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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
1,923 posts
 
@bicu                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Forgot to thank you for the link to Volumio  Looks interesting. One poster said the Boss sounded close to his Yiggy & Ambre server. I do believe in giant killers. you can look at my amp and see that. Yet believe they are the exception, not the rule as some like to think.
ian_of_glos
9 posts
 

Rather than recommending specific hardware components, would someone be willing to answer a few basic questions first? The questions I had in mind are:

1) what are the advantages of streaming when compared to CDs, vinyl and digital downloads? Are there any disadvantages?

2) is it possible to use streaming services without the need for a computer, tablet or mobile phone?

3) how does the quality of hi res streaming services such as Qobuz compare with other hi res options such as SACD?

4) What are the basic components needed to connect a streaming service to an existing hifi system? Please note that I am not looking for brands - just a list of the components I will need in order to listen to streamed music through my existing hifi.

Thank you.

nickttt
4 posts
 
1) I have a Roon server with a couple of thousand CD tracks ripped to ALAC, vinyl tracks also ripped to ALAC, several albums worth of FLAC content from HDTracks, and a TIDAL subscription. For me, if I’ve got local digital copy, I listen to that (less impact on my internet feed). If I have a worn (albeit cleaned up) track on vinyl and it’s available on TIDAL, I listen to the TIDAL copy. So, the advantage I find is I can always find the cleanest copy somewhere. Disadvantage? If you’ve got limited internet bandwidth, you’ll get choppy/crappy  quality from your stream.2) Um, no.3) AFAIK TIDAL and Qobuz highest quality streams are pretty much equivalent; I don’t have SACD, but I would say that in comparing my HDTracks content to the equivalent content on TIDAL, HDTracks wins. And certainly playing CDs on my H/K HD990/HK990 combo is better than TIDAL. But it’s the AMOUNT of high quality content on TIDAL that is the compelling factor in getting a subscription.4) You need a box with computing power that will receive a streaming signal, and an RCA stereo cable to connect it to an AUX input on your amp/receiver. I use a Sonos Connect and feed the digital output to the DAC in my HK990, and it’s great.
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agosto
45 posts
 
Joining the conversation as a relative newcomer to streaming: I am too coming from the analog end of the spectrum and about 18 months ago purchased a node 2. I am using an external DAC (Mark Levinson 30.5). While I am overall happy with the node 2 I have the occasional drop outs and I wonder if other owners have the same problem. I have a wifi setup and tested router positions and distances without improvements. I have a connection of 100Mb/s+ but I am still somewhat suspicious of the stability of the data service provided. Question: Do other node2 owners experience drop outs?
Second question: If I would opt to upgrade to the next level streamer (w/o DAC) what would be the most economical choice? Is there a difference between node2 and node2i?
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