Best Streamer without a music server (no Roon etc)

[m5sime]

Hi all,

 

I have tinkered and played over the years and admit to have not even switched on my system for 6 months. I have an old Sonos system for the office and have a full Roon Core setup to MicroRendu streamer (into Mutec re clock and Mytek DAC).. All good.. But honestly, I have no local NAS music, have no interest to store any locally. I subscribe to Tidal and Spotify and Amazon Music.. I like to be able to switch on and surf for something to listen to (or have playlist suggestions). 

 

The Roon based setup always seems to take 20 mins of arsing around with passwords and updates when it has not been on for a while.. I would like a recommendation of a streamer that has it's own App and eco-system.. Sonos is one.. (not Hifi enough).. I did consider going Auralic before lock-down..  I have only Apple devices.. I would love to hear your advice..

 

Best

Simon

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 minutes ago, m5sime said:

Hi all,

 

I have tinkered and played over the years and admit to have not even switched on my system for 6 months. I have an old Sonos system for the office and have a full Roon Core setup to MicroRendu streamer (into Mutec re clock and Mytek DAC).. All good.. But honestly, I have no local NAS music, have no interest to store any locally. I subscribe to Tidal and Spotify and Amazon Music.. I like to be able to switch on and surf for something to listen to (or have playlist suggestions). 

 

The Roon based setup always seems to take 20 mins of arsing around with passwords and updates when it has not been on for a while.. I would like a recommendation of a streamer that has it's own App and eco-system.. Sonos is one.. (not Hifi enough).. I did consider going Auralic before lock-down..  I have only Apple devices.. I would love to hear your advice..

 

Best

Simon

Hi Simon, you were on the right track with Auralic. Also look at Lumin and Aurender. 

[Daren F]

A Bluesound Node 2i connected to your Mytek DAC via coax or toslink would be worth looking at. The onboard DAC isn't great so using it as a transport to the Mytek will give you excellent results. It supports Amazon Music HD, Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify (as well as others) with the BluOS app. It also supports Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect and Qobuz Connect which means that you can use the native mobile app on your ipad and play to the Node.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Just now, Daren F said:

A Bluesound Node 2i connected to your Mytek DAC via coax or toslink would be worth looking at. The onboard DAC isn't great so using it as a transport to the Mytek will give you excellent results. It supports Amazon Music HD, Tidal, Qobuz and Spotify (as well as others) with the BluOS app. It also supports Tidal Connect, Spotify Connect and Qobuz Connect which means that you can use the native mobile app on your ipad and play to the Node.

Great suggestion. I have a Node 2i sitting next to me right now. Extremely versatile. 

[Fife]

Bluesound’s app and user interface is great.

[asdf1000]

17 hours ago, m5sime said:

I subscribe to Tidal and Spotify and Amazon Music..

 

Easy - Bluesound Node 2i supports:

 

Tidal Connect - use the Tidal app directly, without having to go through the 3rd party interface which is OK but not as good.

 

Spotify Connect - use the Spotify app directly

 

Airplay 2 - cast Amazon Music or any other app, directly to the Node 2i

 

The only other thing that comes comes to this versatility is the Cambridge Audio CXN V2 which also adds Chromecast Built-in - but it's double the price where I am.

 

 

 

[m5sime]

Thanks all! Big votes for the blue sound. I had considered it but not seriously. I was thinking something more pro that might also allow me to keep my Mutec re clocker investment (usb to AES). 
 

A big part of this is the software experience and so I do need to get some on loan and see how I get on with it. 

[Mark Dirac]

The BluOS app for Android scores only 3.4 in Play Store.  That's pretty low for a respectable app. Have you had a chance to check it out yet Simon?

[Pro Jules]

The only reason I sent back the Node 2i was that it didn't offer parametric EQ.

 

 I think it's a great product otherwise and it's been revealed that it can play Amazon Music back at the correct sample rates (unlike the ios or Mac apps who default to an up sampled 192 for everything) 

 

I have no files so desire no drive set up so picked the Auralic Aries G1 to stream Qobuz. 

 

It's usb out to the Mutec works great and it's satisfying to see "32 bit" displayed in the app. 

