2. digital
  3. 174792-154522

Please help my ignorant a$$, I just want a good streamer...I think.

For starters let me get this out of the way up front. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND COMPUTERS OR THE LANGUAGE. 

My current set up consists of A custom built Aric Audio 6SN7 line stage, Peachtree 300 amp, Marantz CD6007, Denafrips Pontus II and a Node 2i. All cables DIY Helix design per My Audio Alchemy. Speakers are Monitor audio silver 500's.

In my head I should be able to improve upon the Node. I have been reading threads here and some other forums. I think I want something like a Lumin U1 Mini. Maybe one of the Innuos units with the ripping capability. Just not so sure about the Ripping CD's as that is going to involve hard drives and stuff. Which I would probably have to hire someone I can't afford to make it work. 

Then there are the folks who chime in on most threads at some point. These guys seem to challenge themselves to see how many pieces of stuff they can hook up to stream. How can a chain of 4,5,6 components with all their connections and power supplies not have negative effects not to mention where do they put all this stuff?

I have a cable that comes into my house that plugs into the thing my desktop computer plugs into. I plug an Ethernet CAT8 cable into that (the box not my computer) then into my Node. 

What is the benefit of all individuals pieces? It sure doesn't seem like it saves any money at all. By the time you buy a few pieces of pie some hats, switches, clocks, sonores, rendues and whatever else I am forgetting. Then power supplies and cables to hook it all up.

Then there is the Roon camp. My best bud has Roon. Took Him a few grand including gear and a computer guy from the place he bought it ( he was nice enough help on his own time) and a week to make it work. So that kind of soured me on the Roon idea. 

Don't get me wrong I am a hands on person, pretty mechanical. But when my computer has problems if unplugging it for a day doesn't fix it I go buy a new one and start from scratch (usually have to send the wife to a friends place for a weekend it gets ugly real ugly). Complete idiot! 

In the end I would like the best streamer option I can get under say $2500. I need it to be as "plug and play" as possible or come with amazing instructions/guidance or even better someone that could actually teach me. Someone that can explain on my level. 

I am going to stop here as it seems I am rambling! I am probably leaving stuff out I am sure so please ask and I will fill in. 

I have a great sense of humor so feel free to have some fun with me, I will return it! I just want to make a good decision. Show me what I am missing or not!

 

Cheers.

J.F.

johnfritter
ghdprentice
6,471 posts
 

I recommend an Aurender streamer.The best you can afford, used OK. Streamers are user friendly and sound better (in general and definitely as costs rise). Aurender has a well loved app for ipad or phone Conductor to control. These guys at any level know how to,build a streamer… high fidelity. I use a Aurender N100 for my headphone system and their flagship W20SE for my main system… same sound quality as my great analog rig. 

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,508 posts
 

Sounds about right. You gotta pay to play. Time is money. Blah blah blah.

You can match the MK3 for $20% to 30% but then you have to do the work.

Just pay 'em. The 1T is plenty to start, you will know what yo do.

chorus
976 posts
 

I am like you- techno challenged. When I chose streaming as my primary

source I wanted something, well, idiot proof.

I also did not want anymore boxes than necessary.

I did not one with a built-in DAC as that technology improves too rapidly.  

I wanted it to be Roon ready as that is another simplification.

I have now owned the Innuos Zen Mk3 for a full year and am very pleased.

Why? at $2,200 new ( Some dealers deal)  I have the ability to rip CDs to the

built-in storage.  

Aurender may exceed it in SQ but not in functionality and value.

 

 

mahughes
171 posts
 

Having auditioned the Aurender at length I would say the app is okay but doesn’t come near the Innuos Sense app in terms of depth of functions and fundamental user friendliness. Aurender make good streamers but, as observed, lack the actual functionality being asked for here. 

treynolds155
182 posts
 

Digital audio, simplicity and function (the app) mated with reliable simple hardware. Less is better in my mind. I've got a Netgear wireless bridge feeding the ethernet cable to my Aurender N100h, going usb into an integrated's dac. No reclocking, LPS or super duper cabling.

  1. If I unplug the ethernet cable, the N100h continues to play for at least 30 seconds so I'm assuming enough caching (storing) is going on that everything critical...is happening in the Aurender. So for that reason all my network stuff is pedestrian, nothing special...but reliable. Others have different opinions and results.
  2. The app is very important. Like many, I enjoy Aurender's conductor app. It easily let's me enjoy a large library of Qobuz playlists, songs, albums and many internet radio stations. Play-Fi is quite horrible, I've wanted to try the Blue OS (think it's called that). I've watched some videos on it and it looks pretty good. Of course there are many others including Roon, which is supposed to be the end all of apps. I just don't feel the need, so I'm not paying for it or dealing with it's complexities. I've heard it's pretty great though. 
  3. Streamer > Dac > rest of your system > play awesome music. That's the idea right? I've always taken a balanced approach to most things so I assumed this for digital audio as well. Recently I had to test a new dac using it's fiber inputs from an AudioEngine B1 (Bluetooth) streamer. So it looked like this Streamer (B1 bluetooth, horrible compared to usb/coax/fiber) > Dac, Chord Qutest...AWESOME > my system is pretty decent > and it was the best I've ever heard my system sound...period. After this I wouldn't hesitate to invest less on the streamer, and more on the dac. I am NOT saying the streamer isn't important, and there are certainly other valid points and results.
  4. I think a tremendous value proposition for many would be a Node with a nice outboard dac. More universally adopted app, really nice streaming performance and VERY versatile. Even if you outgrow the Node, it's not hard to image it taking place in an office or bedroom system. Wireless for me is a huge plus. I don't have a wired connection close by and the N100h is strictly a wired device so I have to use a wireless bridge. Not a big deal...just more cables and such.
  5. One last thing, besides the goal of simplicity and less is best, I never assume that I HAVE to do something for it to sound right. I use baseline quality power, digital and analog cabling (Pangea and Audioquest mostly, quality but nothing special). And I'll experiment and tinker around from there, always as fun experimentation rather than I have to fix something.

I've been in IT for over 25 years so digital audio comes pretty easy to me. I've also been into high end digital audio since the beginning and it's remarkable to see the transformation that streaming has brought to us. With it we literally have an endless supply of music to discover. Enjoy!

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