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Need help on buying a streamer / network player

Please help me to pick the right streamer.

I am currently streaming wirelessly from a NAS to a Windows laptop, and play using Foobar2000, digital (USB) out to a DAC.  There are some intermittent "interruptions" while playing.  I think that is caused by Foobar because the computer is fairly new, a powerful one and not running anything.  Also, I can't setup Foobar such that I can create smart playlist based on my rating, part of the reason is I play FLAC files with separate cue sheets.  Thirdly, I can free up the laptop for somethign else.  So, I am thinking to get a streamer, but I have some specific requirements:

1) There is no ethernet cable.  So, need to discover and stream music from the NAS wirelessly, and I can control it using my phone or tablet wirelessly.  If I buy a server and move all my music, than I don't need wireless for streaming, but I still need wireless to control it.
2) Can handle cue sheets.  I can split them up by track, but then it is (a lot of) additional work.  But if I can't find one, this may be one of the requirement to be dropped.
3) When I compare Foobar to Groove, I like Foobar better.  So, I hope the player in the streamer sound as good, if not better, than Foobar.
4) Stable.  No intermittent interruptions or drop out.  I read some comment for the Bluesound Note 2i that it sometimes failed to connect to NAS wirelessly.  Same thing happened on my Windows computer, sometimes the NAS drive disappear.  
5) <$1000 
6) I don't need a DAC, but it seems most of them has it.
7) I don't need multi room support

I am surprised many doesn't support wireless.  I gather the list below, and would like any feedback on them about stability.

1) Yamaha WXC-50
2) Bluesound Note 2i 
3) Primare NP5 Prisma
4) DenonDNP-800NE
5) find another software on the computer

Especially, I am interested to know CUE support, stability, and sound quality.
I know the Bluesound is widely recommended, but I read the audioscience testing saying that the Toslink is having some problem.  It also doesn't support CUE sheets.

Buying a streamer or network player is much harder than I thought.  =(
gte357s
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,614 posts
 
If you step outside the box (cue sheets), wireless connectivity (not recommended) cause wireless does not offer best SQ, you can be well on your way to enjoy digital streaming. IMO, you do not need to be a computer geek to stream audio files (no pun intended).

You want to simply your setup, look into Bluesound Vault 2i or ZENmini Mk3. They both comes with

- Onboard storage so you can store and play your music. - Vault offers WiFi connectivity (again not recommended)
- Zen Mini requires Ethernet (You can install google mesh for Zen)
- Onboard DAC...albeit not great but good enough sound quality
- Pretty good and stable app interface that is operated wirelessly via phone or tablet ( this is a very important consideration most folks overlook when they go for cheap alternatives)
- Create playlist

Both of these players will eliminate the need for laptop and the clutter. There are other more expensive alternatives that are step in SQ but the above two players offers lot of bang for the money and stress free musical experience.
mrklas
441 posts
 
I have set up a Bluesound Node 2i as my streamer and to connect to my NAS.  I am not the most technical person and was close to returning it because it didn't do 'as promised' from my perspective.

However, my dealer recommended contacting the support group for Bluesound and they have been awesome and provided feedback live responses as well as via email and they have sent follow-up emails on both my issues.  Dropping off the network and connecting to my NAS.

Network drops. recommended setting up a DHCP reservation this worked for me.  I did it for a few weeks then set up an ethernet connection because I could.

NAS integration.  Functionality is provided by directing the Node 2i to a shared folder and then it indexes the media.  After struggling with using the computer name I used the IP address based on guidance from Bluesound and this worked like a charm.

On connections I have used both toslink and digital coaxial and I couldn't hear a difference so I went with the short cable - my toslink that I bought from Blue Jean Cable. 
gte357s OP
281 posts
 
@mrklas thanks for sharing, this is exactly what I worry about.  I don’t want to go through this hassle.  It seems a big part is looking up and connecting to NAS.  Having a server will avoid this problem.  If all the music is in the same box, then the remaining possible glitch is the player which is another software.
gte357s OP
281 posts
 
@lalitk i read good reviews on the Zen mini III.  And I think it supports CUE.  It is a server which avoids the possible glitches connecting to a NAS.  The only shortcoming is no wireless.  Actually, I have an Ethernet cable but it is used by my TV box.  Maybe a simple solution is to buy a Ethernet hub.  How come I haven’t thought about this before!
The Bluesound Vault in the other hand has wireless but doesn’t support CUE.  

From reviews, it seems the Zen has a better sound?  Is the interface to organize the songs easy to use?  I would like to have a smart playlist based on ratings.  And as a nice to have, it can gather data and auto adjust volume of each song.  Foobar has this, but it seems this is the reason causing the intermittent drop out while updating the database so I remove it.
gte357s OP
281 posts
 
@mahler123 it seems a third option is to buy something like a Mac mini + Audirvana.  It is cheaper.  The Mac mini provides more function.  But theoretically doesn’t sound as good.
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