Best streamer for a returning audio guy

Anyways.I too looked at the Blusound Node for my McIntosh system. I would bypass the internal DAC on the Blusound by using digital out into the MX123 and use the the DACS in the McIntosh.

My logic is, why pay a arm and a leg for a streamer when I am not using it’s DACS? Will I hear a difference? Maybe if I buy one that has better DACS then the Mac.

I’ve been using the AIrPlay on the Mac but it will only offer me CD quality. I thought I was getting better( HI-Res) but I understand I am not, even with Qobuz. The MX123 has its own internal streamer but I am looking to hard wire a streamer to the MX123.

I too am a old timer with still much to learn, but thats half the fun.

Just an update, I’m looking for a Bluesound node at a reasonable price used. Other option is audiolab 6000n. I found out that my wife’s Apple TV can stream tidal and Spotify and apple tunes. I have been playing around with this. I haven’t subscribed to any service yet. 
  Also I just found out that our internet service provider will no longer support our current contract subscription. They forced me to change out the wiring to optical this morning. We had no tv, internet, etc yesterday at all. Not very happy about it. We were told that our provider was going to go all streaming in the future (to save the customers $). I don’t know how that will affect streaming audio yet. 
  Renovations are proceeding in my home and now I can see the stereo!!! Hope they will be done soon. Thanks all. Twodogs112.

op

node 2i for sale

node ’3’ - current one

good luck... 

Sorry you were forced to change wiring. I hope it was not too expensive. I live in Europe and some things may be a bit different here but we choose to get fiber into our house a couple of years ago. I was thinking the next step would be network cables (TP-cables) around the house to everything and maybe some wifi router for phones and other things.

I ended up using wifi everywhere, it was good enough (a mesh network) for streaming video and audio. My system is not very high end so I have not tried if the sound would get better if I start using cables from the router instead of the wifi but I guess it is not the most important thing. Try to find a solution that works for you and then see if you want to try to optimize anything. A network cable should be better but if it is worth it is up to you. The fiber should be fast enough for anything you want to do unless they have kept the speed low on purpose for some reason. Our connection to the house is 1Gb/s (or about 1000 Mb/s) but I usually get a bit lower than that.

To all who helped me. Thanks. I’m finally streaming. Got a hold of a Bluesound node2 with the power upgrade and after a great deal of cursing and rewiring. I got it up and running. Sounds great thru my bifrost Dac. Trying out with the Amazon music for now( free trial) that I already had access to. Will be moving on to tidal or Spotify when trial is over. Excited to play, now I just have to convince the wife. 
  Tomorrow, on to installing the new dog door. Still under renovations, and only one bathroom operational. Contractor said vanity top might be installed this week( only took a month to make). Heard that before. 
  Again, thanks all.