Thoughts on this stereo set-up, can I do better?

[TheBatsEar]

Is XLR worth the extra money over RCA?

 

[SchwarzeWolke]

I would choose the balanced version and go for something active from Genelec or Neumann + a sub with balanced inputs.

 

[SKBubba]

What are your sources? Streaming? Local only?

If you have Tidal or Qobuz plus a local library, take a look at Roon. It costs about 2x volumio but is probably 10x value for an integrated local/streaming library with flexible deployment, dsp, nice mobile remote apps and other cool stuff.

Their "bridge" software will run on your Pi to connect your server to the network playback. You may be able to run their "core" (server) on your nas. If not, you can run it on any pc/mac/linux box on your network.

 

[stemfencer]

What are your sources? Streaming? Local only?

If you have Tidal or Qobuz plus a local library, take a look at Roon. It costs about 2x volumio but is probably 10x value for an integrated local/streaming library with flexible deployment, dsp, nice mobile remote apps and other cool stuff.

Their "bridge" software will run on your Pi to connect your server to the network playback. You may be able to run their "core" (server) on your nas. If not, you can run it on any pc/mac/linux box on your network.

I am on Spotify and Local NAS FLACs at the moment. Don't really have the system at the moment to justify Tidal/Qobuz although something will start blind A/Bing when have the system. To be honest I'm not experienced with the streaming options, hence the appeal of getting a RPi and just running through Volumio/Moode/Roon with their trial periods to see what I gel with. A lot of fans of roon around here so will definitely trial.

 

[freemansteve]

Ha! Almost exactly what I was planning to put together. Except amp was Nord (same thing basically) and I hadn't quite settled on speakers. The RAID/NAS is a given.

My friend is a long-term builder of speakers, and has messed with endless DSPs and crazy big amps.
He knows all about driver eq, and room eq, but in the end he and I now now agree that "simple is good"...
The DSPs ended up being fiddled with and got in the way of just listening. And drinking.

For our own den, my wife wanted neat and simple, and no "wires and bits" everywhere. So I had to buy an all-in-one, but it does use Hypex nCore amps which are splendid!

 

[TheBatsEar]

To be honest I'm not experienced with the streaming options, hence the appeal of getting a RPi and just running through Volumio/Moode/Roon with their trial periods to see what I gel with. A lot of fans of roon around here so will definitely trial.

I have discovered Jellyfin recently and use Moode as DLNA target only. If you can, give it a go, it adds lots of metadata to your music, like information about the band, and presents it via a webpage, which is also used to control playback (there are apps for Android and co, they basically just render the web page).

 

[stemfencer]

I have discovered Jellyfin recently and use Moode as DLNA target only. If you can, give it a go, it adds lots of metadata to your music, like information about the band, and presents it via a webpage, which is also used to control playback (there are apps for Android and co, they basically just render the web page).

Cheers - I actually already run Jellyfin on my home server for tv shows and movies. I know they have JellyAmp for music so will take a look there as well. Just assume I still need a device to connect to my server and feed it into my miniDSP Flex.

 

[TheBatsEar]

Cheers - I actually already run Jellyfin on my home server for tv shows and movies. I know they have JellyAmp for music so will take a look there as well. Just assume I still need a device to connect to my server and feed it into my miniDSP Flex.

And that device only has to support being a DLNA/UPNP sink:

List of UPnP AV media servers and clients - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org