Streamer Recommendation

[alice]

All,

 

 I am finding the fan in my computer a little  noisy and looking to upgrade to a standalone streamer to connect to my DAC .

 

I cannot possibly imagine the sound to surpass what Iam currently hearing through my Abyss 1266 headphones but nevertheless looking for some advise on a clean way to get the music stream to my dac without too much noise in the signal path.

 

Budget wise Iam looking to spend a few grand but willing to diy a solution myself if it ends out being cheap rather than buying a single box.

 

 

[firedog]

48 minutes ago, alice said:

All,

 

 I am finding the fan in my computer a little  noisy and looking to upgrade to a standalone streamer to connect to my DAC .

 

I cannot possibly imagine the sound to surpass what Iam currently hearing through my Abyss 1266 headphones but nevertheless looking for some advise on a clean way to get the music stream to my dac without too much noise in the signal path.

 

Budget wise Iam looking to spend a few grand but willing to diy a solution myself if it ends out being cheap rather than buying a single box.

 

 

For a few grand you can get one of the better streamers on the market - like one of the Sonore, Innuos, Auralic or SOtM models with a high quality power supply. 

 

Of course, you can also start at the lower end of the audiophile market - a Raspberry Pi or an Allo with a good power supply. There are also some nice ones from Pro-Ject and Volumio. You might find you will be very happy with one of those and not have to spend thousands. 

 

There are one and two box solutions, and different user interfaces available. You need to look at the options and narrow down the choices to what seems more suitable to you. 

[alice]

29 minutes ago, firedog said:

For a few grand you can get one of the better streamers on the market - like one of the Sonore, Innuos, Auralic or SOtM models with a high quality power supply. 

 

Of course, you can also start at the lower end of the audiophile market - a Raspberry Pi or an Allo with a good power supply. There are also some nice ones from Pro-Ject and Volumio. You might find you will be very happy with one of those and not have to spend thousands. 

 

There are one and two box solutions, and different user interfaces available. You need to look at the options and narrow down the choices to what seems more suitable to you. 

Thanks for the detailed post, seems that there are a few options.

But these few have many configurations that one can easily get lost in.

 

Any tried and tested recommendations at different price points?

[firedog]

I've used a Sonore streamer and a Raspberry Pi - both are good. The Sonore comes setup with good, very versatile software, so it's easier. I also have used a Volumio one, but that model has a built in DAC, so it's not what you're looking for. They make another one - the Primo- that's more like what you'd want. 

I also had a Bricasti M5, which is very high end. Fine piece, but the software and support wasn't as good as Sonore. 

Personally, I don't think you need one of the uber expensive streamers to get very good sound. 

[alice]

So what version of Sonore would you recommend and also the power supply, and just to check the SOTM Ultra NEO is not in a different league from a performance perspective to the Sonore.

[pas]

I have used a Sonore microRendu 1.3 and now 1.4, SOtM sMS-200 and SOtM sMS-200 Neo with excellent results all being powered by an UpTone Audio LPS-1.2. From what I have read the Sonore ultraRendu and opticalRendu are an upgrade from the aforementioned and also more expensive at $875 and $1295 respectively. The opticalRendu would require a higher amperage power supply. The sMS-200 and 200 Neo are $450 and the LPS-1.2 is $435.

[alice]

20 minutes ago, pas said:

I have used a Sonore microRendu 1.3 and now 1.4, SOtM sMS-200 and SOtM sMS-200 Neo with excellent results all being powered by an UpTone Audio LPS-1.2. From what I have read the Sonore ultraRendu and opticalRendu are an upgrade from the aforementioned and also more expensive at $875 and $1295 respectively. The opticalRendu would require a higher amperage power supply. The sMS-200 and 200 Neo are $450 and the LPS-1.2 is $435.

What about the SOTM Ultra, I believe it comes with a dedicated expensive clock, does it make an audible improvement.

[pas]

Just now, alice said:

What about the SOTM Ultra, I believe it comes with a dedicated expensive clock, does it make an audible improvement.

I don't have first hand experience with the ultra but their are threads on this site with additional information. It can be ordered with an external clock output which increases the cost.

[pas]

I am currently listening to the sMS-200 Neo (UpTone Audio LPS-1.2) with an UpTone Audio etherRegen (UpTone Audio LPS-1.2) upstream and a Schiit Bifrost Multibit downstream, the results are quite satisfying. Excellent price/performance ratio.

