I just want something that works and has a good UI.

[Paul Ebert]

Oh, and I'd really prefer no subscription fees.

I am searching for a network streamer that works for me and finding it surprisingly frustrating. My use case is playing ripped CDs stored on a NAS and Qobuz using USB output to a MiniDSP Flex8. My music selection process is simple: pick a source, pick a composer (or artist), pick an album (release), play it. I rarely play a single track and never do anything with playlists.

I'm currently using LMS running on a RP5 using PiCorePlayer and a player comprised of a RP4 also using PiCorePlayer. I find the UI to be quite poor, but I might be able to live with it if it didn't seem to lose it's connections (LMS mounting to NAS and player to LMS) every few days. When this happens, I spend several hours (up to most of a day) troubleshooting and, eventually get it all working again without knowing exactly what fixed it. Previously, I tried the same player hardware running Volumio. It worked okay, but the subscription just to have Qobuz annoyed me. I also found the UI to be weak.

Part of the problems with the UIs is that I have essential tremor, causing my hands to shake. Small icons or interfaces are difficult for me. I have mixed feelings about an app or URL based interface. Sometimes I enjoy the convenience of being able to access it from an adjacent room, but I also like a committed, stationary (and, preferably large) UI at my stereo, especially one that would come up automatically with the player. I hear that ROON has a good UI. If that's really the best (only?) option, I guess I could swing it, but it also seems complicated. Mostly, I just want something that works - set it up and forget it. Something like the Eversolo DMP-A6 without the DAC looks like it might be just the ticket. I'm willing to spend quite a bit on a good solution (say, anything under $1000). Any suggestions?

 

[Audiotone]

Oh, and I'd really prefer no subscription fees.

I am searching for a network streamer that works for me and finding it surprisingly frustrating. My use case is playing ripped CDs stored on a NAS and Qobuz using USB output to a MiniDSP Flex8. My music selection process is simple: pick a source, pick a composer (or artist), pick an album (release), play it. I rarely play a single track and never do anything with playlists.

I'm currently using LMS running on a RP5 using PiCorePlayer and a player comprised of a RP4 also using PiCorePlayer. I find the UI to be quite poor, but I might be able to live with it if it didn't seem to lose it's connections (LMS mounting to NAS and player to LMS) every few days. When this happens, I spend several hours (up to most of a day) troubleshooting and, eventually get it all working again without knowing exactly what fixed it. Previously, I tried the same player hardware running Volumio. It worked okay, but the subscription just to have Qobuz annoyed me. I also found the UI to be weak.

Part of the problems with the UIs is that I have essential tremor, causing my hands to shake. Small icons or interfaces are difficult for me. I have mixed feelings about an app or URL based interface. Sometimes I enjoy the convenience of being able to access it from an adjacent room, but I also like a committed, stationary (and, preferably large) UI at my stereo, especially one that would come up automatically with the player. I hear that ROON has a good UI. If that's really the best (only?) option, I guess I could swing it, but it also seems complicated. Mostly, I just want something that works - set it up and forget it. Something like the Eversolo DMP-A6 without the DAC looks like it might be just the ticket. I'm willing to spend quite a bit on a good solution (say, anything under $1000). Any suggestions?

Daphile is also an option, No subscribtion needed for qobuz integration…

 

[Karlinamillion]

Have you considered Squeezer app on a iPad/tablet, much bigger than a phone screen

 

[kemmler3D]

I think it might be possible to use Plex or Jellyfin (FOSS alternative) for this use case. You could install the app on a cheap Android tablet (as big as you please, they are not very expensive) which would give a relatively sizable GUI to work with.

I am not sure if the browsing / organization of albums and handling of metadata / tags is suitable for your use, I mostly use them for video, but the audio function does work.

Try the Jellyfin app on your PC or phone (or smart TV or whatever) for starters, since it is free you can test it out and then invest in a tablet if you find it works well.

 

[terryforsythe]

Here is what I do, and it runs essentially issue free:

I run LMS on my NAS, a Synology DS718+, on which my music files are stored. LMS runs in a container on my NAS. I have no issue with it losing connection.

