First Streamer...


Hi,

I'm planning to buy my first streamer.

Honestly, I have no idea which brand of streamer to purchase and would welcome suggestions.

I'd like to use my android phone to select material which will be played through a Audio Research VSi60 amp and homemade Zaph Audio ZRT Revelator speakers.   My CD player ( a Rega Saturn) has  a DAC which could be used for streaming.

Any suggestions?   

I'm looking to stream TIDAL using Verizon's Fios service  and spend under $2000.

   

 

johndyson

If your top line budget is $2k then @ghdprentice gave solid advice. If I were in your shoes I would consider the Bluesound feeding your Rega and save the rest for when its time to upgrade. Bluesound seems to be the gateway drug to streaming although I have never used one.

 

@carlsbad is mostly right when advising against a streamer/dac but ONLY in the context of your budget. There are exceptional streamer/dacs that aren’t in your price range presently (DCS, Bricasti, Meitner, Totaldac, MSB, etc). Another option would be to stretch your budget into the $4-5k range and consider a product like the well reviewed Hifi Rose RS150b. It would serve as your hub and integrate everything analog or digital as well as any a/v needs.

 

 

@johndyson 

How able are you to actually do some component auditions and just listen? I know that you’ll get the usual DAC is everything advice. In my opinion @ghdprentice provided you good counsel. The quality of the streamer is important and will definitely impact the sound quality. Both components are vital. It isn’t just the DAC in isolation. There’s a partnership (Source and DAC) that needs thoughtful consideration.

Chales

Simaudio 280D is a excellent DAC and has DSD and MQA if that is important to you, AES, XLR, RCA, USB, BT, WIFI.....

Can be had for under $2500.00 used. 

May know of one for around $2100.00

Check it out.  High Quality | 280D Streaming Best DAC | Audiophile | MOON - Simaudio

"you’ll get the usual DAC is everything advice. In my opinion @ghdprentice provided you good counsel. The quality of the streamer is important and will definitely impact the sound quality"

DAC first doesn't suggest that the streamer isn't important.  In my system I put DAC first and use an iFi Zen Stream with iFi's $250 power supply, $50 to use fiber optics to filter out ethernet noise and it all sounds very musical.  I will replace the iFi when I have the money, but I'm happy with the iFi.

Like some here I have the Bluesound system. I have a Node 2 in one HI FI system and a Vault in another.. I have ripped all my CD’s to the Vault. Interesting note, if one has a hard drive with music on it, like I did with CD’s ripped to Itunes, the Vault can accept all that music without re-ripping CDs.

I have been happy with the sound by using external DACs with the Bluesound devices. Unlike others here, I have both Qobuz and Tidal and I think Tidal via MQA sounds better. I have also upgraded the Power supply on the Node 2.

I have found the customer service from Bluesound to be stellar. I think when other audio brothers here compare Bluesound to other streamers (which do sound better) they compare the Node which is often 1/2, 1/4 or even 1/16th the price of the better streamer. I, for one, cannot spend $6K on a streamer. It’s a budget option that sounds good, maybe not great. It’s performance jumps up a couple notches with a better DAC. My only negative is that it works better connected wired on a network with Cat5 cable to a router then it does wireless.