Why do streaming audio players seem to be useless and overpriced bling to me?

[SKBubba]

I use a lenovo tiny pc hooked up via hdmi* to my avr/tv, playing files and tidal from an old retired/surplus server in another room using roon. Sometimes just use the native Tidal app.

The lenovo tiny pc was about $400 at the time (pre-pandemic). They cost more now but there are plenty of cheap pcs in the $200-300 range that can do the job.

I like that it shows album art, track info, etc. on my tv (Or lyrics, artist bio, album review, credits) and can also show other apps such as time and weather, photos, news, stock prices, etc., and run any music playback/streaming app.

So, way more functionality and flexibility than a streamer at a much lower cost.

*I also have a usb dac that outputs analog and/or coax, but I can't hear any difference between that and hdmi.

 

[Chr1]

Cheap cloned fanless Beelink miniPCs here.
Free quality DSP from MathAudio: Each endpoint has it's own custom RoomEQ, tailored to the actual room via a quick set-up with UMIK-1.
Great budget option. Doubt you can do do this with WiiM. Or much else for that matter.

 

[formdissolve]

I use a $35 Raspberry Pi 4 for UPNP/Roon/Airplay but that requires me to use my phone or something else as a remote to "stream" to it. That said, I still would have to use a remote for a network streamer, but in some ways I would prefer that since I hate using my phone all the time.

I still would rather use the money I saved from buying a dedicated streamer for buying music, a DAC, or whatever.. But I totally get why people would want a dedicated streamer.

 

[sq225917]

And the title of this thread wins today's rhetorical question award

 

[Platypus20]

Because I don’t have or want a computer anywhere near my stereo


it annoys me that I need an iPad to control the streamer

 

[jooc]

Cheap cloned fanless Beelink miniPCs here.
Free quality DSP from MathAudio: Each endpoint has it's own custom RoomEQ, tailored to the actual room via a quick set-up with UMIK-1.
Great budget option. Doubt you can do do this with WiiM. Or much else for that matter.

Something like this? Or how much did yours cost, what configuration, I'm assuming you're running a web client for things like Spotify? Looks interesting, thx.

 

[Chromatischism]

A "streamer box" is a low-powered computer packaged to remove the moving parts (drives, fans) that for some people create unacceptable noise levels in their listening room. A competent streamer can cost under $200.

I mean, every time this comes up I point out how I've been casting with Chromecast since 2009 but I'm usually ignored. I guess people will keep buying useless and overpriced bling...*shrug*

 

[Chrispy]

Sometimes the house layout doesn't suit having a laptop permanently wired into the HiFi. Sometimes households include people who can't stand seeing computers permanently on display.

You don't need the laptop wired into anything....my laptop isn't wired from the router nor to the hifi, that's what wifi is for....

 

[boxerfan88]

This was brought to my attention recently...

Taiko Audio Olympus Music Server – M & S | Ultimate High-Fidelity

www.monoandstereo.com

I wonder what the launch price would be? 30K euros?

So many high spec PC/laptops one can buy with that kind of money.

 

[Ron Texas]

My preference is to use a repurposed laptop to stream and also for video playback.

 

[mhardy6647]

You don't need the laptop wired into anything....my laptop isn't wired from the router nor to the hifi, that's what wifi is for....

Pretty much what I do -- an ancient IBM/Lenovo T500 (of unknown provenance, actually) running Linux Mint with music livin' on NAS (or is that a NAS or an NAS?).


The computer (not turned on in the photo) may be glimpsed on the right hand side of the photo, below the Mitsubishi heatpump (minisplit) air circulator.

 

[kemmler3D]

So I do like to use a windows PC for EQ/DSP because it's pretty easy and flexible. The mini-PCs are nice becuase they're pretty cheap as refurbs (got one for about $115), they fit well in media cabinets, and they come with Windows already installed.

Add one of these bad boys for digital I/O https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZX93NN6?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details and you've got as much DSP as you'll ever need (plus streaming, plus any kind of media playback you can think of) for well under $200.

You can get much cheaper (they sell DSP boards with SHARC for $20-30 on Ali Express) but I think most people choose to pay for convenience at some point.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

This was brought to my attention recently...

Taiko Audio Olympus Music Server – M & S | Ultimate High-Fidelity

www.monoandstereo.com

I wonder what the launch price would be? 30K euros?

So many high spec PC/laptops one can buy with that kind of money.

I hope to plagiarize the eloquent description for a PhD or, maybe, a 2:00 AM pickup line at the corner bar.

