2019 Mac Pro vs. Roon


I'm struggling to understand how a music server would differ from my 2019 Mac Pro (Mac Pro - not MacBook Pro - using Audirvana or Roon software) or a Marantz SACD 30n with attached usb storage. As far as the SACD 30n goes, I understand that you would lose a User Interface, but would sound quality suffer?

Thanks in advance,

Yet Another Noob

noob504

Take a look at the Bricasti M5  Network Streamer.  The M5 and your Mac only need to be connected by ethernet cable to your network.  Mac can be anywhere and not near your system.  M5 works very well with Audirvana but you need it to connect to a DAC.  Several cable formats are offered.  On my set up, my Dac is built for USB so I have been very happy using it with an Audioquest Coffee USB cable. The M5 took my SQ to a new level.

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HI ghdprentice. My associated gear is the Levinson 585 integrated (about $12k) and my speakers are Dynaudio Contour 20is (about $6k). My speaker cables are AQ Gibraltars and I use an AQ Carbon USB. I think it's a pretty resolving set up, but who knows.

Hi tksteingraber. Thanks for the suggestion. I'll take a look at that. 

@noob504

 

Great. sounds like you have some really good equipment. Then as a rule of thumb… subject to your own tastes… I would recommend looking at DACs and streamers in the $6K each range. The real trick is to get stuff that is of the same caliber… you have some good stuff… your source is really important. It is like a turntable and Phonostage… if you don’t start with it… it isn’t going to get better in the signal chain. I recommend looking at high end solutions.

I would see if you could find a used Aurender N10, and a good DAC… off hand I nothing comes to mind in that price range. But I am sure a lot of folks know of some.