[medon]

Native apps and wifi is the way to go

Yep.
Auralic leaving the sub-2.000$ streamer market to others is really a shame, and their unwillingness to support Android.
IF Denafrips could find capable software developers to deploy Android&iOS control apps, and add support for subscription based streaming services like Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal, the Arce would be a killer. They could easily charge 500$ more, maybe they'd have to add an USB out.
=== EDIT ===
... and WiFi, please.

 

[GiFi]

No wi fi? No party

 

[medon]

No wi fi? No party

... just use your neighbour's WiFi

 

[JjB067]

... just use your neighbour's WiFi

The Arce has no WiFi so neighbours are irrelevant..

 

[medon]

The Arce has no WiFi so neighbours are irrelevant..

... yeah I know... see above. Sorry for the silly non-joke.

 

[matthia]

...see above.

In fact the Acre offers nothing you requested.

Matt

 

[Ufanco]

It looks interesting have to see how software pans out. If a streamers able to send but perfect to a DAC what else needed for good sound? Would it add anything addition over something like the Wiim Pro?

 

[medon]

Would it add anything addition over something like the Wiim Pro?

Sure, much better sound quality. Probably.

 

[JjB067]

It looks interesting have to see how software pans out. If a streamers able to send but perfect to a DAC what else needed for good sound? Would it add anything addition over something like the Wiim Pro?

The spec sheet talks about an excellent power supply section, good clocking and optocoupled isolation of the digital outputs. So low noise maybe low jitter as well, so good digital outputs feeding a DAC, this will always help the DAC perform at it's best. Basically they have taken steps to break noise transmission to the DAC, can't be bad really. Jitter measurements on the digital outputs would be interesting.

 

[roderickvd]

What would that "I2S/USB" button do? Was the USB port not supposed to be input only?

 

[JjB067]

What would that "I2S/USB" button do? Was the USB port not supposed to be input only?

I was also wondering about this, no USB out according to specs and Alvin spoke about either firmware updates or external storage devices only when he spoke about USB. We may have to wait for a manual to see what this button is meant to do, nothing apparent as yet on the Vinshine Audio download pages except how to use the streamer with Roon.

 

[rreynolds]

I was also wondering about this, no USB out according to specs and Alvin spoke about either firmware updates or external storage devices only when he spoke about USB. We may have to wait for a manual to see what this button is meant to do, nothing apparent as yet on the Vinshine Audio download pages except how to use the streamer with Roon.

It may serve the same purpose the ''Mode'' button does on the DAC models. Might have to press that prior to beginning a software update. Just a guess.

 

[VNVNation]

Kudos to Denefrips for concentrating on sound quality, but the feature set is a little head-scratching. No wi-fi in and no USB digital out seem like strange choices IMHO.

 

[zdenes]

It seems to me that most people here complain more about the lack of this and that. It is clear that Denafrips focused on sound quality. I know that I speak for myself but I'm actually happy with it as it is. Although I currently use a SOtM SMS-200 ultra neo, I'll be happy to replace the USB connection with AES/EBU.
I had an Auralic Aries G2 here for 3 weeks and to me, that also sounded better through its AES/EBU output than USB.
I also tried its wifi which again was clearly subpar in sound quality to ethernet (with an Uptone Etherregen switch). And again, tried Tidal Connect compared to Roon Ready (and Tidal in Roon). Roon was clearly superior to Tidal Connect. The same experience on a Lumin U1 mini which I borrowed earlier.
In fact, I'm quite happy that I will not have to pay for anything that I won't use anyway, such as a display, a remote controller, DAC inside, Spotify, or any other "connect" wifi, etc. I guess people who want those should look elsewhere but it's important to bear in mind that nothing comes free. All those I listed cost some (or more than some) money and a unit that has all those and costs as much as the Arce, will most likely have compromised sound quality compared to the Arce.

 

[medon]

It seems to me that most people here complain more about the lack of this and that....

You have a point - Alvin clearly states that compared to other "streamers" there are certain key features not implemented in the Arce - and nobody's forced to buy one.

One could argue though that Alvin did a "Streamer series" on YT where he demoed how to use a bunch of different streamers with Denafrips DACs.
And - IIRC - all of these Streamers (like a Bluesound Node) are capable of tapping directly into popular streaming services like Qobuz, Tidal and the like.

Now calling the Arce a "streamer"... hm.
I think in classic audiophile vocabulary it would more be thought of as a "network audio bridge" / "network renderer". Just as SOtM calls their device that you use, see
https://sotm-usa.com/products/sms-200ultra-network-player-1

The key feature of a "streamer" for many of us is, that you do not need any other devices upfront in the chain (other than an internet connection) to access music.

With an Arce, you need more stuff on front of it, be it a computer or a roon core.

Cheers!