Advice on streamer and connection to active speakers (optical in)

[Willem]

Don't worry about Darko's golden ears.

 

[Tokei]

Haha, that might be good advice. I definitely don‘t have golden ears.

 

[BDWoody]

Haha, that might be good advice. I definitely don‘t have golden ears.

Neither does he.

 

[Tokei]

But golden ears aside, wouldn‘t there be a measurable difference from the different conversions and/or outputs even when staying entirely digital? Like jitter, SINAD etc? Or is this only measurable in the analogue world?

 

[Willem]

I have been assured by the techies here that there is no problem.

 

[Tokei]

Thanks, then I rest my case.

So recapping my options, I am looking at the following variations:

1. MiniDSP SHD Studio + Coax>Toslink Converter (~920$)
2. Allo DigiOne Player + MiniDSP DDRC-22D (~1’100$)
3. Chromecast Audio + Paradigm PW Link (~400$)

Number 3 might be best bang for the buck.

Thanks all for the help, have to see if I can source one of those. Very happy to get further feedback of course!

 

[beefkabob]

I have an SHD Studio. Volumio sucks, but you can use a DLNA app like BubbleUPNP to control it. The volume control is totally transparent to me. It doesn't suck anything out of the sound that I can hear.

 

[Tokei]

Ah, that’s interesting, I actually hoped that Volumio would be a decent software after many mentioned that the Play-Fi software used by the Paradigm PW Link sucks. Good to know it isnt so good.... How are you generally happy with the SHD Studio? And did you feel the Room Correction made a difference? Thanks.

 

[Tokei]

I am tempted to buy the MiniDSP DDRC-22D that would give me room correction and also has an optical out for my speakers, so also serves as a converter from its coax input to optical. Plus a streamer with a good UI, perhaps a used Bluesound Node 2i? Those should have a good UI?

Would anyone have an opinion if Paradigms ARC room correction is better or worse than MiniDSP’s Dirac?

 

[beefkabob]

Mixed feelings on MiniDSP as a company. I gave a four start review on their site and they didn't post it. Kind of not classy.

 

[beefkabob]

Also my SHD studio wont' connect to the lan anymore. Trying to figure it out. USB is fine.

 

[Tokei]

Thanks for the feedback, doesnt sound too good. And how about the core functionality of room correction? Does this work smoothly and lead to an audible improvement?

 

[beefkabob]

I haven't set up Dirac yet. Waiting for a repair on a speaker.

 

[Tokei]

Would be interesting to hear your comments once you're back up and running.

As to my original question which product would be good to stream to my active speakers, I have now set my eyes on the Yamaha WXC-50 streamer/pre-amp. Price is very reasonable and it has all I/O options I need incl. the optical out for the speakers. One feature I particularly like is that volume control and EQ features can also be applied to the digital outs. Haven't found a better solution at that price so far.

And reading some of Amirm's reviews here it seems to me that after all not all digital I/Os are made equal (so "golden ear" Darko might have a point after all??). Bluesound Node 2i's toslink in for instance seems to be pretty much broken.

 

[Julf]

"golden ear" Darko might have a point after all??

"He might happen to be right, but for the wrong reasons".