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Educate me on music streamers, please.

I just recently started a trial of Roon, Audirvana, Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz and Spotify.  In the past, I just played FLACs on Foobar or streamed on Google Play.  

Roon and Audirvana are pretty cool and I like that you can add Tidal and Qobuz but you can't add Deezer (I really like Deezer's Flow).   I don't like that I can't stream Deezer to my Raspberry Pi with RopieeeXL.  

So, I was thinking that maybe a music streamer that has all of these services would be a good idea.  Anyone have one they like?  Do they have their own "sound"?  I have a DAC  - so would the DAC sound change whatever comes out of the streamer?

Sorry for the basic questions.  I appreciate any help.


soundchasr
crn3371
224 posts
 
Tidal and Qobuz are pretty much universally available on any dedicated streamer, while Deezer is more of an outlier. In my opinion EVERYTHING has its own sound, streaming service, streamer, cables, DAC. If it’s in the audio chain it can affect the sound. 
wsrrsw's avatar
wsrrsw
1,034 posts
 
There’s an old saying of you get what you pay for.

Got a budget in mind?

My budget allowed me a steamer with a DAC in 5he box. 


soundchasr OP
159 posts
 
@jjss49 thanks will check out darko.

@crn3371 that's the thing I dislike- one more thing to worry about affecting the sound.  

@wsrrsw I'm thinking under a $1k if I get one.  I don't really need the DAC.  I have an Ayre Codex that works fine. 


djones51
4,947 posts
 
If you use Roon you can assemble a fanless NUC and connect it to you ayre codex by USB or use a raspberry pi4 roon bridge to connect to the codex and put the NUC elsewhere. 
soundchasr OP
159 posts
 
@djones51 - I am currently using a Raspberry Pi4 with RopieeeXL for Roon.  

I've watched the Darko videos and done a little more research.  Although I don't think a streamer is a must-have because I'm making do with the Pi and Chromecast presently, I do think I'd like to get one to make things easier.  I can definitely see the benefit of that! 

The key, and what would make it most valuable to me, is one that can handle everything from Roon and Audirvana to Amazon HD and Deezer.  Not sure how hard that will be to find.  

It seems like the Node 2i and the Cambridge Audio CXN are both very popular.  

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