As far us the LMS user interface, I use the "Material Skin" UI in LMS. I would not call it modern, but it is the best that I know of for LMS. I only use it for my locally stored files.

I use Tidal for streaming, but I do not stream it through LMS. The UI in LMS for Tidal, in my opinion, is too clucky. Instead, I stream Tidal to my WiiM Pro+, which is connected to my miniDSP Flex HTx via the coaxial SPDIF output. Since you only need digital output, the WiiM Pro probably is adequate since you do not need use of the internal DAC.

The WiiM Pro/Pro+ also supports Qobuz, so I assume it will work just as well as with Tidal. But, I don't have Qobuz, so I don't know that to be a certainty.

 

[Mnyb]

LMS has a couple of better UI's there is a new web-UI ( as a plugin ) if you fel the old one a bit dated , on a phone or tablet use iPeng , i prefer tablet ( iPad ) .

Strange that it looses connection i also have Raspi5 with picore player running LMS , it stable as a light bulb for me , but just don't cut the power to it shutdown LMS id you need to turn it off ? Contact the folkson the lyrion forum , they always helped in the past

 

[Timcognito]

From Google.

I have Roon and it also gives you EQ and magazine type format integrating all sources. Bluesound can be set up with voice assistants and comes free lifetime with your purchase and believe the same with WiiM devices at a lower price.

 

[mhardy6647]

This may be laughably useless, but I use the media player 'app' that came with my NAS's O/S. It works.
My standards and expectations for streaming are very low.

 

[Apesbrain]

Part of the problems with the UIs is that I have essential tremor, causing my hands to shake. Small icons or interfaces are difficult for me.

Try the "Material Skin" app on LMS; you can set it for large icons:

More of a concern are the connectivity issues you have which I believe are not the fault of LMS. Is your server RPi wired to your router? Is your player wired as well? If not, could it be? How is the NAS connected? Which NAS is it?

Eversolo does make a streamer sans DAC; the T8. That said, there is no reason why LMS should not work reliably for you.

 

[TunaBug]

I have had connectivity problems with RPi before. They are connected via WiFi. My theory is its a combination of poor antenna for the RPi's builtin WiFi, the metal case that I have it in, and location. I've moved some things that had accumulated between the RPi and WiFi router and things have since been fine.

I would try the large icon setting for material skin first. But there are also ways to control LMS using a physical remote control, if hard buttons would be a better way to deal with the tremors.

 

[Paul Ebert]

Have you considered Squeezer app on a iPad/tablet, much bigger than a phone screen

I can't find this app. Can you please provide more info about it?

 

[Paul Ebert]

I think it might be possible to use Plex or Jellyfin (FOSS alternative) for this use case. You could install the app on a cheap Android tablet (as big as you please, they are not very expensive) which would give a relatively sizable GUI to work with.

I am not sure if the browsing / organization of albums and handling of metadata / tags is suitable for your use, I mostly use them for video, but the audio function does work.

Try the Jellyfin app on your PC or phone (or smart TV or whatever) for starters, since it is free you can test it out and then invest in a tablet if you find it works well.

I recall looking into Plex a while back and deciding not to pursue it. Can't remember why so maybe I'll check again. I will look into Jellyfin.

 

[Paul Ebert]

Here is what I do, and it runs essentially issue free:

I run LMS on my NAS, a Synology DS718+, on which my music files are stored. LMS runs in a container on my NAS. I have no issue with it losing connection.

As far us the LMS user interface, I use the "Material Skin" UI in LMS. I would not call it modern, but it is the best that I know of for LMS. I only use it for my locally stored files.

I use Tidal for streaming, but I do not stream it through LMS. The UI in LMS for Tidal, in my opinion, is too clucky. Instead, I stream Tidal to my WiiM Pro+, which is connected to my miniDSP Flex HTx via the coaxial SPDIF output. Since you only need digital output, the WiiM Pro probably is adequate since you do not need use of the internal DAC.

The WiiM Pro/Pro+ also supports Qobuz, so I assume it will work just as well as with Tidal. But, I don't have Qobuz, so I don't know that to be a certainty.

