A quick question on what streamers to consider.......


Hello fellow Audiogoners - a quick question as I have noted above on streamers. I am looking for a steamer only,  no DAC,  that would be easy to use. I don't want to worry about any updates and would prefer a US made product if at all possible. I have a WiFi service coming into my home so that would be how I would be getting my music. I would like it simple to use and without any hassles. I would be using it in the summer providing music to my back dec, or when cooking or entertaining inside. I would looking in the price range say of ; $2,000 to $5,000 used or new. Thank you in advance and look forward to suggestions on what to buy based on what I have outlined above. Thank you in advance and please stay safe and well.....        

garebear

@bob540 

I am sure this was a typo, but the N200 sounds notably better than the N100 or N150. The N2x are the current versions of Aurrender streamers. If you can afford it, I would recommend the N200. You will get years of outstanding sound quality. 
 

The most important high quality streaming services are Qobuz and Tidal, Qobuz sounds the best by a small margin but offers 500,000 high resolution albums in addition to millions of redbook CD quality. Every streamer I have ever seen supports both of these services. 

OP

 

You never answered some of the questions posed to you, such as do you have outdoor speakers? And amplifier?  It is difficult for @laps and others to advise you how to spend your money when the information is incomplete 

Curious why some posters advising to use the streamer app for playback?

 

I have just always used tidal and selected the streamer as output source. So easy. Why would I go into the streamer app?

 

I use an Audiolab 700n. Seems to do the job. Would love to audition an Aurender side by side. 

Look at the American made company, Cary Audio DMS650.  I have a DMS800PV and use to have the DMS600.  The only issue if you call it an issue is that it does have a built in DAC and Clock.  You can bypass that if you like to use your own DAC.  Incredible app and amazing sound.  Hard to beat and dead quiet.  Give them a call.  They are in Cary North Carolina. You can use Roon or just use their app. I’ve owned their streamers since 2017.