The time has come and I request advice...


To my fellow audiophiles the time has come and I am going to attempt to improve my digital source in one audio system I have, Currently running a Bluesound Node X into Denafrips Pontus 12th Anniversary and it sounds great but i am ready and willing to update the streamer. Looking for a dedicated streamer that will play Tidal or Qobuz. Might be interested in going the Roon route. Budget is about $2500. Right now the Lumin U2 mini and Aurender seem to be at the top of recommendations. Looking for advice from those who have used the streamer they recommend.

I listen to Jazz, Blues and instrument music mostly...also going to add a turntable to my other audio system and will post another question...

128x1282psyop

My personal judgment on Roon is from personal experience with it (complicated) and forty years of implementing information technology. I have experienced generations of operating systems, hardware, and dozens and dozens of software suites and hundreds of single purpose software products. Software like Roon has a very limited life as streaming becomes. Main stream and major vendors produce their own better and better products and the revenues dry up for Roon and they get purchased and disappear into the history of software. There is a question of how long it will take… but the time will not be measured in decades but likely a few years.

Aurender for build quality, ease of use, support, reliability. Make sure your'e OK with the conductor app before you jump in, it's your only access point (for now)

Innous for sonics, roon capability and sense app.  Sense sounds better than roon and is better than conductor (IMO) as an interface.

These two companies are doing it best for now.

Innuos Zenith M3 and the Sense application is fantastic. Gets better and better with every update, should call them upgrades not updates. Sound quality is fabulous and I am a Tubes and Vinyl guy. These folks in Portugal have it figured out. $6600 with 2TB. If you only want to stream look at the Pulse Mini $1500 give or take.  

Just got an ifi zen dac v2 signature ...going to use it connected directly to my newly aquired (on a gamble) Nad c268 class D power amp via 4.4 mm to xlr balanced input. The zen has an analog volume pot and no headphone amp, so its just purely a dac. It’s got some very good reviews for a cheapie. I’m doing same with my music hall analogue a3 tube phono preamp, using single ended rca’s directly into rca input of the nad. The a3 also has a volume control, alps blue velvet. Should be a fun sh*ts and giggles experiment. Got all components at great discounts and so did not spend a ton. I can always dump them and still not get hurt too bad. I think it should all sound pretty good though. I basically threw caution to the wind and bought some things I would not previously have considered. I don’t really need any of this stuff, but I’m bored...😃

Anxious to see how well the jbl 4309’s get along... This generally will serve as a simple second set up, a set up that is actually in the same room/location as the main set up. If it all goes well, I might toss my tannoys in the mix, see how that goes.