Experienced computer geek feeling like a streaming noob - help!

[EEDAm]

 

Hi, first post here - be gentle with me :) 

I'm an experienced computer geek and have a Cyrus audio system but haven't streamed to it for quite a while (old Sonos connect). Although I am otherwise technically proficient in PCs and components, I'm getting confused in a world of streaming where I don't need a DAC and am just not up on the current generations of solutions. 

Environment - moved to a new house and have a dedicated office where currently I have a PC, NAS (can move), android phone and tablet. I have legacy Sonos connects and some Sonos One speakers in the lair as well. I'm a Spotify family subscriber but may move to Tidal or similar for higher stream quality. I have cat 5e hardwire network and BT mesh wifi.

Audio - Cyrus kit - DAC XP running into Cyrus X power amps driving Monitor Audio Gold floor standers

What I want to do - I'd like to be able to stream alternatively from my PC running spotify / tidal; my android phone (for when I want to have the PC off); from my Synology DS420+ NAS to some sort of streaming receiver unit that will then feed a digital out to the DAC XP digital ins. I don't need to pay for a DAC within the 'receiver unit' as it's handled by the DAC XP and that's what's tripping me up in some of the solutions I've been looking at.

Hopefully I've explained the set up clearly enough - all advice on what that streaming receiver from phone and pc / NAS could be. Since it's pure digital signal into that and via it into the DAC digital in, I'm figuring that the solution doesn't need to be hugely expensive since it's 1's and 0's but willing to be corrected. My understanding is my old Sonos Connects probably aren't the ticket as they are constrained on bandwith? I'm happy to use Sonos but I'm also not wedded to it.

Anyway, have at me - many thanks in advance, cheers... 

Am

[stefano_mbp]

there are several solutions, it mainly depends on your budget.

I cannot speak about Sonos as I don't know anything about it.

Your dac has spdif (rca and toslink) inputs only

 

1) the less expensive solution (if you like DIY), could be:

a Raspberry pi4 2/4GB ram https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/

a HAT board with spif output (rca and toslink) like

- HifiBerry Digi+ Pro https://www.hifiberry.com/shop/boards/hifiberry-digi-pro/

- Allo Digione https://www.allo.com/sparky/digione.html

You can add a case

- for HifiBerry Digi+ Pro https://www.hifiberry.com/shop/cases/steel-case-for-hifiberry-digi-pi-4/

- for Allo Digione https://allo.com/sparky/acrylic-case-rpi-digione.html

You can run players/endpoint like (free) Volumio, moOde, Ropieee XL, (paid) Gentooplayer

 

2) a bit more expensive solution (Plug&Play):

Allo Usbridge Signature with Digione Signature add-on https://allo.com/sparky/usbridge-signature-player.html

Allo Shanti Linear Power Supply https://allo.com/sparky-eu/shanti.html

You can run players/endpoint like (free) Volumio, moOde, Ropieee XL, (paid) Gentooplayer

 

2a) more or less as expensive as 2)

Primare NP5Prisma https://primare.net/product/np5-prisma-network-player/

 

3) expensive solutions:

Lumin U1 Mini https://www.luminmusic.com/lumin-u1-mini.html

Auralic Aries G1 https://us.auralic.com/products/aries-g1?variant=34539872387240

 

With 1) and 2) solutions you can use as control point on your smartphone/tablet apps like

Android - Bubbleupnp, MConnect

iOS/iPadOs - Linn Kazoo, Linn app, MConnect

 

With 2a) and 3) solution specific control point apps are available from the manufacturer

 

Hope this can help to start understanding something more is this quite complicated scenario

 

[George Hincapie]

Buy a Pi4, buy a heatsink case, buy a Tomanek LPSU and install Vit OS onto an SD card. USB to your DAC.

 

Job done.

 

Insane SQ. Insane performance. In audiophile terms, an outlay of pennies. There is no need to spend anything more IMHO. People who have vested interests may try to convince you otherwise.

[stefano_mbp]

14 minutes ago, George Hincapie said:

USB to your DAC

The Cyrus Dac XP has spdif input only

[wklie]

Since Spotify is mentioned, I'd like to mention that our products have official Spotify Connect implementation, instead of an open source one.  They differ in some existing features such as support for free account, let alone new features Spotify will introduce later this year.

[R1200CL]

On 3/6/2021 at 1:19 PM, EEDAm said:

NAS to some sort of streaming receiver unit that will then feed a digital out to the DAC XP digital ins.

You should try install Roon on that NAS. 14 days free trail. 
Pii as endpoint, or some of the other suggestions you got. Your Sonos will also work. If you having some Squeezebox laying around, they also works. 
If you DAC has USB in, a used iPhone with CCK is great. 
More expensive endpoints is the Rendu’s that Sonore offering. 
 

If your DAC hasn’t any USB, you will need a USB to SPDIF converter, unless you go directly into something like a Yamaha WXAD-10 or Bluesound Node2i

[wklie]

The CPU in the stated NAS is below Roon minimum requirements.  Roon lifetime license costs $699 without supporting Spotify.

[Lobbster]

Spotify Connect & Tidal works fine on old Sonos zone players. Plus, it outputs via coax/optical which match your input choices right now. Maybe give a spin with Spotify Connect first. Spotify is supposed to be upgrading to CD quality sometime soon.

 

I haven't tried it yet, but even Roon will play over old Sonos gear.