Would this be a good starter system for streaming?


I am new to streaming so looking for valuable input. I am considering purchasing the following:

Music Server - Small Green Computer - Sonictransporter i5 with CD ripper
Music Streamer - Ultrarendu
DAC - RME ADI-2 

Was also considering the optical versions. Want to run as a ROON server.

This will be used with KEF 107.2 speakers, Macintosh 34v & 7200 amp.
i have a fairly large CD collection that needs to be ripped

Would something else be better in the $5K range 


ccasebier
I have heard a Bryston integrated with built-in streamer. That sounded very good with Orangutang O/93 speakers. I assume their separate streamer sounds as good or better.

I would otherwise look st something like Volumio Primo as streamer and spend more on a dac. Streamers are still betting better.
I’m in a similar spot as the OP. But I’m having doubts as to whether my CD collection is worth ripping because some may not be in pristine condition and most of my recordings are available by stream.  
I’ve been able to compare specific CDs to Tidal streams.  I found that when the recordings were excellent there really isn’t that much of a difference in sound.  Otherwise, sometimes the Tidal stream sounded better than the CD and sometimes the reverse. Not sure I want/need an iPad screen with multiple choices of the same song.

The Aurender 10 is a simple, elegant, and  expensive solution to ripping and storing.  However I am uncertain about the value proposition.

I think I’m heading in the direction of a really great DAC and an adequate streamer that may be upgraded in the future.

Any thoughts on Denefrip DACs as a value solution?
Elfedone, 

As you can see above we are recommending the best dac in the price range. The Denefripps is supposed to be a great dac, however, for the same price as that Dac,  there is  T+A DAC 8 DSD which is outstanding and if you can run DSD 512 via a computer server running Roon,Jriver, or HQ player  will beat most $10k dacs.

The new Bricasti M3 which is just amazing, and it is made in America and it has a host of great features including a pure analog volume control a streaming card option and a headphone option the dac is mind blowing completely raised our expectations in great digital that is in the 5k price range according to Bricasti the M3 is 80-85% of the sound of their reference M21 for 1/3 the price.

The Innous servers which start at a bit over a thousand bucks also streams and rips so you can get a great ripper/HD storage system that is not so expensive.

We are not saying that the server doesn't make a huge difference the servers do just if you have to get started you can use a laptop first and then replace that with a dedicated server.

Other considerations are do you look at a real marvelous streaming dac like the Lumin T2?

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Lumin, Innous, Bricasti, T+A dealers.




The dealer is recommending products he carries.  Grain of salt here!

"As you can see above we are recommending the best dac in the price range. The Denefripps is supposed to be a great dac, however, for the same price as that Dac, there is T+A DAC 8 DSD which is outstanding and if you can run DSD 512 via a computer server running Roon,Jriver, or HQ player will beat most $10k dacs."

The DAC you are thinking about is great but for the same $ we have something better.
Rbach the dacs we have are very highly rated, we sell, Aqua Hif, T+A, Bricasti, Lumin and many others.

Try to find a Denefrips professional review, not too easy very few reviewers have heard one in the reviews, could only find three reviews, Six Moons, Audio Bacon and Audio Stream,

We could find one review where the Terminator was compared to a Chord which was a bit more expensive and also had a volume control and was better in some ways and bettered in others.

The issue with Denefrips is the direct model takes away the possiblity that the Dac in test will be compared with Dacs that are allready well known in one location.

Rbach we are not saying our dacs are better just that there are some really outstanding choices that the OP might not be thinking about.

The Bricasti M3 is amazing sounding, similarly priced and you have options of adding a nework card, it has an analog preamp stage and can be a headphone amp as well, very cool feature set.

The T+A also has a resitor analog volume control, is also a headphone amp, and comes from one of the best digital engineering departments in Europe, The Aqua Hifi Lascala is 100% modular and completely upgradable, with the Terminator only one board can be changed easily.

Again considering that we are a very dac oriented store and continue to bring in and test many dacs gives us a pretty wide perspective in what sounds good. Again we have Ifi, Lumin, Mytek, Bricasti, Naim, T+A, Aqua Hif, Light Harmonic, to name a few of the digital lines we carry.

Rbach how about you extoll  for the rest of us your vast experience with all the dac’s you have tested?

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