Look for a used Aurender N100H. This machine has internal HDD storage for music you own, and has an internal cache SSD for playing streamed music. It outputs USB to your DAC. If you need Coax input to your DAC, look for an N100C or N100SC as they also have Coax digital output. The Conductor App is easy to learn and use. Good luck!
Streamers?
I have 2 dacs.
I like the r2r ladder dac for some music and the delta sigma for others.
I mainly listen to streaming, qobuzz and tidal, with masters and hires qobuz.
I do not yet have a network streamer though. I cannot find one that I prefer and, being rural, I don’t want to start just running through streamers since it is a long drive into town to send equipment back (for those that allow inhome trials) so mqa pass through, dsd 512, 32/384 preferred.
Everything I listen to is sent from phone over bt ldac.. (not great)
I would like to fix that so I can play tidal masters, qobuz and my dsd files through streamer to, selectable, outputs to each dac.. preferably using the streamer to login to the services directly and not be required to have the path run through my phone or ipad and then to the dac.
Also, I would really like to find a network streamer that caches an entire track prior to beginning playback. It is frustrating and really irritating, to start a track and have it interrupted 4-5 times during playback of ONE track because of my network here.
I actually have 3 internet services right now: starlink, a local wireless ISP and an
t-mobile 5g “hotspot” device on its own 100gb/month line. (ie, not shared with phone) and each of them have network “drops” of the stream.
One with cd ripper would be fine, but I do not need another dac, amplifier nor pre-amp, nor do I need roon etc.
Anything under $3000 would be great.. I cannot afford a $10000 network streamer..
Figured I would ask.. also am pursuing a daphile server, just waiting on hardware (at least, if it doesn’t meet needs, I can use for something else)
Thank you,
Matt
- ...
- 35 posts total
One with cd ripper would be fine, but I do not need another dac, amplifier nor pre-amp, nor do I need roon etc. Cocktail Audio X50 D https://www.cocktailaudio.com/home/sub01.php
|
I would recommend a used Aurender streamer (N100… I have one, see my profile). These are very high quality and make up for all the insufficiencies of networks. Both of mine play flawlessly while I can’t get my iPad to refresh the screen. If you are not near your router, just plug in a wall wart wifi extender next to your system and plug Ethernet cable into that. About DACs. Less expensive DACs frequently excel at some things and not at others. The better the DAC the more all aspects improve. I would sell both and get a better DAC. Don’t evaluate on the basis of what technology they use, but on the basis of sound. Not sure of your price range but a Schiit Yggdrasil (~$2K) is and outstanding DAC that does not have any weaknesses.
Yeah, the phone needs to get out of the loop. That is a great way for really terrible sound. Use your phone as a controller. This is how dedicated streamers work. |
- 35 posts total