Hi everyone
Been reading thru this thread.
When I look at tech. It all about the workflow ... it could be the best tech but if you can’t intergrade into a users workflow ... it’s not best tech.
so going back to a cheap streamer ...
like a pic based platform that is not plug and play etc ... it’s a great solution for some tech savvy diy , but would would in others users “workflows ...”
as mapman pointed out any laptop w a usb to a dac would give you a good streamer , but it comes back to how you want to use it in your environment aka the “ workflow “
I have a used Logitech squeezeboxes , sad they dropped support and some services dropped supporting them .. like Spotify ... they are still very usable and you can tweek it and upgrade them and use them for local file server streaming . It’s a solution that is very user dependent ( tech savvy needed).
I was asked to help a friend set up for an audio show years ago ..... and asked how they demo ... they sold speakers .. so to play music ....
FYI. I used to be a regional sales manager ( I was a sys engineer previously aka tech guy ) in the area of hi tech pre press technology. Basically merging an all analog process with the on coming hi tech stuff in a tradition enviromoments... so making stuff new stuff be able to seemingly integrate into shops current workflow was paramount. ( it keeps going on in my head ).
I “ looked at “ and not listen to different streamers FIRST....
It’s about how a user would use it ... if they could not use it ....
so after the dust settled.....
Node2 seems to be interesting to me .
The Node2 has the ability to concatenate digital sources ( local servers, many streaming services , local USB port , Bluetooth ( if you want) ) into a single user interface ...
approx retail price like 550 usd
The software is included as part of the hardware .
I went ahead a got one staged it with the system we were going to use at the show . I let the owners listen and make the call on the SQ . They were happy with what I assembled ... and we used that solution up nyc audio 2019 show .... last physical show we did.
At home I my wife uses my main system w the node 2. For her the Node2 is bulletproof ( key feature want other then yourself to use the system ). We have file server with gigs of stuff but she prefers to use Amazon music HD . But the Node2 gave me crazy errors on wed . I was home early and check everything tried different wifi , hardwirenet ,local files , server files , other streaming services like Spotify and Tune-in .... everything else worked fine . I sent a email request to bluesound right from the ios ap . They replied a few hours later saying it was a Amazon web server authentication issue on Amazon side ... and Amazon took care of it .
Guess I am trying to say the best cheap streamer depends on the workflow and the environment you want to use it in and the BIGGEST part of your environment is the USER who will be interacting with it .
FYI mapman we met at the DC Audiofest via John S. At his booth .
Happy holidays and be safe !
bill
Been reading thru this thread.
When I look at tech. It all about the workflow ... it could be the best tech but if you can’t intergrade into a users workflow ... it’s not best tech.
so going back to a cheap streamer ...
like a pic based platform that is not plug and play etc ... it’s a great solution for some tech savvy diy , but would would in others users “workflows ...”
as mapman pointed out any laptop w a usb to a dac would give you a good streamer , but it comes back to how you want to use it in your environment aka the “ workflow “
I have a used Logitech squeezeboxes , sad they dropped support and some services dropped supporting them .. like Spotify ... they are still very usable and you can tweek it and upgrade them and use them for local file server streaming . It’s a solution that is very user dependent ( tech savvy needed).
I was asked to help a friend set up for an audio show years ago ..... and asked how they demo ... they sold speakers .. so to play music ....
FYI. I used to be a regional sales manager ( I was a sys engineer previously aka tech guy ) in the area of hi tech pre press technology. Basically merging an all analog process with the on coming hi tech stuff in a tradition enviromoments... so making stuff new stuff be able to seemingly integrate into shops current workflow was paramount. ( it keeps going on in my head ).
I “ looked at “ and not listen to different streamers FIRST....
It’s about how a user would use it ... if they could not use it ....
so after the dust settled.....
Node2 seems to be interesting to me .
The Node2 has the ability to concatenate digital sources ( local servers, many streaming services , local USB port , Bluetooth ( if you want) ) into a single user interface ...
approx retail price like 550 usd
The software is included as part of the hardware .
I went ahead a got one staged it with the system we were going to use at the show . I let the owners listen and make the call on the SQ . They were happy with what I assembled ... and we used that solution up nyc audio 2019 show .... last physical show we did.
At home I my wife uses my main system w the node 2. For her the Node2 is bulletproof ( key feature want other then yourself to use the system ). We have file server with gigs of stuff but she prefers to use Amazon music HD . But the Node2 gave me crazy errors on wed . I was home early and check everything tried different wifi , hardwirenet ,local files , server files , other streaming services like Spotify and Tune-in .... everything else worked fine . I sent a email request to bluesound right from the ios ap . They replied a few hours later saying it was a Amazon web server authentication issue on Amazon side ... and Amazon took care of it .
Guess I am trying to say the best cheap streamer depends on the workflow and the environment you want to use it in and the BIGGEST part of your environment is the USER who will be interacting with it .
FYI mapman we met at the DC Audiofest via John S. At his booth .
Happy holidays and be safe !
bill