[alice]

1 hour ago, pas said:

I am currently listening to the sMS-200 Neo (UpTone Audio LPS-1.2) with an UpTone Audio etherRegen (UpTone Audio LPS-1.2) upstream and a Schiit Bifrost Multibit downstream, the results are quite satisfying. Excellent price/performance ratio.

The problem I have with all this is you’ve mentioned a few devices in your chain which are not cheap when you add them up.

What is the total price?

It then falls in the category of a single device.Like the Auralic streamer or similar

[pas]

55 minutes ago, alice said:

The problem I have with all this is you’ve mentioned a few devices in your chain which are not cheap when you add them up.

What is the total price?

It then falls in the category of a single device.Like the Auralic streamer or similar

In the original post you mentioned a few grand and that is what I went off. Two LPS-1.2's ($870), etherRegen ($640) and sMS-200 Neo ($450) for a total of $1,960. You could also start with the sMS-200 Neo and LPS-1.2 for $885. There are also some microRendu's popping up on the used market. This is an idea for you to consider and equipment that I am familiar with and comfortable to recommend.

[Picard7]

Two alternatives that won't break the bank (especially s/h) - streamers by Pro-Ject and Lindemann. I use the Lindemann Bridge - an upgrade to my MBP.

[alice]

3 hours ago, Picard7 said:

Two alternatives that won't break the bank (especially s/h) - streamers by Pro-Ject and Lindemann. I use the Lindemann Bridge - an upgrade to my MBP.

I have read reviews on the project but they seem to advise it’s just a glorified Rasberry Pi.

[Picard7]

1 hour ago, alice said:

I have read reviews on the project but they seem to advise it’s just a glorified Rasberry Pi.

 

I've seen those opinions. I have also seen user comparisons that give the Pro-ject the nod. Best to dem at home if you can, and trust your own experience (or measure things if you're so inclined).

[DavidL]

If you have a "few grand" to spend in UK/Europe I'd very strongly recommend the dCS Network Bridge. I replaced a PS Audio Bridge II in their DS DAC with this and got a substantial improvement in SQ. Pricewise it is competitive in UK with the alternative of buying a collection of US boxes, power supplies, cables etc.

[alice]

5 minutes ago, DavidL said:

If you have a "few grand" to spend in UK/Europe I'd very strongly recommend the dCS Network Bridge. I replaced a PS Audio Bridge II in their DS DAC with this and got a substantial improvement in SQ. Pricewise it is competitive in UK with the alternative of buying a collection of US boxes, power supplies, cables etc.

I'am not in UK, what is the current retail price in UK?

[firedog]

3 hours ago, alice said:

I have read reviews on the project but they seem to advise it’s just a glorified Rasberry Pi.

I suggest that you start listening to equipment if you can. Try some of the less expensive stuff first. Don't dismiss something just b/c "they" say it's just a glorified Raspberry Pi.

"They" probably haven't heard it.  Maybe you will be happy with it. 
 

On the other hand, if you've decided you are going to spend several thousand no matter what, then go ahead and get something like the dCS. At the price level of thousands,  everything is really good. It's just a question of whether you are using your cash efficiently. 

[alice]

19 minutes ago, firedog said:

I suggest that you start listening to equipment if you can. Try some of the less expensive stuff first. Don't dismiss something just b/c "they" say it's just a glorified Raspberry Pi.

"They" probably haven't heard it.  Maybe you will be happy with it. 
 

On the other hand, if you've decided you are going to spend several thousand no matter what, then go ahead and get something like the dCS. At the price level of thousands,  everything is really good. It's just a question of whether you are using your cash efficiently. 

I haven't decided to splash cash

I just don't want to be in a situation where I buy one device, then I need a power supply that cost twice the streamer, then need an ethernet converter, etc

[firedog]

8 hours ago, alice said:

I haven't decided to splash cash

I just don't want to be in a situation where I buy one device, then I need a power supply that cost twice the streamer, then need an ethernet converter, etc

That's why I suggest you try an inexpensive device first. What if you think it sounds really good? You can then stop worrying about all the upgrades. Sometimes all that upgraditis really is just a disease to be avoided.

