Help me make the right amp/streaming solution decision.

[Andrewem]

Hello. I am going to ditch my Sonos 2.1 system in my dining room.

My requirements are:

Will work with my turntable and cd player (currently both lined in into each of the L and R sonos).

Excellent sound quality at low and normal listening levels

Bookshelf speakers

Sub

Streaming compatibility, and ideally integration with Alexa for my wife and daughter (I tend to use the apps, but they also love listening to music in the room and Alexa makes it easy).

Nice to have is room correction (this might be a must actually).

What I am considering is this:

Polk Reserve 200 speakers

SVS PB 1000 pro sub

NAD C3050 amp with the BluOS-D add in for Dirac and streaming (I can connect this to an ethernet port, so won't have any network issues with it I think).

I think I am pretty set on the speakers from doing a bit of research.

Are there better options for the amp? I was looking at the Wiim Pro plus into a Fosi audio amp, but my CD player only has line out so I would need a mixer/switch to feed both into the Wiim pro. It starts to get a bit annoying with loads of boxes, and it's the family room, not a den for just me.

I know the Wiim is adding room correction, but I would have expected the Dirac is going to be worth it on the NAD? Budget is starting to max out with the NAD, so if there's a good alternative then I would be interested.

 

[gwing]

Hello. I am going to ditch my Sonos 2.1 system in my dining room.

My requirements are:

Will work with my turntable and cd player (currently both lined in into each of the L and R sonos).

Excellent sound quality at low and normal listening levels

Bookshelf speakers

Sub

Streaming compatibility, and ideally integration with Alexa for my wife and daughter (I tend to use the apps, but they also love listening to music in the room and Alexa makes it easy).

Nice to have is room correction (this might be a must actually).

What I am considering is this:

Polk Reserve 200 speakers

SVS PB 1000 pro sub

NAD C3050 amp with the BluOS-D add in for Dirac and streaming (I can connect this to an ethernet port, so won't have any network issues with it I think).

I think I am pretty set on the speakers from doing a bit of research.

Are there better options for the amp? I was looking at the Wiim Pro plus into a Fosi audio amp, but my CD player only has line out so I would need a mixer/switch to feed both into the Wiim pro. It starts to get a bit annoying with loads of boxes, and it's the family room, not a den for just me.

I know the Wiim is adding room correction, but I would have expected the Dirac is going to be worth it on the NAD? Budget is starting to max out with the NAD, so if there's a good alternative then I would be interested.

Can I suggest an alternative which might be to replace the CD player with one that has a digital output? That would free up your choices and allow cheaper components e.g. Wiim/Fosi/Aiyima stuff rather than being forced to stretch the budget on the NAD. I wouldn't be comfortable rebuilding an entire system around a pretty unnecessary limitation myself.

 

[Andrewem]

Can I suggest an alternative which might be to replace the CD player with one that has a digital output? That would free up your choices and allow cheaper components e.g. Wiim/Fosi/Aiyima stuff rather than being forced to stretch the budget on the NAD. I wouldn't be comfortable rebuilding an entire system around a pretty unnecessary limitation myself.

I agree with you, but aesthetics are quite important. So I am taking your suggestion and looking at what I can do.

Is there an option to use a passive mixer such as this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiNKFOR-Ch...d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

to run the turntable and cd player into the wiim pro plus line in?

 

[IndieSynth]

The upcoming Wiim Amp Pro could tick all boxes, I'm not sure if a full spec has been published yet.

 

[gwing]

I agree with you, but aesthetics are quite important. So I am taking your suggestion and looking at what I can do.

Is there an option to use a passive mixer such as this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiNKFOR-Channel-Support-Separate-Controls/dp/B093PG9MVT/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.a60a1df7-21d3-4cb0-8398-7612c03db1b8:amzn1.sym.a60a1df7-21d3-4cb0-8398-7612c03db1b8&crid=2PYZJJFIKNATN&cv_ct_cx=powered+mixer&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.l99hiT9vStPA80fONwSwJ5mKzisu5sOjXmXaNQ0-4WWqdY46UciMff4WfjWcP2DKWz865weSF-E2zqIPkRPy8w.O3E2kLyYx-DnSBkc6MkgoAFGShj9BSvrQ82ppMdWfMw&dib_tag=se&keywords=powered+mixer&pd_rd_i=B093PG9MVT&pd_rd_r=b8f13675-7198-408a-84cf-1439716265d9&pd_rd_w=Q8QnW&pd_rd_wg=qXFgD&pf_rd_p=a60a1df7-21d3-4cb0-8398-7612c03db1b8&pf_rd_r=ZKPMGFDE4RJ202PQFKS8&qid=1717414404&sbo=RZvfv//HxDF+O5021pAnSA==&sprefix=powered+mixer,aps,88&sr=1-5-ad3222ed-9545-4dc8-8dd8-6b2cb5278509-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

to run the turntable and cd player into the wiim pro plus line in?

Yes, that would be possible, but an ugly thing to have in a home system, there is also the question of how transparent such a device would be.

 

[Andrewem]

The upcoming Wiim Amp Pro could tick all boxes, I'm not sure if a full spec has been published yet.

Think it only has one input according to what hi fi.

 

[JeremyFife]

The WiiM Amp only has one analogue input, plus three digital (HDMI, optical and coax).

I think you are caught between two 'cultures'. Two analogue inputs is slightly old school, and implies either a traditional integrated amp or a full featured pre-amp.
Room correction however is shiny new, expecting digital inputs.
An alternative is an AVR, but that may not fit your aesthetic or your budget. It would give you everything though.

I'd be very tempted to change the CD player (as suggested before) to one with a digital out. You have much more choice then.

WiiM Amp sounds like a good, inexpensive, option although the room correction is unproven.

MiniDSP is very good, but takes you to two box solutions.

Bite the bullet and just get the NAD?