Best value streamer with no DAC

[Saffy]

Thank you all, I was able to get a Project S2 Ultra for 480.00 (open box) on Ebay.

 

[Saffy]

USB cable: should I look no further than the low cost Belden Gold series USB between Streamer and DAC?

 

[ReaderZ]

USB cable: should I look no further than the low cost Belden Gold series USB between Streamer and DAC?

Just use the cable came with D90.

 

[Saffy]

Thanks!

 

[Saffy]

Thanks all, went with Gustard a-22, found an open box for $800 from Apos! It must be twice the weight of the DA90, plus the 3v output of the preamp will do wonders for the headroom of my 300b amp.

 

[HemiRick]

I just don't understand some people could've done this for $100 rasp pi, and is happy not having to learn anything and spending $800 !! And he bought something entirely outside the range of his request....The thing he bought has 2 DAC's !!

 

[Jimbob54]

I just don't understand some people could've done this for $100 rasp pi, and is happy not having to learn anything and spending $800 !! And he bought something entirely outside the range of his request....The thing he bought has 2 DAC's !!

If I understand it correctly, he bought 2 devices (maybe he sent one back?) in the space of a week. But there wouldnt be much of a hi-fi business if everyone bought D10's and used the included USB cable into their old PC.

 

[Daverz]

If I understand it correctly, he bought 2 devices (maybe he sent one back?) in the space of a week. But there wouldnt be much of a hi-fi business if everyone bought D10's and used the included USB cable into their old PC.

Some people just like buying out-of-the-way gear, paying less for mass-market stuff does not appeal to them. Always nice to have that kind of disposable income.

 

[Saffy]

One is a friends, though regarding the so called $100 Ras-pi , it is in fact its more expensive after adding extras like USB, etc. (let's be fair here) I bought a very refined and superiority engineered and fully complete product for $465.00 (Pro-ject open box)--that actually has a resale value, and one with a higher net gain/loss than a hobby kit if I wanted to dump it . See the logic? I get the HiFI -tax trap, otherwise.

 

[Swtoby]

I have no familiarity with MQA so this might be of little use to you, but I've been tinkering with an Amazon Firestick with a couple of low cost ad-ons:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079QHML21/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07B6CRW6D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QY631QR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have my flash drive with all my music plugged into a USB adapter and the Firestick plugged into the TV direct or via the audio extractor, depending on setup. Either way digital audio via optical into the DAC. It plays the usual files and I can also play Spotify, Youtube, Netflix, etc. all with the one remote. Very convenient.

 

[josemm]

I don't know much so it couldn't be much for you but this is half expensive I bought it here and I found it super cheap https://modernconsumers.com/waterproof-wireless-speakers/

 

[jobiwon]

for future reference , I found one of these for <$600 on usaudiomart. Didn't really work at first but Bryston support has been great and got me up and running even though I bought it used. Does PCM and DSD but no MQA. Sounds great and easily switch between Manic Moose (MPD) and Roon Ready. Nice little canned Raspberry Pi implementation.

https://bryston.com/digital-audio/bdppi/

 

[AidenYoung]

Lumin U1 mini i found it is a good streamer without a DAC

 

[D888]

Lumin U1 mini i found it is a good streamer without a DAC

But with RRP of USD2,000....

 

[mikeburns]

This has been a great thread. It is amusing that one would consider a RPi as hobby craft, considering that most of these streamers are based around RPi as well. It is also interesting about the idea of resale value. I am picking most hifi products are going to devalue considerably more than a RPi ever will. Dropping from $80 NZD to say $40 NZD is much more palatable than going from $1500 NZD to $750 NZD for the same functionality. I suppose the RPi4 does require some basic setup, as all computers need. I am not super tech savvy and I coped fine with the RPi4 and Moode.

All in all I am glad I listened to people here and got a RPi4. Moode, SSD and my music collection just works so well through my second hand SMSL SU-8 DAC. All for less than $300 NZD (not including cost of DAC mind you). Now that is a "Best Value Streamer With No DAC" right there.

What is becoming increasingly apparent to me is that there are better ways to spend your money in this hobby than new DACs and Streamers. Maybe I should look for a new, upmarket USB cable?

 

[Jimbob54]

This has been a great thread. It is amusing that one would consider a RPi as hobby craft, considering that most of these streamers are based around RPi as well. It is also interesting about the idea of resale value. I am picking most hifi products are going to devalue considerably more than a RPi ever will. Dropping from $80 NZD to say $40 NZD is much more palatable than going from $1500 NZD to $750 NZD for the same functionality. I suppose the RPi4 does require some basic setup, as all computers need. I am not super tech savvy and I coped fine with the RPi4 and Moode.

All in all I am glad I listened to people here and got a RPi4. Moode, SSD and my music collection just works so well through my second hand SMSL SU-8 DAC. All for less than $300 NZD (not including cost of DAC mind you). Now that is a "Best Value Streamer With No DAC" right there.

What is becoming increasingly apparent to me is that there are better ways to spend your money in this hobby than new DACs and Streamers. Maybe I should look for a new, upmarket USB cable?

Bang right. I think the trouble with this hobby is, you get your basic building blocks and you enjoy it. But you know there is "better". There must be, because loads of people on the Internet say there is. Especially in things that sit around and between your basic building blocks. But they all make such a huge difference (in the Internet).

Before you know it you're putting tinfoil hats on your DAC, £200 pebbles everywhere etc etc.

Then you think, hmmm, if I upgraded my *building blocks*, imagine how much change that would have..........

 

[Surfparadise]

Arylic, powered by Linkplay module.

https://www.arylic.com/

the board has the i2s output.

 

[renaudrenaud]

35$ Atomic Pi running Daphile with convolution filters ?

 

[snapcrackle]

One is a friends, though regarding the so called $100 Ras-pi , it is in fact its more expensive after adding extras like USB, etc. (let's be fair here) I bought a very refined and superiority engineered and fully complete product for $465.00 (Pro-ject open box)--that actually has a resale value, and one with a higher net gain/loss than a hobby kit if I wanted to dump it . See the logic? I get the HiFI -tax trap, otherwise.

I see the logic - getting a used well implemented Pi was an excellent idea rather than trying to work out bolt ons laters, when in fact John Westlake has already tweaked tuned and optimised the Pi for you in the guise of a Streambox - great choice - you knocked the ball right out of the park in my opinion! A supercharged Pi implemented by an expert digital engineer.

See post #16 on this thread by John Westlake...
https://www.avforums.com/threads/wh...-s2-so-expensive-700euro-for-an-r-pi.2175090/

 

[mikeburns]

I see the logic - getting a used well implemented Pi was an excellent idea rather than trying to work out bolt ons laters, when in fact John Westlake has already tweaked tuned and optimised the Pi for you in the guise of a Streambox - great choice - you knocked the ball right out of the park in my opinion! A supercharged Pi implemented by an expert digital engineer.

See post #16 on this thread by John Westlake...
https://www.avforums.com/threads/wh...-s2-so-expensive-700euro-for-an-r-pi.2175090/

I guess the only way to check all these additional benefits would be to compare the output of this streamer vs a pi. I personally doubt there will be much of a difference when an external dac is managing the synchronisation via USB. This will be even more true with an RPi4. I guess you pay for a magic power supply and a modified volumio interface? I am not an expert here though so maybe others can chime in? I am pretty sure power supplies in RPi have been shown to have little effect on sound quality with an asynchronous connection via USB Dac.