Aurender integrated streamer/DACs

@mhwilliford

The Weiss 502 would be one of those one box solution with a more emphasis on digital to analog conversion. It is also a Roon ready device (renderer) which means you need to have a separate device like ROON Nucleus or a laptop on your network to run ROON core. Either of these devices can also serve as a storage for your CD rips. Since both 502 and Nucleus or laptop are on same network, they will interact with each to provide full functionality of ROON system and playback of any stored files seamlessly.

If you go ROON route, the choice of external device that stores Core and music files becomes critical as most devices need a Linear Power Supply for best performance unless you use a laptop (not recommended due to laptop being inherently noisy). I believe you can easily put together NUC with a very nice LPS under $1200 plus the cost of Ethernet cables and power cords. I have a limited knowledge on ROON Core options so I am counting on others to weigh in. 

Alternatively, you can bypass ROON renderer in 502 and get N200 that has onboard storage option for music files. You will use either USB or SPDIF for direct connectivity to 502.

If you don’t want to mess with external ROON core or N200, then consider Grimm Audio MU1 or Merging Technologies +player. Both devices are all in one DAC/Roon Core + Renderer players. As far storage, MU1 comes with optional storage and you can hook up a external portable SSD storage directly into +player.

Hope this helps!

Thanks very much.  This makes sense.  I am back to homemade Roon core which I am comfortable with OR an Aurender ACS10/N20/N200 plus DAC, the optimum pairing TBD based on the DAC selected.  In my mind the Weiss has a leg-up because of the ability to implement bass room correction (and to a lesser degree anti-essing), in which case I would likely pair it with one of the referenced Aurender products, but should the PS Audio DSD prove superior to my ear, then I might stick with a dedicated CORE and perform room bass correction within Roon.

I think both the streamer and DAC are equally important.

Most folks have access to ok sounding streamers (MACs, PC, iPads) and the intellectual attraction to “it is just bits, it can’t make a difference” is so overwhelming that most folks basically have to hear the difference a high quality stream can make to believe it. This usually happens after they own a high quality DAC. I did. I was instantly converted and never considered going back.

So, to soften the financial blow and focus on a single research project, it may make sense to get a really high quality DAC first… as it will produce a big upgrade… but then the streamer will also.

@mhwilliford

You’re on a right path. Let’s chat about network optimization once you’re settled with 502 or PS Audio DSD in your system. Good luck and keep us posted!

Update.  I auditioned a Weiss 502 for about a month.  Very fine piece of equipment that was quite frankly built better (not as flashy, but better connections and knob feel) than my McIntosh C2700 pre-amp.  I fully expected to find that the Weiss was audibly better than the C2700's DA2.  Using Roon, and setting up a zone with both the Weiss connected via ethernet and the DA2 to my PC via USB, I was able to easily accommodate A/B comparison, and then a double-blind test.  My son (who is a musician) and I both took the test and really could not tell the difference.  The rest of my system is an MC 462 and B&W 802 D4s, so you'd think it would be resolving enough to tell the tale.  The sound really is quite good, but now I am back to looking at the source because thinking about it some more, maybe that's my first constraint as my PC is in no way optimized for sound, though I do use an AQ Coffee USB cable.  So now I am back to N20 or N200 to be sure my source is as good as I can practically afford, and then try another DAC (based on another technology - maybe a PSAudio DSD MkII or the T+A DAC 200 or Holo May or second-hand dCS Bartok).  Thoughts?  Thanks All.  -Mark