,480 posts
 
I have a 3M run of the DH Labs Silversonic Glass Master, primarily since I will be wall mounting the TV and I am using the TV’s Optical out. It is working very well with both the Schiit Yggdrasil and Denafrips Terminator DACs.

I do not believe there are any ’recommended’ ideal lengths for glass TOSLink cables...but perhaps someone is more informed in this area (in case, this was what you were asking about).
ddafoe
246 posts
 
A crazy cheap streamer (~$150ish) that still sounds great is the raspberry pi 3 with  HIFIBERRY DIGI+ PRO (S/PDIF output) with  iFi AUDIO iPower supply.

The pi has wi-fi, but I'm using its Ethernet connection coming from a  MoCA network I have setup.

I have it running the Roon bridge image and have a Tidal account.
It is small, quiet, and very stable.    I can't comment on how it compares sound wise to the more expensive streamers mentioned above.     I can say it offers good enough performance to hear differences in the coax digital cables I've used with it, let alone the different DACs.   I'm currently using it with a Shunyata Anaconda ZTRON digital cable feeding a SimAudio 380D DSD, and the sound is amazing :)

buellrider97 OP
393 posts
 
Ok guys , I’ve received some great advise . So let’s say I bump up to $1000-2000, for something new . My disc player only plays CD’s . Matt’s suggestion on the Oppo 105 is sinking in . It is Tiday ready and wireless . It also gives me SACD and a great Blu -ray player . I have a nice Panasonic Plasma over my system . I got rid of my Yamaha- Klipsch 5.1 a long time ago . What started this whole 2.1 thing was my front speakers were JBL 4312a’s that are pristine with Sound Anchor custom sized stands . So anyway let’s discuss Oppo 105 vs say $1500-2000 streamer . But just the sound quality . I’ll be using the Yiggy for Stereo and not sure for movies , but probably the Oppo . Also TV is only 1080p, I’m not interested in 4K or a curved screen . Thanks . 
2psyop's avatar
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2psyop
1,598 posts
 
buellrider97- I don't think you have a modest system, actually it looks like you have invested a fair amount of $$. I am sure it sounds great. About your question though, digital audio is a vast territory that is changing very, very quickly. More and more companies are offering streaming. I think Amazon prime now offers music streaming but there will be many others getting into the action. The hardware itself is getting better- DACs, wired and wireless connectivity, HDD, etc, etc. So no matter what you get, there will be something offering more versatility and even better sound right around the corner after you get your new streamer tweaked. Think of it, CD, SACD, plus DSD, AIFF and FLAC files, streaming lo-rez and hi-rez and now MQA.  When I switched from a computer based digital audio system to outside the computer it started with a Squeezebox then Logitech Squeezebox then Pure Audio I20 dock for my Iphone that I patched into my hi-fi system. Now I use a Bluesound Node 2, a Western Digital NAS and a powerline Wired ethernet connection. Sounds great to me but I had clear ideas in my mind before I bought the Node 2.
I would ask what you want in the new streaming device. I had wanted about 5 things.

1 I wanted to be un-tethered from a computer and use my Iphone or Ipad as a controller.

2 I wanted to be able to play ALL my digital files on HDD, that I had via Itunes and ripped from my own CDs. Wireless or wired.

3 I also wanted a very good and versatile streaming player and MQA was a bonus. As it turned out, I really like MQA.

4 The ability to send a digital signal out to another DAC.

5 I wanted something on a limited budget.

The Bluesound Node 2 was able to do all those things for $500. If I had not wanted the trouble of tagging files like artwork so that Bluesound could recognize the files I could have gotten the Vault 2 and re-ripped CDs or sent all the digital files INTO the Vault.
Once you know what you want in a steamer and that it can ALL change tommorrow, dive in and be happy with listening to music.




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