re: Audiophile/Vinyl Thread - Post Pics, Advice, Questions, Setups, etc.

I use hifishark.com as a meta search. If you know exactly what you are looking for, register and save a search there and it'll send you notifications across several sites.

US Audio Mart / Canuck Audio Mart is solid. Audiogon seems to have become less favored. AVS Forum has a classified section but not nearly as many people there.

quote:

---

HebertFest08

---

I don't know a lot about various streamers themselves; I use a Mac Mini with a USB connection to a DAC, myself. So it's kind of the ultimate in flexibility, I can use whatever service or app works best.

Having said that - what kind of streaming are you looking to do?

- Services like Spotify, Tidal etc?
- Local content from NAS or external drive?
- From your phone or other device?

That might affect the target feature set and device that's best for your needs. Reading about the Node, it seems like it supports almost anything above. (Except for Apple Music, which is only supported by using AirPlay 2 from an i-device.)

Crutchfield has quite a few listed under $1k here:

LINK

Denon DNP-800NE looks like it might be another good choice in addition to the Node & Audiolab.

Edit: Looks like the Audiolab 6000N does NOT have AirPlay, so if that's a factor proceed accordingly.

If I were in your shoes I’d probably order one from amazon, spend about a month with it, return it, and then proceed to the next one. All 4, Cambridge/Bluesound/Audiolab/Denon, are available on Amazon with prime shipping and free returns. Then you can make an informed decision on which one hits the sweet spot for you in terms of money/performance.

I’m not sure if some people frown on that, but I do it. I’m currently doing that with phono stages, and I’m about to do that with wireless headphones. Worst case scenario you might have to pay some sort of restocking fee for returned items depending on the seller, but I don’t think I’ve had to yet, and even if I did I’d just look at it as a rental fee which would’ve been worth it to audition the gear.

Nah. I don’t want to have to work a computer every time I want to switch music. I like the idea of using an app or remote when I’m doing stuff in the kitchen etc.

The idea of getting stuff through Amazon isn’t bad either…. The problem is I can’t even count on Amazon to deliver stuff or for them to get stuff in proper fashion right now.

Hell I have a golf club and a pair of shoes in BR that I tried to get switched to pick up via fed ex. Those bastards won’t even do that, they refused the request from PXG. They said they haven’t even emptied the trailers the packages are on and they’ve both been in BR for 3 days.

quote:

---

How does this work? Is it just a Mac mini or do you have a monitor hooked up too? How do you interact with your iTunes (via the DAC) how do you add music to the mini?

Just wondering cause I’ve got a pretty large iTunes collection

---

I'll try to summarize but with some detail. I definitely wouldn't say this is the most convenient setup for most - it's in part just a setup I put together years before network streamers existed, and have retained.

* The CD collection is ripped from my main Windows PC (because the Mac Mini has no optical drive) to a Synology NAS, via iTunes.

* The Mac Mini is accessed from above PC via RealVNC; so the Mini is mostly used "headless" as a remote controlled computer. (I do have kb/mouse/monitor attached but only used in extenuating circumstances b/c the Mini is not in the most convenient location.)

* I use JRiver Media Center to access and play the NAS iTunes library on the Mini. That means I also have to add any new CD rips to the JRiver library. There is 1 folder per CD on the NAS, but 2 separate libraries pointing to it. iTunes on the PC is set to keep the library organized/updated. This could potentially result in JRiver losing track of a CD but in practice rarely does, unless I myself change something basic like the artist or album name.

* Main problem most would see is that I don't have a good remote control setup for this. The closest is an iOS app called JRemote that I use on my phone, that can control JRiver with some limitations. (Mainly, if the Mini goes to sleep it has to be woken for JRiver to respond.) However, for Tidal I don't have any way to remotely control. I have been thinking about getting a Roon subscription in part to solve this issue.

For most people, especially if you're just setting something up, a streamer probably makes a LOT more sense. I like to have more flexibility and control though. For instance, when I recently tried Apple Music it was easy to just start using the app on the Mini. A streamer would need it to play from my iPhone using Air Play, which would 1) require the streamer to have AirPlay; 2) more importantly, not allow any hi-res streaming due to AP limitations.

I use Qobuz and am quite happy. Phone interface works nice. My account is setup on my NAD M33 so I get album cover and music info on the front screen on the M33.

Thanks for the info. Clearly there are tons of different ways I could go about skinning this cat.

Yeh Tidal is expensive. I’ve been thinking about the same things. I have a decent setup, but I don’t think it’s decent enough to distinguish the MQA recordings. Generally, if I’m streaming stuff I’m not sitting in front. I’m cooking or doing stuff around the house. I’m more likely to sit if I have the turn table going. Well I guess I’ll sit if I have a concert going, but then again that’s coming through my Apple TV.

I may give Qobuz a try to see. I have to have something other than Spotify b/c my wife isn’t afraid to jack my account when she is with friends or teaching yoga.

So, I guess my next deal would be to make sure which ever way I go will stream Qobuz as well.

Yep, you and that awesome M33 are definitely part of what is on my mind, VABuckeye!