[alice]

27 minutes ago, firedog said:

That's why I suggest you try an inexpensive device first. What if you think it sounds really good? You can then stop worrying about all the upgrades. Sometimes all that upgraditis really is just a disease to be avoided.

I totally agree, Iam currently using a standard computer source and the sound is pretty good.

Iam sure it will improve with a dedicated device but afraid to try something too cheap which may or may not be better than my computer.

[firedog]

44 minutes ago, alice said:

I totally agree, Iam currently using a standard computer source and the sound is pretty good.

Iam sure it will improve with a dedicated device but afraid to try something too cheap which may or may not be better than my computer.

So I'd give you 3 options in that scenario, to see if you can improve on what you've got:
 

1) Raspberry Pi with and without "audiophile"  PS - you are talking something in the range of $80 - $230 dollars, depending on the supply. Get with standard supply and then try a better one and see if you hear a difference. You can probably get this with the ability to return. 
 

2) Allo USB Bridge, which is an audiophile version of the Pi ("lower noise"): $239, or $388 with their upgraded audiophile supply, if in scenario number one you think an upgraded supply sounds better;

 

3) Sonore ultraRendu, or Volumio Primo, or Pro-Ject Stream Box, or SOtM streamer with upgraded PS. Here you are already talking about a pretty serious investment, say in the $700-$1000 range. All of these are "audiophile, low noise"  streamer solutions. A Sonore microRendu on the used market would probably be very worthwhile instead of the other solutions in this group. 

 

Or read this: https://archimago.blogspot.com/2018/12/measurements-intel-i7-pc-and-raspberry.html

Where he says and measures, and concludes that audiophile lore about streamers vs. "noisy" computers is mostly BS - at least in terms of SQ. He doesn't say there aren't other reasons to get a streamer.

[stefano_mbp]

Hi alice

 

I was in your same situation.

 

I started with a MacBook Pro, with Audirvana, and a dac but I did fount it too noisy

I decided then to move to a network solution, I got a SOtM SMS-200 Neo (not the Ultra one), a NUCi3 with MinimServer installed and I choose Lumïn app as control point ... non more noise and the SQ bettered as well.

Quite an easy solution to deploy...

Then I started to look at raspberry based solutions ... a whole new world opened...

Easy to deploy and free to test different sw like MoOde, Volumio or lastly GentooPlayer

With all of them I use the MPD/UPNP sw configuration and to my ears they sound very well

I’m now using SOtM in my main system and the raspberry pi4 (4gb ram) for my headphone system and Lumïn app as control point for both systems

My ears may not be the most “revelaing” but I’m anyhow happy with SQ of both.

The expense was not huge

SOtM SMS-200 Neo €450

NUC8i3bek with 8gb ram and 250gb M.2 ssd €500

Lacie 8tb hdd for the music files less then €300

Raspberry pi4 4gb less then €70

Flirc case for pi4 $16

Khadas Tone Board (dac for headphone system) with case €120

Little Dot MK2 (tube headphone amp) €170

 

MinimServer, MoOde, Volumio and GentooPlayer are all free and Lumïn app free as well. Lumïn app is available for iOS and Android

I installed Ubuntu on NUC, better than Win10 as it is very light

[DavidL]

11 hours ago, alice said:

I'am not in UK, what is the current retail price in UK?

 

£3250 - if you have a dCS dealer in your vicinity I think you will find it worthwhile giving it an audition.

 

Happy listening!

[davide256]

Ive owned SoTM SMS-200, microRendu 1.3/1.4, you can see that my current setup is NUC with the complexities you want to avoid. In your shoes I would gravitate towards

the Innuos Zen Mk111 as something that wont require additional add ons, power supply. While SoTM understands digital circuitry, they aren't competitive on power supply engineering

based on my experience with their SPS-500. At Capital Audiofest, the few rooms using the Zen MkIII were like an oasis for digital playback.

[DavidL]

Just like to add that you could buy a NAS to be dedicated to music serving and install MinimServer software on it. I use a Synology NAS in this manner, which I found very easy to set up and maintain, Cost of this (say 2 bay NAS) + dCS network bridge would be less than some of the all-in-one servers listed above. It might not give you some of the fancy extras they offer but the sound quality should be at least as good, probably better if you include optical isolation in the final ethernet link to the dCS Bridge.