Streamer with USB output options (Qobuz only)

[tc2007]

I have a Zidoo UHD3000 which only has a USB input on the DAC section (no optical / coax). This greatly limits the number of options that I use for streaming. So far I have found

1. BlueSound Node N130 - has USB output. Some people were complaining about how bad USB output sounds. Not sure if it was because of bad settings or DAC quality or user error.
2. iFi Zen Stream - this has Volumio which I don't like but otherwise is a good product as per online user feedback.
3. Raspberry PI based devices. - Not too keen on DIY / tweaking etc. Plus isn't the iFi just that packaged nicely?
4. Windows MiniPC with UPnP renderer installed connected to the device via USB. - Very noisy USB? No experience with this kind of hookup.

Currently I use BubblePnP on my Android to render to the device but it's really bad and laggy when switching content.

As far as I can tell, there are no USB to Optical / Coax adapters or converters or any other cheap options.

 

[brjoon1021]

Sorry nobody helped you.

here is a proposed, fairly comprehensive list.

Audiophonics

www.audiophonics.fr

 

[somebodyelse]

'Noisy USB' usually means ground-related noise and could happen on any of them, not just a PC. Reasonably priced USB-2 isolators have started to appear at last. Archimago did some measurements of 5V noise on various sources and the (lack of) effect it had at the DAC output, at least with competent DACs.

I guess you mean optical to USB Host adapters - I'm not aware of any for sale. You could make one with a Pi or similar SBC but in that case you may as well use it as a streamer.

Edit: on the PC side I'd skip Windows and use daphile instead. It bundles LMS and squeezelite into an easy to use appliance, a bit like piCorePlayer for PC hardware - it works fine even on cheap used thin clients. The LMS Qobuz plugin works fine for me.

 

[LuvTheMusic]

I'm using a Node with USB output. No issues. I have no way to measure the output, but certainly detect no audible difference from coax, which I've also used. Really, it's a digital out that in essence is passing an unaltered digital stream, so no reason to expect anything unusual. The signal is *not* doing through the DAC.

 

[brjoon1021]

Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.

 

[amarsicola]

... Not too keen on DIY / tweaking etc. Plus isn't the iFi just that packaged nicely?

I was in the same doubt as you a couple of years ago, then i took a breath and went into the raspberry hole. 60 euros and 15 minutes later i was done with no regrets.
Also consider that Volumio has a parametric equalizer for room correction. The money you save can be spent in a Umik microphone to correct your room modes, which is veeeeeery valuable

 

[ahofer]

I was in the same doubt as you a couple of years ago, then i took a breath and went into the raspberry hole. 60 euros and 15 minutes later i was done with no regrets.
Also consider that Volumio has a parametric equalizer for room correction. The money you save can be spent in a Umik microphone to correct your room modes, which is veeeeeery valuable

Yes, and RopieeXL is practically plug and play. It’s very easy to do the Pi route. But there are also several pi-based devices you can buy pre-configured with Volumio, RopieeXL, or Diet Pi

 

[Grovkalle]

I am currently running my PSU upgraded Node N130 with USB out into my Rotel Michi P5 preamp and when I compaired USB vs coax the USB output sounded simply better. I also had this experience with my Nuprime dac-9 and I even compaired my Wiim Pro using coax out into the Nuprime with the Node using USB. Node using USB sounded better. I will not state it was night and day but I could clearly pick a winner.

So... now I read everywhere that Node is a ****** streamer. Would I really benefit from say a Lumin U2 mini or a Holo red something else? I have no problem on spending some cash but so far I am sceptical.

Sorry for the long rant.

 

[Grovkalle]

I'm using a Node with USB output. No issues. I have no way to measure the output, but certainly detect no audible difference from coax, which I've also used. Really, it's a digital out that in essence is passing an unaltered digital stream, so no reason to expect anything unusual. The signal is *not* doing through the DAC.

As I understand it, if you use USB you will let the external dac handle the clock duties, if you use coax the Node will do the clocking. So it probably comes down to how good the clock in your dac is.

Read more in this thread: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...130-outputs-vs-internal-external-clock.44663/

 

[LuvTheMusic]

As I understand it, if you use USB you will let the external dac handle the clock duties, if you use coax the Node will do the clocking. So it probably comes down to how good the clock in your dac is.

Read more in this thread: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...130-outputs-vs-internal-external-clock.44663/

As to the clocking, that's my understanding as well. Can't speak to the audibility of this with any DAC other than my own.

The benefit of using a Node is that it's not just almost plug and play, it *is* plug and play. It's also feature rich and has native support (using the BluOS) for just about every streaming service out there. (The exception is Apple Music, which, in usual Apple fashion, does not integrate with anything -- not even some Apple devices!) My career was in IT and I used to build my own PCs, so I'm not exactly a tech newbie. However, at this stage of my life I just want something that works first time, every time, for the foreseeable future, with mature software that's automatically updated and can be controlled remotely. None of that is meant as a knock on any other approach, particularly not the R Pi; just a different set of priorities.

 

[ahofer]

As to the clocking, that's my understanding as well. Can't speak to the audibility of this with any DAC other than my own.

The benefit of using a Node is that it's not just almost plug and play, it *is* plug and play. It's also feature rich and has native support (using the BluOS) for just about every streaming service out there. (The exception is Apple Music, which, in usual Apple fashion, does not integrate with anything -- not even some Apple devices!) My career was in IT and I used to build my own PCs, so I'm not exactly a tech newbie. However, at this stage of my life I just want something that works first time, every time, for the foreseeable future, with mature software that's automatically updated and can be controlled remotely. None of that is meant as a knock on any other approach, particularly not the R Pi; just a different set of priorities.

Well then, for more dough, the Cambridge streamers/streaming DACs will fit the bill. Auto-switching, and pretty much universally compatible, with a nice display. I use one in my weekend place - my relatives borrow it a lot and whatever service they like to use, it's easy to get it working.

 

[tc2007]

Prices on used N130 have gone down quite a bit.

 

[Grovkalle]

Until someone can post a test where I can clearly hear another USB streamer beat the N130 I will happily continue using it.
I am not a youtuber so I would be a bit to expensive to put together such a test but I am very curios how the Holo Red would be compared to N130 as a USB Tidal connect streamer