[gimmeheadroom]

I was trying to see if the Lumin U2 mini is available here but I haven't found any.

What are the current production transport-only streamers?

 

[tesarpa]

Well, there's quite a number of such devices. SoTM, Auralic, Sonore, PI2Design, Bricasti, iFi, Aurender, Melco, Innuos, Sonnet, Metrum, Magna Hifi, Allo etc.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Well, there's quite a number of such devices. SoTM, Auralic, Sonore, PI2Design, Bricasti, iFi, Aurender, Melco, Innuos, Sonnet, Metrum, Magna Hifi, Allo etc.

All the Pi based units are out of stock as far as I could tell. Thanks for the other names, I'll check them.

Updated: The confusion continues, many models and most are not just transports. The question remains, in case anybody has more specific recommendations.

 

[DJW50]

All the Pi based units are out of stock as far as I could tell. Thanks for the other names, I'll check them.

Updated: The confusion continues, many models and most are not just transports. The question remains, in case anybody has more specific recommendations.

I can strongly recommend the Auralic Aries G1 had it a while now and it is superb. It upscales my Amazon HD to 352kHz and 24 bit, internet radio and most sources of streamed music it is very good. Best have an iPad for the interface.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I can strongly recommend the Auralic Aries G1 had it a while now and it is superb. It upscales my Amazon HD to 352kHz and 24 bit, internet radio and most sources of streamed music it is very good. Best have an iPad for the interface.

Thanks, that's more than I want to spend on this. Looks great though!

 

[tesarpa]

Could you specify more details about your needs and budget? What is the source (local library, streaming services, youtube...)? What output do you need (USB, SPIDIF, toslink, coax, IIS)?
Basic, while very good option is iFi Zen Stream. I'd start there.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Could you specify more details about your needs and budget? What is the source (local library, streaming services, youtube...)? What output do you need (USB, SPIDIF, toslink, coax, IIS)?
Basic, while very good option is iFi Zen Stream. I'd start there.

Thanks! I was considering a home-brew Pi-box setup, but Pi is out of stock everywhere now, and also I want Tidal and I didn't find any solution for the Pi where you don't have to pay a monthly fee, which I am not willing to do. So the Zen Stream was on my list since apparently it quietly includes a free premium version of Moodio or something like that. The thing I don't like about Zen Stream is the external switching PSU, but of course that's the same for all Pi-based boxes.

I'd like to run a USB DAC off of it. I have a node 2i and it has mostly been fine but support lately has been horrible and I don't think their USB DAC support which they promised on the new node ever happened. Would like to stay around that price, 500 euros or so... But it will really depend on what looks good to me and doesn't cost big money.

 

[chesebert]

I was trying to see if the Lumin U2 mini is available here but I haven't found any.

What are the current production transport-only streamers?

Emm Labs NS1 - highly recommended based on sound quality if you can live with toslink and AES only.

Edit: nm, looks like you need USB output.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Emm Labs NS1 - highly recommended based on sound quality if you can live with toslink and AES only.

Thanks, looks great but way over my budget.

 

[chesebert]

Thanks, looks great but way over my budget.

What’s your budget?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

What’s your budget?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/wha...transport-only-streamers.963755/post-17004979

Maybe up to a thousand euros for something that really grabs me, but this is more about convenience since I already have a fanless PC in that system and can stream and play foobar2000 etc, just don't have an aggregator with a remote app.

 

[chesebert]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/wha...transport-only-streamers.963755/post-17004979

Maybe up to a thousand euros for something that really grabs me, but this is more about convenience since I already have a fanless PC in that system and can stream and play foobar2000 etc, just don't have an aggregator with a remote app.

I would stay with PC but get a PCIE USB board - get one of those “audiophile” ones if you are curious. You will also need iGalvanic/intona USB isolation device and iUSB3 or some other USB regeneration device to separately generate and isolate the 5V USB power.

Set your PC as DLNA server and renderer and use iPhone/iPad as DLNA controller.

 

[tesarpa]

Thanks! I was considering a home-brew Pi-box setup, but Pi is out of stock everywhere now, and also I want Tidal and I didn't find any solution for the Pi where you don't have to pay a monthly fee, which I am not willing to do. So the Zen Stream was on my list since apparently it quietly includes a free premium version of Moodio or something like that. The thing I don't like about Zen Stream is the external switching PSU, but of course that's the same for all Pi-based boxes.

I'd like to run a USB DAC off of it. I have a node 2i and it has mostly been fine but support lately has been horrible and I don't think their USB DAC support which they promised on the new node ever happened. Would like to stay around that price, 500 euros or so... But it will really depend on what looks good to me and doesn't cost big money.

I always thought Bluesound support is excellent. It surprise me to hear the opposite. If you already have Node, then stay with it, using coax or optical output. It should work fine with any DAC. USB output is generally more difficult to implement and there is no guarantee it will sound better than SPDIF. On top of that, Bluesound has absolutely widest support of streaming services. Nobody else has so many sources in the application.

You will have to pay monthly fee to Tidal anyway, but it's obvious, right?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I would stay with PC but get a PCIE USB board - get one of those “audiophile” ones if you are curious. You will also need iGalvanic/intona USB isolation device and iUSB3 or some other USB regeneration device to separately generate and isolate the 5V USB power.

Set your PC as DLNA server and renderer and use iPhone/iPad as DLNA controller.

I have a DI-20HE and Mutec MC-3+ USB in my 2 channel setup where I wanted to add the streamer. The streamer for me is only about convenience rather than sound quality, since I have these DDCs already.

The problem is no remote app support for Tidal or Deezer...

I always thought Bluesound support is excellent. It surprise me to hear the opposite. If you already have Node, then stay with it, using coax or optical output. It should work fine with any DAC. USB output is generally more difficult to implement and there is no guarantee it will sound better than SPDIF. On top of that, Bluesound has absolutely widest support of streaming services. Nobody else has so many sources in the application.

You will have to pay monthly fee to Tidal anyway, but it's obvious, right?

Bluesound support has never been great but it recently became atrocious. Sure, I'm already paying for Tidal Hifi Plus which is quite cheap here. I just don't think I should pay a monthly fee to some app to access my Tidal subscription on my behalf.

But maybe I'll buy the Zen Stream and use it in another system and steal the node 2i from that system and use it in my 2 channel setup.

Thanks guys

 

[chesebert]

Audirvana perhaps and use their app to control the PC? It’s another subscription service however.