2. digital
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Fairly new to streaming. Where to start?

$2k & under budget

Aralic Vega has streamer  and DAC. May be the easiest start?
Then there is Schiit...Yiggy or Gumby...which streamer?
Ladder NOS dac? Or Chip? I'm old. maybe I'll like the old school DAC?
Then there is  Benchmark DAC 3...I think it has streamer?
Then
Exasound E32
Audio Mirror?
Metrum
MHDT Orchid
Border Patrol?
Musical Paradise?
Whats a newbie to do? I am a classic rock fan with lots of FLAC & M4a files. I like detail & PRaT. Love a good bass line. I also play some 70's jazz. I have a Theta Miles CD player from the 1900's & play a lot of vinyl too. But I need to come into the 21st century.  Besides, I will probably become tired of the vinyl ritual and work at some point as I get older. I think I have done enough homework to be somewhat confused. Maybe the biggest question in light of how fast digital changes is the question of streamer with DAC or separate Streamer and DAC. One other question is the streamer & bridge the same thing? OK Thanks!! 
128x128artemus_5
artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5 OP
1,992 posts
 
@electroslacker  @djones51


Here's what I am trying to decide. I have a hifi shop here in town who services  my equipment when needed. They are good & honest and been around for a long time. I've known them for a long time as well. They have been trying to sell me a Yamaha WXC-50. It gets good marks from Hans Beekhuyzen who reviewed it as well as others. Just a bit below Node 2i in sound quality.  I have heard is and it sounded good.   I will need to upgrade the DAC for the Yamaha or the Node 2i. But the Yamaha is $200 cheaper. They also  suggest JRiver ($60). So the question...will the Yamaha send the 1's & 0's to the DAC as good as the Node 2i? I haven't bought anything from them in a while  and I need some more equipment to be serviced which would keep me on their good side (if that makes sense)
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_022WXC50DS/Yamaha-WXC-50.html?awcp=&awcr=309983056457&awdv=c&awkw=%2byamaha+%2bwxc+%2b50&awmt=b&awnw=g&awug=9013327&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6sHzBRCbARIsAF8FMpWdUmwUmixMneDZl3N_G3KUNGjnbGnJhW8_-FZRUDpwFFoI_GDgaaYaAgSVEALw_wcB
djones51
4,947 posts
 
IMO yes the Yamaha would work as well as the Node2i it might have a better dac as well. I am not familiar with the interface you would use so I can't comment on that but I imagine it's  easy enough to learn. 
electroslacker
375 posts
 
Artemis, I agree with DJones, although I have no personal experience with either unit. The Yamaha seems a lot for a little, and a clever product. I can get caught up in exotic USB cables, but that aside, I bet the Yamaha with a nice DAC would sound great.  I didn’t see Qobuz listed as supported by Yamaha. I like Qobuz for $12/month, but sounds like that’s not an issue for you now. I’d try to listen to all the assembled pieces at the dealer if possible. Best of luck to you. 
artemus_5's avatar
artemus_5 OP
1,992 posts
 
Thanks guys. I’m getting tired of the hunt and the research My brains need a rest.
 
This thread has been a real eye opener which has helped me to understand more. Great bunch here. Thanks
audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,018 posts
 
Just get a musical fidelity vdac 90 and call it a day for $299. It's a borderline class A component in Stereophile magazine and I agree with them that it is a wonderful peace of equipment for not very much and can rival many dacs 3 times its price. Yea, so it cannot play the highest of resolutions, who cares...at some point you have to say what is the point. In the end, at least to my ears, the vdac 90 sounds fantastic with all kinds of music. The real gold is in vinyl playback...I'm an analog guy and always will be...so to spend any more than what I did on the MF is not rational to me. Jmo
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