Anyone else feel like it’s the Wild Wild West?

Regarding the “wild Wild West” digital is the exact opposite to me. Very diversified yet with a natural order to things that provides many safe shelters

I agree with this. Digital is pretty easy, and comes naturally to me. I find analog on the other hand intimidating. Cartridges, arms, belts, plates, alignments, weight, and all that... very confusing for me. It’s all about the level of comfort we all have with any audio medium, just like with everything in life. We are all different people. Let’s enjoy what we are comfortable with. There is simply no right or wrong with our choices, just preferences.

I took the easy route:

Started streaming in 2019 with a Bryston BDA-3.14 streamer/dac which sounded really good to me, I have no vinyl so no comparo to do.

Had some problems with rasberry Pi based streamer internal to the piece. Talked to Bryston and they (at the time) couldn't get the streamer board.

So, we agreed that I will trade-in the 3.14 for a BDA-3 brand new, zero cost to me, I mean zero, no shipping and a return label for the 3.14.  That my friends is customer service.

Then purchased a Nucleus+ w/2TB drive installed.

Hardwired ethernet to Nucleus and then USB to DAC.  The DAC reclocks the digital input anyway and buffers around 10 seconds of the feed.

An Apple Macbook pro running Roon.  Streaming from Qobuz.

It sounds amazing to me, particularly DSDx2.

Could it be better? Sure.  

I'm with @mike_in_nc on this thread, nothing really fancy going on! Audience balanced cables to ARC pre, Audience 10ga power cables on all the front end.

Total all in ==> ~$7k.

A'gon should add a "Streaming" category!

Regards,

barts 

Digital is pretty easy, and comes naturally to me.

@thyname I hate you.  No offense. 

@soix yes, please let us know if you find a solution to some of the iFi Zen Stream’s issues. At it’s price point and the better fidelity reviewers have noted over the Bluesound Node used as a streamer only, it would offer a great bang for the buck - if it didn’t have those issues...bad Wi-Fi connectivity, stuttering or glitching on the 1st song every single time in Tidal, etc.

I use Tidal and Wi-Fi so until those issues are ironed out it will be a non-starter for me, hence the reason for looking at the MX-Stream by Musical Fidelity at $1100. Considerably more expensive but it does offer a lot too, and there is some value to be placed on less aggravation. I’m tired of being a Beta tester. Been doing that too long for too many companies and their products and software with little to show for it other than a few extra grey hairs.

As others have noted, this "streaming game" is still in a state of flux. I’m not looking to upgrade every 6 months when something "new and improved" comes along. Instead I want to get something and be happy for 5 to 6 years at least and then if I’m still alive and kicking, maybe upgrade. Thanks.

@soix 

@drbay You’ve got a really nice system, but I think the Node is a significant bottleneck to better performance.  Many people here have experienced very significant improvements moving up the chain and I think it would be a good idea to at least try a better streamer

I am sitting here listening to my Node 2i just enjoying the music and thinking how great it sounds through my old Museatex Meitner DAC modded by John Wright.