 

I am very happy with its parametric eq. (I copied numbers over from settings I had fine tuned on my Mac) 

 

People supercharge these with modified power supplies - perhaps one day I will try that. I have no grumbles with the stock set up. It's big and weighs an absolute tonn. it's been working like a trooper these last few weeks. You can power it on and off via the app! What's not to like? It also works with Spotify Connect so when friend send me links to music I can play it quickly I don't think it works with Amazon Music yet. (But I recently jumped ship to go bit perfect with Qobuz)

 

Give it a try? 

 

 

[m5sime]

38 minutes ago, Pro Jules said:

The only reason I sent back the Node 2i was that it didn't offer parametric EQ.

 

 I think it's a great product otherwise and it's been revealed that it can play Amazon Music back at the correct sample rates (unlike the ios or Mac apps who default to an up sampled 192 for everything) 

 

I have no files so desire no drive set up so picked the Auralic Aries G1 to stream Qobuz. 

 

It's usb out to the Mutec works great and it's satisfying to see "32 bit" displayed in the app. 

 

I am very happy with its parametric eq. (I copied numbers over from settings I had fine tuned on my Mac) 

 

People supercharge these with modified power supplies - perhaps one day I will try that. I have no grumbles with the stock set up. It's big and weighs an absolute tonn. it's been working like a trooper these last few weeks. You can power it on and off via the app! What's not to like? It also works with Spotify Connect so when friend send me links to music I can play it quickly I don't think it works with Amazon Music yet. (But I recently jumped ship to go bit perfect with Qobuz)

 

Give it a try? 

 

 

Great insights! Thanks.. How much difference /value do you get from the EQ out of interest? 

[Pro Jules]

Aged 60 and after a nearly 30 year career in recording studios (listening often too loud) I know I need (or like) a high mid lift to restore some hi mid hearing loss. Hence the eq curve you see above. I have always liked bright playback and always used to tweak up the treble to showcase percussion and other trebly music elements. I like it “crispy”! 

 

if you don’t need that, the Node 2i is terrific and 3/4 the price IMHO. (They should get a design award or something)

[Pro Jules]

Well, at 14 x the cost of the Node 2i.....

 

I have been a/b testing a Weiss 501 against the rig in the photographs above. I can swap the speaker leads from them in under 5 seconds - so I am not having to rely on 'memory' (I can retain ADD / 'Goldfish' memory) 

 

I have tried to match the eq settings exactly (the Weiss uses sliders not numerical data entry and it wasn't possible to get the curve exactly the same - so I changed the Auralic to match the Weiss exactly) - However the Weiss seems a 'sharper' (or more precise?) DAC than the Grace M903 so I dialled the highest EQ frequency back a db or so on the Weiss to get a closer match..

 

I have been playing the same songs on each - changing between the same musical passages at 30 seconds intervals..and back again.(the way a/b testing is done in recording studios) 

 

The profound effect of the master clock and re clocking performed on the Auralic G1 / Grace combo - seems pretty much matched by the Weiss's basic sound...  Hmmmm.. This has both caused me to scratch my head a bit....

 

Weiss rig positives:

Being an "all in one" device (opposed to 4 separate devices) 

Having eq slider control (I feel sorry for people trying to eq with typing numerical data) tweaks from the couch are easier.

Revealing high frequencies - surgical? I do like my high frequencies!

Hardware remote control (quicker and more elegant than than having to reach for your phone - yet again)

Low key looks, stealth streaming..(!)

 

Auralic, Mutec, Mutec, Grace Designs rig positives:

Lightning DS app (so far I like this better than the Weiss's UPnP MConnect app)

Does the combo of the silky Grace Designs DAC + Mutec Master clock sound more comfortable? 

Lots of lights to look / a bigger pile of gear..

The jury is out on the album art screen on the Auralic I am not sure if its fun or naff looking.

 

 

 

 

[Pro Jules]

Another plus point for the Weiss... I mostly send Qobuz to my DAC but I like to send TV audio also via TOS optical - in a short time I was able to set up a custom EQ setting for the TV on the Remote. 

