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MHDT Orchid or Audio Mirror/ pick one for me please

I have been looking around at my first streaming system ever, never even owened a dac. I have owned a Ezemplar Audio tube Denon 2900 and Exemplar tube Oppo 105 for the last 15 years, others have come and gone these always stayed. I mostly listen to records. I have been looking at dac's for a couple months and these are the 2 tube dac's I am considering. Solid state I looked at RME, Border Patrol, Ayre, Mytek, Chord and others. I like how the Orchid can except so many tubes and likes mods. Audio Mirror looks interesting I understand maybe more detail,  which is important. Both are in my price range, I want to start out slow and not spend to much on first purchase in streaming. I will also need a cheap streamer. Thanks for any suggestions. I'm kind of lost!!
paulcreed
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
@paulcreed Unfortunately I sold the exemplar and switched to streaming & computer audio in 2012, so I can't make any comparison. Every part of my system is different.

And the AM takes 6922s, so you're all set for tube rolling with it too. It has an output stage that can utilize 5977, 6N1P, 6DJ8, ECC88, 6922 and 6H23P tubes.  
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
And at least with the two week trial period, you can try running your exemplar direct and through the AM to test it out for yourself.

Do try a second source (e.g., a computer through USB) as well though, as the exemplar should hold it's general house sound, even when decoded by another dac. That'll let you figure out a bit more about whatever dac you're demoing
bsme85
151 posts
 
A new Orchid is $1210 if purchased from Ebay or direct from MHDT Labs
paulcreed OP
568 posts
 
Yea, sorry about that it is $1210, the one I looked at is another model, they just look the same and I assumed it was the Orchid. 
headphonedreams
529 posts
 
A quick way to start with streaming is to get a RaspberryPi based solution (RPi). You can build one yourself if you like to tinker, it is not very hard, or by a ready-made product.  I built my own by adding a HifiBerry Digi+ to a RPi and placing it all in a box and then connecting it to my normal dac through s/pdif.

If you don't want to tinker you can by one already assembled like the Volumio Primo or Orchard. You might need to subscribe to MyVolumio to get Tidal och Qobuz.

I think streamers are still evolving and they contain a lot of software which makes it harder to keep them going for years to come. If the company that built it is out of business you might not get any updates and it might stop working. For these reasons I would probably limit my spending on streamers for now and wait a few years.

https://volumio.org/product/volumio-primo/

https://orchardaudio.com/pecanpi-streamer

https://darko.audio/2020/01/raspberry-pi-audio-streaming-101/
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