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Going Tidal, Need ???

I plan to subscribe to the Hi-Rez Tidal service at $20/month.
In addition I have been told to expect to pay $150/year for
the Roon Service. Apparently Roon’s software is said be easiest to navigate.

So what equipment do I need to buy to enjoy HiRes sound?
-I do not have a lot of downloaded material, cds or records to store.
-I do have a DAC built into my cd player-oppo 205-which is usable independently.
-Budget is $2,000.00

Can someone explain to me, using 50 or less and small words, how streaming hardware and software function?
Equipment I own: Freya/Cary/Oppo/Altec. 

Thanks,

Jeff

128x128firstnot
maritime51's avatar
maritime51
1,288 posts
 
The node 2 day is no slouch. Listen before buying a separate dac. I did. 
skywachr
123 posts
 
How about starting with a $50 budget and build slowly from there? Get a Google Chromecast and a mini toslink to toslink optical cable which allows you to bypass the Google Chromecast DAC and take Tidal straight from your phone digitally, (bypassing its DAC) through wifi into the Chromecast then bypassing its DAC by means of the mini toslink optical inserted into the 3.5 mm output on the Chromecast to transmit digitally by connecting the regular toslink optic end of cable into your Oppo. Try it. You won’t be disappointed and you can take your time to figure out what you really need and want.
erik_squires
15,870 posts
 
You could do this all with a Raspberry Pi with Volumio via USB (cheapest, maybe best) or using a digital out card.

If you go with USB, your hardware outlay is under $100
erik_squires
15,870 posts
 
12 Words :  

It takes data from the network and sends it to your DAC. 


audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Tidal is well integrated with Roon, but you don’t need Roon to get Tidal.

There is other player software that delivers better SQ IME, like Linn Kazoo.

You can even stream Tidal on a Sonos Connect. Reclock it with a Synchro-Mesh and you have a world-class digital source at 24/96 with 7psec of jitter.

Here is the list of players that support Tidal:

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/sections/200680222-Home-Audio-Players

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

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