Come to think of it, I could use a WiiM Pro connected to my Flex8 via SPDIF. I think it supports both Qobuz and NAS access. But then I think I'm limited to their UI on a phone / iPad / tablet (?). Phones are where I really have problems. They are just so small. An iPad is much better.

 

[AlfaNovember]

If a traditional hand-held button remote control works with your tremor, one component of the solution might be a Flirc USB dongle, a small device which takes the button presses on any IR remote and maps them to key presses from a keyboard, something which most media software will accept.

The upshot being you can use your remote with any small computer running the software of your choice. @kemmler3D mentioned Jellyfin; I second that motion, although I've not tested it with a Flirc.

Flirc USB - Flirc

best from flirctv - Flirc

flirc.tv

 

[Paul Ebert]

LMS has a couple of better UI's there is a new web-UI ( as a plugin ) if you fel the old one a bit dated , on a phone or tablet use iPeng , i prefer tablet ( iPad ) .

Strange that it looses connection i also have Raspi5 with picore player running LMS , it stable as a light bulb for me , but just don't cut the power to it shutdown LMS id you need to turn it off ? Contact the folkson the lyrion forum , they always helped in the past

iPeng is the name of the plugin? I'll check it out. Yes, my problems have been very strange. I've been on the forum and found it helpful, but to be honest, I just find the whole thing - networking and IT especially on Linux - annoying. To use an analogy, if you're familiar with 3D printers, I want a Bamboo and everything seems to be a Voron.

 

[terryforsythe]

Come to think of it, I could use a WiiM Pro connected to my Flex8 via SPDIF. I think it supports both Qobuz and NAS access. But then I think I'm limited to their UI on a phone / iPad / tablet (?). Phones are where I really have problems. They are just so small. An iPad is much better.

Yes, you can use an iPad, and it also works with Android. There are some pretty large Android tablets available. I've seen them advertised as large as 20". Amazon has a 14" tablet for $250, and a 15.6" tablet for $400.

The WiiM Pro Plus includes a remote if that will help.

 

[Paul Ebert]

From Google.
View attachment 486414
I have Roon and it also gives you EQ and magazine type format integrating all sources. Bluesound can be set up with voice assistants and comes free lifetime with your purchase and believe the same with WiiM devices at a lower price.

A creative suggestion, but I don't think it would work very well for me. My verbal commands would almost always be something like "Play Mahler's 3rd symphony conducted by Leonard Bernstein on the Deutsch Gramaphone label". Maybe that would work, maybe not - I don't know how good the voice assistants are. Also, I feel that I'd often need visual interaction before I could make a verbal command.

 

[Paul Ebert]

Try the "Material Skin" app on LMS; you can set it for large icons:

View attachment 486442

More of a concern are the connectivity issues you have which I believe are not the fault of LMS. Is your server RPi wired to your router? Is your player wired as well? If not, could it be? How is the NAS connected? Which NAS is it?

Eversolo does make a streamer sans DAC; the T8. That said, there is no reason why LMS should not work reliably for you.

I am pretty sure I am using the material skin, but probably not the large icon version. The biggest problem I have with the LMS UI is a screen where it presents the alphabet vertically so you can select the first letter of an artist's name. The letters are WAY TOO SMALL, even on my iPad.

 

[Paul Ebert]

Trying a remote is a good suggestion. I'll look into it.

Thanks for all of the suggestions! They should keep me busy for a while. I'll also continue to try to figure out the connectivity issues (with help from the Lyrion forum) because, well I guess I'm stubborn.

What I really wish someone made is a box like the T8 except with a short (but wide and deep) chassis for the electronics and connectors and a large touchscreen above attached with a pivot so it could be angled. Sounds like a fun DIY project. I wonder how hard it is to code Qobuz integration?

 

[TunaBug]

I am pretty sure I am using the material skin, but probably not the large icon version. The biggest problem I have with the LMS UI is a screen where it presents the alphabet vertically so you can select the first letter of an artist's name. The letters are WAY TOO SMALL, even on my iPad.

I don't have your tremor problem and still think the letters are way too small.