 

[TheWalkman]

Because I don't like Volumio. I like moOde much better. But I haven't used either since we got the WiiM.

Same difference: whether moOde or Volumio, my point was to the original question: why wouldn’t you choose to use a dedicated streamer? Streamers work superbly, are affordable and are a fantastic addition to many audio systems.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

I mean, every time this comes up I point out how I've been casting with Chromecast since 2009 but I'm usually ignored. I guess people will keep buying useless and overpriced bling...*shrug*

Me too. I have three. Just in case. Puzzling why no one picked up the form factor and functionality when Google ditched the project.

It uses like no power, TOSLINK out. Bit perfect. The remote is the swiss army knife of today; the smartphone. Everyone on the wifi can join the playlist when playing I can even use my apple watch as volume control. It can. not. get any more convenient.

 

[Falco]

I built a silent pc based on a mini-itx motherboard running Linux, hooked to a TV with a wireless keyboard with spdif or toslink to my DAC and stereo. I can stream or play my stored flac music collection, but I must have the TV on and keyboard handy. My DAC is an older relic. I also have a Raspberry Pi running Volumio using my phone as the interface. The onboard Raspberry Pi DAC isn't the greatest and I refuse to pay for a Volumio subscription so Volumio features are limited. I replaced all of the above with the Eversolo DMP A6. The Eversolo DAC is excellent. It's silent and has balanced connections to my pre-amp. The user interface to my Android phone does what I need and the Eversolo touch screen is great. My music collection is stored on the internal SSD and Qobuz streams natively. The PC and Raspberry Pi are now relegated to a shelf in the closet.

Try moOde audio on that Raspberry Pi, it does the same as Volumio but is fully open source and free. I have it on two RPi's as well and works great. I did connect an USB DAC though as the head phone out of the RPi is indeed very crappy...

Update: Ah I should have read along further, see now that you've already replaced it with something new...

 

[Chr1]

Something like this? Or how much did yours cost, what configuration, I'm assuming you're running a web client for things like Spotify? Looks interesting, thx.


View attachment 340835

Yes, that is similar. I have several Beelinks which I bought on Ebay second hand. (£25 - £60).The main one in my living room is a T34 Gemini which has 8Gb Ram as it is acting as both a server and endpoint. The others are AP34s which are identical but have either 4 or 6Gb Ram. They are endpoints only. They all run Foobar2000 and MathAudio RoomEQ. I only stream local files via Minimserver but I presume that Foobar is capable of streaming Spotify etc. Hope this helps.

PS Agree that Chromecast Audio is a great budget option too. Shame they stopped making them really.

 

[RosalieTheDog]

I can't wrap my head around why anyone would buy a streamer. A streamer box seems to be some sort of hardware based interface for streaming audio services plus a DAC or other output interface. Maybe you can also use it as the front end for a NAS device. Am I missing something?

To me it seems that you can get all of the same access to streaming services, files, etc. and more using a laptop and a DAC, but would end up spending much, much less and not be constrained to using a teeny tiny screen. I play streaming audio all the time via a computer. I cannot think of any streaming audio services that are NOT available on a computer. And said computer does not need to be "fast" or expensive by any means.

Why are audio components for accessing streaming services costing several thousands of dollars seemingly popular?

I absolutely agree. Add to that the certainty that streaming services will continue to quickly evolve, apps of dedicated streamers will cease to be supported etc. A streamer should cost no more than the Wiim mini, and ideally much less.

 

[SSS]

Myself I use a retired laptop with MIcrosoft Windows 10 and Audirvana. Since I am used with computers since DOS it is easy for me and I can use different music player software on it to feed an external USB DAC. I can understand that many people want a nice small unit which does not need software updates and such. That is fully OK like car owners want just to drive and not want to maintain the car by themselves. Why I don't want to own a streamer is because I will be not sure whether the manufacturer will have firmware updates after years when music formats may change or other technical changes will need it. I had this problem with computer connected electronic equipment where not software update was delivered anymore when a newer MS Windows was installed on my PC.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

The more I think about this about this, the more I feel it's something to do with keyboards not looking "right" in a furnished family room. Everyone has come to accept passive screens (legacy TVs) or touch screens in their lives, but keyboards in a relaxing family room looks wrong somehow. They should be banished to an office or workshop.

Obviously I'm aware that quite a few members only experience quality playback in a desktop settings, where the obvious answer is a computer and DAC.