Music streamer with no DAC and no storage?
@thyname I’ve streamed from my Oppo BDP-105 and 103 and a Marantz NA6005 and listen to a lot of digital music from my network using a number of different DACs. Have you streamed from a Node 2? There’s always something "better", but the Node 2 is very satisfying. I'm not sure where the "all streamers sound the same came from". I didn't say that. I said the Node 2 sounds great. I was skeptical about the Node 2 because of its low price, but I was able to pick one up for $200 and figured I could flip it if it wasn't that great. It's not going anywhere and I don't feel like I'm missing anything. |
All I was saying @big_greg is that there are better streamers out there. A resolving systems (DAC, speakers, amp, etc.) will highly benefit by a good streamer. The better the streamer is, the better the system will sound. Not a knock on Node2. I used to have a Node 2 a long time ago. I have moved on... |
Top notch streamer without a DAC is simply a renderer like the Interchange: https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=156409.0 The Interchange interfaces with Ethernet and delivers data with 10psec of jitter at the end of a 4 foot S/PDIF cable, lower than any other server you will buy. Not for USB. I use Interchange with my Mac Mini and Linn Kinsky/Minimserver, all freeware. The SQ from this far exceeds Roon. You will need to use Linn Kazoo for streaming low-res from the web. Hi-res is from local storage only. You can also use Jriver, but SQ not as good as Kinsky. For optimizations, do these things: 1) AQVOX switch 2) 2 Wireworld Platinum Ethernet cables, 0.5m and 2.0m 3) EMO EN-70e isolator between the two Ethernet cables, 0.5m cable at the AQVOX It is critical that you connect it as described for best SQ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you must use USB, then get a USB converter like the Berkeley and this reclocker: https://sotm-usa.com/collections/sotm-ultra/products/copy-of-tx-usbultra-regenerator-1 You will also need a good USB cable, like the Wireworld Platinum. If you want to eliminate your Mac, then maybe the Antipodes servers or Aurender N10. You wanted the best. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
