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Another streaming newbie

Guys, I have tried to search and figure this out, because I know this topic has been well-covered. But I am still wandering in the dark, so plz forgive my redundant questions....

First, here's my current rig,: I built a Lenco table 15 yrs ago with a JMW 10 arm/London Super Gold that I run into a phono pre that I built from a pretty high end kit  (can't see the name, have no idea what it is now!) thru a VTL tube IT-85 integrated amp and then thru some SF Electa Amator II, supported by a sub I built.  So pretty mid-fi setup, but it really works for me.  Sounds great, to my ears.  

The Covid thing has me home (no golf in Los Angeles!), listening to music more. Would love to stream something that approaches the vinyl sound quality with a music service, but being retired, budget is more a concern now... I just subscribed to TIDAL with its premium level (MQA) that I was running straight from my iphone 6 to the VTL. Meh.  Then my daughter ran same stuff through her iphone 11 and, hey, that sounded better.  So, clearly, I am in need of a streaming DAC.  

I know MQA gets mixed reviews. I have no way really to test this or to go listen to stuff. Everything is shut down here. So here's the criteria that matters most to me:
  • A great UI app because now streaming is like going to the Smithsonian.  There's a lot to organize. 
  • Great sound. (whatever that means!) 
  • One box.  Cables get expensive & messy.  
  • I'd like to keep it under $2K. I'd really like to keep it under $1K, but that may be wishful thinking.  I mean, is Bluesound Node 2 up to it? I am sure it would beat my daughters iphone 11, but ... what are reasonable streamers/DACS?  Where's the killer solution that isn't $10K?  I know it's out there....
I am not so far into TIDAL that I can't change. My system is in the same room as my router, so I can run an ethernet cable to the DAC.  As I have looked at all of this, it has occurred to me to get an older, much higher quality used DAC that I can somehow mesh with TIDAL (or another service with high quality streaming) and forget the MQA.  But this has to somehow hook into my internet directly and be able to be run by a remote UI.  So now my head is spinning.

Thanks for your input.  Chuck
chuckccs
chuckccs OP
42 posts
 
@tvad... ps: how's the UI?
chuckccs OP
42 posts
 
Ok, last thing. This all was inspired by being home a bunch (we're usually really active, outside all day here near the beach) and then we moved the audio to our combo family/kitchen.  Where I plug iphone in as we make dinner and inevitably, we dance a little as we cook.  Sweet.  Fun to see my wife dancing as she drinks a beer,  
headphonedreams
527 posts
 
Congrats on the Yggi! 

I have a cheaper dac and still I don't think the sound is nearly as good with my phone as a streamer as it is with a computer. You might want to order an Allo or something else pretty quickly.

You had an earlier question about software and I just use Volumio on my RPi and controls that from any phone. We mostly streams Spotify on it by just choosing "Stream to device" and choose the RPi but I store flac files on it also. If you want to use Tidal or Qobuz you probably need a subscription from Volumio. They are around €29 per year or less than €3 per month if you pay for a year. You might also be able to use Roon but I have not tried that.
chuckccs OP
42 posts
 
It arrives tomorrow. I am checking my watch oh about every 23 minutes. 
I will likely get a r pi-based player. Just going to do things one step at a time. If I wait a month or three then my sense of what I want to spend can open up a little. I am really enjoying streaming - with my free tidal 30 days even on just my phone into amp exploring all kinds of music till late in the night. It’s easy to lose sight of music for sound (I’ve done that!) Now I am much more focused on listening to music that moves me.
jeffjazz
114 posts
 
I’m one of the tinkerers. But if you go this route I believe you will get the best bang for buck. Though it requires a little work and knowledge.  I run a Raspberry Pi4b with a Pi2AES as the digital board. I load Moode or PiCorePlayer as software and select Tidal or my music on a hard drive via a app on my iPad - MconnectHD or a Squeezebox app, which goes to my Schit Yggy2 Dac via an AES connection. That was a very long sentence! Or buy a Lumin like others have suggested. Since you are an analogue guy you may want to stick with a R2R Dac like Schiit.
Even the cheaper $700 Bifrost is excellent. They don’t do MQA. Who cares. MQA is not better. I’ve compared MQA Tidal (24/48) to Qubuz 24/96 stuff. Can’t tell much difference at all. Sometimes MQA sounds worse because I think it’s remastered. Tidal sounded a little fuller to me over Qubuz. Qubuz maybe a teeny bit more detailed, but may be hearing that since it’s not as full sounding. Stuck with Tidal since I like their catalogue and genre + playlist selection better.
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