 

The Auralic has great parametric EQ on it but it cant be applied to anything but itself..

 

A negative for the Weiss is the lack of Spotify Connect... I dont use Spotify much but friends send me music on it. 

 

 

 

 

[Pro Jules]

So why not use the Auralic with the Weiss! 

And the Mutec stuff too. (Seems rude not to)

 

Talk about a sledgehammer to crack a nut! 

 

This gives:

Lightning DS app

Spotify Connect

Banks of dsp eq presets in the Weiss to apply on different scenarios (speakers, headphones, TV optical, Chromecast Network) 

A physical remote for volume

 

 

[airguitar]

You could try the Primare NP5.

 

A very versatile unit that believes in not over complicating the software implementation by using technology already in place like Chromecast Audio.

 

Hasn't got the UI of the Bluesound - relies on the Apps and Chromecast for giving you the interface (although it does have its own app).

 

No DAC - it's just a transport - with toslink and spdif out. Neat little device. You can have fixed or variable output too.

 

Comes with Spotify Connect - Tidal Connect is planned for 2021 - for now you can either cast Tidal via the app, use bluetooth, Airplay etc - so lots of options wrapped up in a nice package.

 

As it stands you can't pass through Tidal MQA through this device (I don't think).

 

You can also upsample, downsample or leave alone (native).

 

 

[Pro Jules]

I have found a device's coresponding remote control app to be very important. If possible try downloading it and see if you can imagine using it. 

[m5sime]

Revisiting the thread:

 

auralic - doesn’t support Spotify in the app - major issue for simplicity of streaming. I have Tidal also but Spotify is a need

 

bluesound - looks great but doesn’t support full 192/24 over digital out or full MQA over digital out. Again - an issue.. dealbreaker - maybe not but I have an old Sonos ZP90 that does all this and the UX on Sonos is great. 
 

I really don’t want the answer to be Roon but if it is, I have this setup sorted already. I need to look for more options. 
 

cheers 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Did you look at Aurender?

[m5sime]

8 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Did you look at Aurender?

Not yet in detail. Quick scan and the hardware seems pricey (More than an Auralic Aries).  Is this the case?

[The Computer Audiophile]

2 hours ago, m5sime said:

Not yet in detail. Quick scan and the hardware seems pricey (More than an Auralic Aries).  Is this the case?

Not sure how much all the models cost, but Aurender supports what you want supported. 

[m5sime]

2 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Not sure how much all the models cost, but Aurender supports what you want supported. 

I checked, and while the app and the devices look very nice - they are expensive (for my taste).. The Lumin options looks more palatable but the app looks a little dull and Spotify is not within the app again (Spotify Connect to the player). Almost seems a shame that a DIY genius has not found a way to mod the Node 2i to get a better digital out..

[keeper]

LUMIN is a great product with fantastic support 

Not sure about the Spotify not supported?

 

See the below
https://www.luminmusic.com/support-settings.html

 

Bowie in Spotify app direct to my LUMIN  D2 as indicated on the bottom left.

 

 

[m5sime]

4 minutes ago, keeper said:

LUMIN is a great product with fantastic support 

Not sure about the Spotify not supported?

 

See the below
https://www.luminmusic.com/support-settings.html

 

Bowie in Spotify app direct to my LUMIN  D2 as indicated on the bottom left.

 

 

Thanks! That is using Spotify connect as a way of casting to the LUMIN vs being in the app.  Not a huge deal breaker. Does it work well? My microrendu doesn’t work well with casting from Spotify 

[keeper]

To be fair I don’t use it, I was just showing you the info.

But after using my LUMIN I’d be very surprised if it had any issues as everything else works fine, the app may look basic but the LUMIN app is very flexible once you get used to it.

 

ive just let my Roon subscription lapse and just use the LUMIN app, or for missing Tidal features I may want to use I switch to airplay or Tidal connect via my Sonos connect.

 

Ive been very pleased with my D2 and Peter is on the forum if you have any issues or questions.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Spotify has very strict rules about attempting to cast to anything from within an app that isn’t Spotify. For the most part, the company won’t allow it unless you can deliver an awesome experience and millions of new customers.