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Looking for advice on relatively inexpensive USB or Ethernet to S/PDIF solution

warthog

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Hi everyone, I am new here and am really impressed with your collective knowledge.

I have a Linux-based NAS (QNAP TS-453Be) on which I have a number of FLAC files. I also enjoy a Qobuz subscription (noticeably better “lossless” sound than Tidal, IMO). I have a Marantz PM6005 which has an integrated CS4398 DAC chip. I am very happy with the sound from the amp and the integrated DAC. The speakers are Wharfedale Diamond 220s bi-wired from the amp (they're just okay when bi-wired, acoustic sounds great, rock music is a bit muddy IMO).

I would like to serve (and possibly also play) music via Roon Core installed on the NAS or possibly just served via UPnP using my PM6005 for home listening purposes.

I am a digital audiophile newbie so please correct me if I’m wrong, but the way I see it, without breaking the bank, I could opt for:
  • Serve and play music from NAS, output USB to Schiit Eitr, coax S/PDIF output to Marantz PM6005.
  • Serve music from NAS, output direct ethernet to DigiOne Player, coax S/PDIF output to Marantz PM6005.
  • Forget about the amp’s DAC and serve and play music from NAS, output USB to say a Topper D10, RCA output to Marantz PM6005 since it's cheaper than above two solutions. I do feel reluctant to do this, though, since the DAC on the amp is already pretty good, in fact the Topper D30 uses it. If I did this kind of setup I would want a marked improvement over the existing amp DAC chip, maybe like the Topper D50, but is it worth it?
What would you all recommend? I would like the best “all-in” (inc. decent PSU if required) solution around 150€ to 300€ (175$US to 350$US). Please chime in! Your help is really appreciated.
 

bigx5murf

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Does it have to be wired? A Chromecast audio, while they're still available. Is probably the cheapest and easiest solution. It can use the DAC on the Marantz long as it has optical inputs. It also had functionality integrated into Roon.
 
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warthog

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Why not do HDMI to spdif instead? plan to do that with my qnap nas
It would work for "getting the sound out" but I'd prefer to get the most out of my system, even if it's on a limited budget. From what I have read there's lots of jitter in HDMI to SPDIF as well as HDMI being significantly less accurate than USB to SPDIF. Has anyone else tried something similar to this on a Linux-based NAS and been happy with the result or found better results with a decent budget USB-DAC like the Topper D50, a network transport like the DigiOne, or even the Schiit Eitr as USB-SPDIF?
 
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warthog

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Does it have to be wired? A Chromecast audio, while they're still available. Is probably the cheapest and easiest solution. It can use the DAC on the Marantz long as it has optical inputs. It also had functionality integrated into Roon.
I actually have a Chromecast audio already plus the mini toslink adapter which as you guessed correctly can also be plugged into the Marantz. And one can actually get Ethernet adapters for the Chromecast audio to get proper speed into it with large files. However I am not happy with the sound coming out of the Chromecast audio, I don't know what happens en route but it sounds noticeably tinnier than other sources I plug into the coax or the optical of the Marantz. I'd also like to avoid optical if I can to eliminate problems with jitter. Most importantly for me I've got a large number of 192/24 flac files and and on my Qobuz playlists also which I'd ideally like to listen to on the Marantz. I can't do that with Chromecast audio as it only goes up to 24/96. I don't dislike the Chromecast, but I plan on using that with lesser amp/speakers, the solution I'd like is for budget critical listening on my system to the max sample rate it supports, 192/24, or consider the Topping D50 which would take me beyond that. What got me into all this was the significant difference I noticed when I first heard 192/24 over the same track at 44.1/16 (CD quality). I heard noticeable subtleties and a wider and deeper soundstage on favorite tracks that I've heard thousands of times before at CD quality. I'm screwed now, I can't go back, I want my 192/24!! I haven't heard 32 bit yet, almost afraid to lol
 
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warthog

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It would work for "getting the sound out" but I'd prefer to get the most out of my system, even if it's on a limited budget. From what I have read there's lots of jitter in HDMI to SPDIF as well as HDMI being significantly less accurate than USB to SPDIF. Has anyone else tried something similar to this on a Linux-based NAS and been happy with the result or found better results with a decent budget USB-DAC like the Topper D50, a network transport like the DigiOne, or even the Schiit Eitr as USB-SPDIF?
Any thoughts from anyone on using HDMI to SPDIF plugged into one of these? https://ifi-audio.com/products/spdif-ipurifier/
 
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warthog

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Thanks to the two of you that posted your thoughts, I was hoping for others to chime in too but hey ho. I tried doing a thorough test of using the qnap via hdmi -- I can't get it to output at more than 48000.

I ordered a DigiOne Player in the end. I figured less strain on server as player is elsewhere, more of a choice with light player software/clients, possibly less interference from ethernet than from USB, and most importantly it will definitely work both from player side and from (in my case) amp with DAC side... I've seen lots of people struggling to get good sound out of the Topping online with setup issues. Maybe I wouldn't have this but I know my amp DAC works well.

Any thoughts on player/client sofftware? I'm going to try Roon under the trial but it seems like a crazy price. Volumio seems pretty cool. Anyone use that, or any others?
 

amirm

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Any thoughts on player/client sofftware? I'm going to try Roon under the trial but it seems like a crazy price. Volumio seems pretty cool. Anyone use that, or any others?
I have played with Volumio in the process of testing and seems nice. Of course, not even close to functionality of Roon.
 
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