ASR Members' Take on Streamers

[CleanSound]

Slow day today, so just starting a conversation for fun .

What are ASR members' take on streamers? And what solution do you use to stream music?

Here are my personal assessment of the pro's and con's of streamers:

Pro's

1. Custom built: one convenient package with very little fuss and setup.
2. Generally, user friend UI with easy smartphone control and integration.
3. Generally, space saving; if that matters to you. Like many living in North America, space doesn't matter to me since I live in a house but there are so many users in countries where most people live in city center apartments/flats.
4. Generally, one nice looking package.

Con's

1. Custom built: anything to do with the internet gets outdated much faster than other HiFi components; streamers are custom built for that time, at that time. For example, streamers all come with custom firmware/software, which needs to be maintained. Most manufacturers support their products for 10 years at most, many support it much shorter. Such support of the firmware/software is at the discretion of the manufacturer (i.e. a new streaming services comes to the market, the manufacturer may not support it. Or if there is a new features/API calls on supported streaming services, it may not be added).
2. Can be overpriced for mediocre parts and engineering.

Then what are the alternatives to streamers? Generally speaking, you have few options but all revolves around a computer:

• Use an off-the-shelf computer (PC or Mac), it can even be a mini-computer like an Intel NUC or Mac mini. Some even uses an old laptop.
• Build your own PC where you can choose the parts of your choice, including using a Home Theater PC case.
• Build a Raspberry Pi (for those who enjoy more hands on nuts and bolts and want budget friendly solutions, although I question how budget friendly it really is considering a mini PC cost less than $150 nowadays.)
• Some will even just stream through their phone via Bluetooth (though I suspect not many people here does that).

My current solution for streaming is that I originally brought a refurbished HP desktop computer on Amazon for cheap. Then I changed my mind, since that HP looks pretty damn ugly, an eye sore in fact, so I brought a HTPC case that looks slightly better and move the guts of the HP into the new case.

But now, after seeing some other members here using the Streacom HTPC case, I am jealous and considering doing a complete upgrade using this Streacom HTPC case, but it has it's pro's and con's and still debating if I should spend that kind of money (the build using this case, will probably cost anywhere from $1,100 to $1,500.)

If you are using a custom built computer, share a picture! Here is a picture of my build.

EDIT: In additional to streaming music, I use this custom built PC as my NAS server for the entire family, EAC to rip used CDs I buy and occasionally stream TV shows.

 

[Chr1]

You don't mention whether you are talking about streaming 4K/multichannel. If it is just music and/or basic (stereo, 1080) video anything over about $150 is overkill, I reckon. A mini PC, Mac Mini or RPi is all you need surely...Extra $s better going towards a UMIK-1... or go towards a speaker upgrade or whatever.

 

[Steve Dallas]

I use a MeLe Quieter 3 PC running a variety of player software and Dirac Standalone for DRC. These PCs are frequently on sale for around $170. I use remote desktop on my tablet to control it for now.

Amazon.com

 

[Deleted member 48726]

What?

Chromecast.

 

[Chr1]

Several of the Beelink aluminium cased fanless mini PCs myself...Cloned with Foobar2000 and MathAudio RoomEQ. Minimserver and Hifi Cast. Use a Zidoo x9S for 3D movie duties.

 

[anome]

CoreELEC (Odroid C4) streaming from a Jellyfin install from a big metal box relegated to being strapped to the wall in the basement of my shack. Also serves music, LMS -> squeezelite on many different SBC's throughout the house, wand, UP2, Odroid H3...

 

[BDWoody]

Roon and Plex on my NAS, Nvidia Shields on a couple of TVs, Chromecast pucks everywhere else.

 

[Rednaxela]

I use my Sony Bravia TV, both for video and music streaming.

 

[Ron Texas]

I use an old laptop and connect it by USB to a Topping DAC. This also allows for video playback.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

I have several Raspberry Pis running a few different audio OSs. Some have DAC hats, some have transports, and some use HDMI or USB. My favorite look is with LMS under Squeezelite with the Jivelite UI. I have a couple of Pis with 5" displays with a clock screen saver. The VU meters are fun. There are other variations on the Now Playing screen that show album cover and other stuff. Here's a bad phone pic of one:

 

[Chr1]

Hifi Cast and Foobar2000/MathAudio

 

[Purité Audio]

Laptops play everything, but I have found using a streamer in the rear room really convenient, it is just a Roon endpoint.
Keith

 

[CleanSound]

You don't mention whether you are talking about streaming 4K/multichannel. If it is just music and/or basic (stereo, 1080) video anything over about $150 is overkill, I reckon. A mini PC, Mac Mini or RPi is all you need surely...Extra $s better going towards a UMIK-1... or go towards a speaker upgrade or whatever.

I am talking specifically for music streaming. But many, including myself, also use my computer for video streaming. But my computer does not have a dedicated video card (not yet at least), so I am only streaming 1080p in stereo (since I don't have multi-channel sadly).

 

[CleanSound]

Roon and Plex on my NAS

Is this an off the shelf NAS or a custom build computer that serves as a NAS?

 

[Chr1]

Personally I reckon it is simpler and often cheaper to just buy a dedicated media player for 4K video...you don't need much processing power for good audio so a Chromecast, WiiM, laptop or decent minipc/pi seems optimal. Building your own dedicated PC doesn't look particularly cheap to me...Can attest to Roberts Stream 93i radio working well too. AUX out, the DAC seems pretty transparent to me. There's even basic EQ.

 

[CleanSound]

Personally I reckon it is simpler and often cheaper to just buy a dedicated media player for 4K video...you don't need much processing power for good audio so a laptop or decent minipc/pi seems optimal. Building your own dedicated PC doesn't look particularly cheap to me...

It's not cheap at all. I paid over $700 for a refurbished HP, granted that I brought a new case for it and a 4TB SSD. But yeah, it ain't cheap. I think most people who prefer to build their own because they either enjoy the hands on, having something that is flexible/customizable or for pure aesthetics. I am the later two, flexibility/customizability and aesthetics, even though the HTPC case I have now, doesn't even look all that great, but it was the least offensive looking one I can find that's on a budget.

 

[rgpit]

My server is a SonicTransporter I5 running Logitech Media Server (LMS). Multiple picorePlayer/Squeezelite RPi transports with ext DACs.

 

[BDWoody]

Is this an off the shelf NAS or a custom build computer that serves as a NAS?

Synology 920+, so very much off the shelf.

There are some very good resources that can tell you exactly what you would need to effectively run Roon on any NAS, but I think it's basically anything with an Intel quad core or better. I have 3xHDDs as a raid group, and have an SSD in the fourth bay for the database and whatever else makes sense to keep on the SSD, and it's been great. No need to keep my desktop on (where the core had been), or wait for it to boot up. I thought about a separate computer, but when I realized the NAS could do it, it was a no brainer for me.

 

[Chr1]

Got two Zyxel Nsa325 NASs storing video presently. They actually use more power than my Beelink mini PCs, so are only powered on when required now. Music is now in a four bay USB caddy and two SSDs. 2O TB and counting...

 

[ahofer]

I have Raspberry Pi with ROPIEEXL in two systems, a Cambridge Streamer in the third. Mostly Roon, but guests use Airplay and Chromecast, and I use Airplay with Idagio.

What I think is that there is no *need* to spend much to get good streaming software (WiiM Pro looks like a good deal). It won't affect sound except in broken or poor setups. Features/screens/etc. are a matter of technical and ergonomic preference. Roon is great as I can use convolution files to set Room EQ independently from the streaming appliance.

If it weren't for the varying protocols and EQ insertion points, this would also be a "solved problem" like DACs.