[mariopoli]

I have been using Apple Airport Express for years to stream music from Tidal on my cell phone to my stereo speakers in my living room. Apple Airport Express is no longer made. Are there other streamers that are low cost that do the same thing?

I don't understand why someone would pay thousands or even hundreds of dollars for Blue sound, Cambridge Audio and NAD streamers when Airport Express does the same thing for less than $100. Unfortunately they don't make it any more. What is the current equivalent? I don't want to use lossy bluetooth with my Apple Phone to my streamer.

 

[audiobomber]

I don't understand why someone would pay thousands or even hundreds of dollars for Blue sound, Cambridge Audio and NAD streamers when Airport Express does the same thing for less than $100. Unfortunately they don't make it any more. What is the current equivalent? I don't want to use lossy bluetooth with my Apple Phone to my streamer.

It appears you have the opinion that all streamers sound the same. As an owner of Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, Raspberry Pi 3B+, SOtM sMS-200 Neo and exaSound PlayPoint streamers, I can assure you that your opinion is incorrect. Of course, YMMV, depending on your playback system and how sensitive or insensitive you are to such things.

If you're looking for the most inexpensive solution, a Raspberry Pi is probably the place to start. Allo solutions are better, microRendu and sMS-200 are better yet. The new Zen Stream looks interesting but I haven't seen where it fits in sonically.

 

[mariopoli]

It appears you have the opinion that all streamers sound the same. As an owner of Chromecast, Chromecast Audio, Raspberry Pi 3B+, SOtM sMS-200 and exaSound PlayPoint streamers, I can assure you that your opinion is incorrect. Of course, YMMV, depending on your playback system and how sensitive or insensitive you are to such things.

If you're looking for the most inexpensive solution, a Raspberry Pi is probably the place to start. Allo solutions are better, microRendu and sMS-200 are better yet. The new Zen Stream looks interesting but I haven't seen where it fits in sonically.

Thank you for your suggestions. The Zen Streamer looks very nice. I think the $400 price is a bit steep. Can you suggest anything else that is similar but a lower price?

 

[mariopoli]

I wonder if an IPAD as a streamer would be better than a Zen Streamer. It costs less. Is there a way to control the iPad remotely from the iPhone?

 

[Mightygrey]

I'm also baffled by the prospect of super-expensive stand-alone streamers. The Chromecast audio is literally perfect - it's cheap, Roon Ready, plays up to 24/96 (as high res as I'll ever need) and can hand-off via Optical to a DAC.

 

[Ufanco]

There’s also the lower cost WiiM streamer.

https://wiimhome.com/Overview.html

https://www.amazon.com/WiiM-Mini-Mu...mzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

 

[audiobomber]

I'm also baffled by the prospect of super-expensive stand-alone streamers. The Chromecast audio is literally perfect - it's cheap, Roon Ready, plays up to 24/96 (as high res as I'll ever need) and can hand-off via Optical to a DAC.

If Chromecast Audio was a perfect streamer, then the upgrades I made to it (EtherREGEN A side, UGreen ethernet adapter, iFi iPurifier SPDIF, Topping P50 linear power supply feeding Chromecast and iPurifier) would not be so significant. Even with the upgrades, it cannot match my exaSound PlayPoint, both feeding an exaSound e32 Mk II.

 

[c3po]

I have been using Apple Airport Express for years to stream music from Tidal on my cell phone to my stereo speakers in my living room. Apple Airport Express is no longer made. Are there other streamers that are low cost that do the same thing?

I don't understand why someone would pay thousands or even hundreds of dollars for Blue sound, Cambridge Audio and NAD streamers when Airport Express does the same thing for less than $100. Unfortunately they don't make it any more. What is the current equivalent? I don't want to use lossy bluetooth with my Apple Phone to my streamer.

Hi,
Take a look at the current range of Arylic devices; these are amazing little devices at low price for what they do. Some of them are easily available on Amazon.
Take the S10 for example it handles up to 192/24 streams(but will output them as 44.1/16), it will connect via network cable or wifi, has Bluetooth receiving but will also accept analog input as well as analog output. Its App controlled on the iphone, also uses Airplay, and you can sync the Arylic devices together so you can link them to the same tune or even transmit the analog input on one device to the others.

I have one Arylic device (Up2stream Pro V3) attached to my turntable system and transmitting the analog input to another Arylic device (Up2stream HD Dac) attached to my Headphone Dac/Amp setup up in another part of the house allowing me to listen to my vinyl in another room and all controlled via the 4Stream app over the network.

You also have a range of online music services available to you; Tunein, Tidal, Spotify, Amazon Music amongst others.
They have DNLA capability so can connect to a music server system or via usb connection to your PC/Laptop.
I even managed to link it to my Ipeng and Squeezebox controller and make it controllable.

The Arylic devices are a range of Diy circuits boards or ready Built Boxes that have amazing bang for buck capabilities.

Well worth investigating as the cost is reasonable and your bound to find a use for them,

 

[c3po]

Chromcast audio devices are out of production are they not, so your relying on eBay more or less.

 

[audiobomber]

Chromecast audio devices are out of production are they not, so your relying on eBay more or less.

There are rumours of a new version, potentially to be released this year:
https://9to5google.com/2022/07/06/would-be-chromecast-audio-successor/

 

[gimmeheadroom]

It's a convenience solution, it is not a hifi or audiophile solution

 

[c3po]

Are you talking about the Chromecast being a convenience solution?

The Arylic Up2Stream HD Dac is very much a Hifi/ Audiophile device with its handling of 192/24 bit streams, the other Arylic devices handle 192/24 but downsize to 44.1/16 so you could say that even CD players aren’t Audiophile for that reason.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Are you talking about the Chromecast being a convenience solution?

Yes, I was.

The Arylic Up2Stream HD Dac is very much a Hifi/ Audiophile device with its handling of 192/24 bit streams, the other Arylic devices handle 192/24 but downsize to 44.1/16 so you could say that even CD players aren’t Audiophile for that reason.

Well, downsampling is something no audiophile wants and neither is bluetooth. Redbook is fine, but that's because CDs are limited to the 16/44.1 that you wrote. What's not fine is downsampling highres music.

 

[c3po]

Yes, I was.



Well, downsampling is something no audiophile wants and neither is bluetooth. Redbook is fine, but that's because CDs are limited to the 16/44.1 that you wrote. What's not fine is downsampling highres music.

It will be interesting to see if this new chromecast audio device actually appears. Strange that they pulled out of Audio Streaming when it was gaining favour. It’s a bit like Logitech dropping the squeezebox.

 

[originalsnuffy]

It will be interesting to see if this new chromecast audio device actually appears. Strange that they pulled out of Audio Streaming when it was gaining favour. It’s a bit like Logitech dropping the squeezebox.

Supposedly Google pulled out due to a lawsuit with Sonos.

I gather that lawsuit is now resolved. Somehow I doubt they will do a similar unit again but it would be great if they did.