Network Streamers With I2S Output?

[BigAlMc]

Hi @T-Bone

 

I did a similar search to pair with my PS Audio Directstream dac and didn't find a convincing solution. 

 

Initially I was interested in the original Sonore Signature Rendu but a conversation with Adrian at Sonore put me off because he tried to push me towards USB saying that they were getting better SQ from USB than they achieved with I2S from the SSR. 

 

I then went down the same path as you did with the SU-1 which as you know is a great bit of kit. But in the end I got fed up with the complexity and issues involved with an overcomplicated 'spaghetti' solution. ie all the different cables and power supplies etc, each of which has pros & cons. 

 

The I2S solution that I was most intrigued by was the servers that Pink Faun (based in Netherlands) offer. Ok not a streamer per se but you could output I2S to your Holo Spring I believe. 

 

In my case I gave up on I2S and just focused on getting the best server I could get. I'm getting better SQ than I had with the SU-1 but it's via ethernet or USB straight from the server into the DAC. 

 

Oh there's also a lengthy thread over at the PS Audio forums that you might want to check out. But I didn't see any compelling I2S solutions there other than some Raspberry Pi builds and custom servers. 

 

http://www.psaudio.com/forum/directstream-all-about-it/compatible-i2s-source-devices/page-15/#p85187

 

Cheers, 

Alan 

[BigAlMc]

PS there is apparently also a mod sound card for the Oppo 203/205 players that offers I2S via the HDMI output. 

 

The Oppos are well built and it can act as a streamer (Roon ready etc) as well as a disc player. But not sure if that's what you had in mind and it's hard to comment on the quality of the mod soundcard. 

[BigAlMc]

Yeah just took a look at the Mano and it looks interesting.