Stream Receivers

[Mike48]

I am wondering if anyone can recommend reasonably priced stream receivers for use over Ethernet with an Android UPnP/DLNA control point and an external DAC?

 

Musts: Gapless, pause/resume, scan within track, S/PDIF or AES-EBU output, and decoding flac files up to 192/24.

 

I am aware of the Sonore Rendu, which seems to have the features, but is $1400, which gives me pause. Although nothing in high-end audio is cheap.

 

The Simaudio Moon MiND is slightly less money, but it doesn't support all its functions through standard DLNA control points, and Simaudio is dragging its feet on either fixing that or releasing their own Android app.

 

The Japanese mass-market manufacturers are providing "Network Receivers" for half the price of either of those, and I wonder if anyone here has given them a try. Since I'm planning to use an external DAC, maybe one of those would be fine?

 

What other options are out there? It seems an underserved niche.

[brightonjel]

Auralic's Aries looks promising if you can wait a few months:

Cambridge Audio NP30 Network Music Player and Internet Radio

 

J

[brightonjel]

OK, let me try that link again!

Auralic Aries: DSD & DXD over Wi-Fi | AudioStream

 

J

[brightonjel]

And this was the Cambridge device I meant to link to - this one supports 24/196 (unlike the NP30 which maxes out at 24/96).

Stream Magic 6 - Upsampling Network Music Player for Audio Streaming

 

J

[Cebolla]

Are you certain the SM6 handles scan within track and/or FF/FB ok when network streaming flac files?

 

I know the Pioneer N-50 & N-30 network audio players can't, but support the OP's other requirements (though gapless support is as a player ie file 'pull' mode, not as a renderer or file 'push' mode - a problem with the majority of the mainstream 'mid-fi' devices).

[brightonjel]

I would guess, but don't know, that scan within track requires that the player has downloaded and decoded into local memory the entire track. That likely equates to more memory and processing, requirements that probably explain why only a higher cost device would support it. It may therefore be one of those requirements that you have to trade directly against price.

[davide256]

In the current market the best buy appears to be the Naim Unitiqute 2 which will set you back roughly $1800. Its not an ideal solution because its integrated with DAC and amplifier but it does have SPDIF out, high quality and a decent app for library access. Next best for price is likely an Oppo 103 despite its lack of gapless. These should have better resale later vs products like the Moon or Sonore devices. The Aries Streamer looks promising, so much so that there is the potential for long back order after the expected May launch.

[rwwjr44]

Cyrus Stream X2 is a really good unit and I think there is an Android app now available (I think). The U.S. distributor is Source Systems in California. Easy to use and great sound.

[Mike48]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. The most enticing possibility (to me anyway) is the Auralic Aries, as the company has an excellent reputation for engineering and sound quality both.

 

A local dealer of the Cambridge claims that the sound quality is not as good as the more expensive options, even when using the digital output. It's hard to know if that's just FUD or there's something behind it (e.g., jitter). I'm not one who can decide on sound quality in a quick audition -- it usually takes me months to figure it out, unless its quite unsubtle.

[rwwjr44]

Thanks to all for the suggestions. The most enticing possibility (to me anyway) is the Auralic Aries, as the company has an excellent reputation for engineering and sound quality both.

 

A local dealer of the Cambridge claims that the sound quality is not as good as the more expensive options, even when using the digital output. It's hard to know if that's just FUD or there's something behind it (e.g., jitter). I'm not one who can decide on sound quality in a quick audition -- it usually takes me months to figure it out, unless its quite unsubtle.

 

If that is Cambridge, England, I suggest giving a good listen to the Cyrus unit.

[Mike48]

If that is Cambridge, England, I suggest giving a good listen to the Cyrus unit.

 

If I can find one nearby (Portland, OR), I will.

[rwwjr44]

If I can find one nearby (Portland, OR), I will.

 

[wappinghigh]

The Oppo is not a proper seamless.. will play all files uPnP "streamer". As an example it will not do DSD like this.. even though advertising gives the impression Oppo is DSD capable.. ..just sayin

 

Linn has also been missed as a suggestion.. these guys pioneered uPnP streaming.. but unfortunately refuse to add DSD: largely as I gather, because of pig headedness...

 

There is also the Lumin. But this is over my budget for this sort of add on stuff...

 

I'm waiting on the Auralic as well..

[Mike48]

Prices have been alarmingly high for devices that receive a stream, buffer it, and convert it to SPDIF or AES-EBU -- especially when you remember what the Squeezeboxes cost and how much they did. The Auralic, even at $999, will represent a downward adjustment, and I hope that movement will continue as more manufacturers get into this market. In high-end audio, it sometimes seems that the less a device does, the more it costs.

[rwwjr44]

Prices have been alarmingly high for devices that receive a stream, buffer it, and convert it to SPDIF or AES-EBU -- especially when you remember what the Squeezeboxes cost and how much they did. The Auralic, even at $999, will represent a downward adjustment, and I hope that movement will continue as more manufacturers get into this market. In high-end audio, it sometimes seems that the less a device does, the more it costs.

 

But most of these new streamers are quite a sonic improvement over the Squeezebox (which was a bargain). If you want to spend less, look at the Pioneer N50. It is very good and inexpensive. You can bypass the DAC.

[davide256]

Prices have been alarmingly high for devices that receive a stream, buffer it, and convert it to SPDIF or AES-EBU -- especially when you remember what the Squeezeboxes cost and how much they did. The Auralic, even at $999, will represent a downward adjustment, and I hope that movement will continue as more manufacturers get into this market. In high-end audio, it sometimes seems that the less a device does, the more it costs.

I've been prepping to buy a streamer since fall last year and anything that looks attractive is costly, such as the Naim, Linn and Cyrus lines. And beyond the quality of the playback itself, the control app is equally important... has to make it easy to dig through my music library and not freeze up as I change selections in play. What I find surprising is why disc player manufatures like Oppo aren't catching on that heres a way to perpetuate the life of their disc player sales, by incorporating good streamer and control app capability. Vs the European manufacturers who want to embed with an integrated amp.

[realhifi]

 

Linn has also been missed as a suggestion.. these guys pioneered uPnP streaming.. but unfortunately refuse to add DSD: largely as I gather, because of pig headedness....

 

Lol! They do have an ornery perspective on the streaming front. BUT, to me it is the best sounding real world streamer available and the fact that they have both AirPlay (not that they'd call it that of course) and the ability to play whatever you want to play at whatever resolution you want from your computer makes them a winner in my book. Factor in their inclusion of HDMI and you have some really flexible and terrific products.

 

Oppo? Not even a starter from my perspective. Not only does it not sound good but it is slow and unresponsive with UPnP (at least with every control app I tried).