The Dark Side; Digital audio equipment recommendations and setup.

[Joe Mac]

I’m sure this has been asked before, but we just bought a house and would like to listen to records in different parts of the house. I’m looking for recommendations how to play vinyl through Bluetooth speakers and also play through wired speakers without having to change my TT between systems. We also would like the option to stream pandora and Spotify and our digital music through the same system. I’m sure Sonos can do it but I’m not entirely sure how the process works.

I currently just have a two channel system with my AT-LP 120 TT and an old 80’s Sony Receiver with wired speakers. I use the phono stage through the receiver but I know the TT has a (crappy) pre-amp that I’ve used before. I’m looking to stay under $1000 if possible or at least right around that mark. I’d also like the ability to upgrade my wired speakers and TT at some point.

Sonos is the easiest way. It is over Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth but that’s probably for the best because more range and bandwidth.

With your main system you’d have one of these ports - you’d connect a tap from your turntable into the in and connect the out into your amp. That would allow you to play the turntable through any sonos speaker you have in the house and would let you stream though it into your amp.

Port: A WiFi Network Streamer with Built-in DAC | Sonos

Introducing Port: the versatile streaming stereo upgrade from Sonos. Enjoy streaming music, podcasts, audiobooks, and internet radio on your existing stereo over WiFi with just one simple connection. Control your audio with Sonos app or Apple AirPlay 2, and easily expand your system to more rooms.

www.sonos.com

You can turn use any of their speakers (or the funky ikea speakers/speaker lamps which are sonos) in the other rooms and it will receive the turntable if you want it to and it is also a different streaming zone to sync streaming with other zones or stream different things to.

 

[MikeH]

Sonos is the easiest way. It is over Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth but that’s probably for the best because more range and bandwidth.

With your main system you’d have one of these ports - you’d connect a tap from your turntable into the in and connect the out into your amp. That would allow you to play the turntable through any sonos speaker you have in the house and would let you stream though it into your amp.

Port: A WiFi Network Streamer with Built-in DAC | Sonos

Introducing Port: the versatile streaming stereo upgrade from Sonos. Enjoy streaming music, podcasts, audiobooks, and internet radio on your existing stereo over WiFi with just one simple connection. Control your audio with Sonos app or Apple AirPlay 2, and easily expand your system to more rooms.

www.sonos.com

You can turn use any of their speakers (or the funky ikea speakers/speaker lamps which are sonos) in the other rooms and it will receive the turntable if you want it to and it is also a different streaming zone to sync streaming with other zones or stream different things to.

@mitchwagz i think the ikea Sonos speakers are quite good value if you go this route. I think they are $99 a piece for the bookshelf speakers. And they do AirPlay so you can stream from your phone if you have an iPhone.

We ended buying a few for our house for different rooms. Small footprint and you can pair two together to create a stereo setup if you want or have single ones. you can also do wireless surround sound with two ikea speakers as the rear surrounds if you have a Sonos soundbar.

 

[Joe Mac]

@mitchwagz i think the ikea Sonos speakers are quite good value if you go this route. I think they are $99 a piece for the bookshelf speakers. And they do AirPlay so you can stream from your phone if you have an iPhone.

We ended buying a few for our house for different rooms. Small footprint and you can pair two together to create a stereo setup if you want or have single ones. you can also do wireless surround sound with two ikea speakers as the rear surrounds if you have a Sonos soundbar.

I really like the look of the lamps too and they’re so unobtrusive if you don’t want the visual of a speaker.

The picture frames are a bit weird though…

 

[Thackeraye]

Out of interest, is there a Google Nest equivalent for the Sonos Port that would do the same thing? Never thought about being able to cast my vinyl with that…

 

[Joe Mac]

Out of interest, is there a Google Nest equivalent for the Sonos Port that would do the same thing? Never thought about being able to cast my vinyl with that…

I don’t think so. Google haven’t ventured into the streaming music to a hifi realm since the chromecast audio was discontinued as far as I am aware.

 

[Jbraswell]

I'm very tempted by the little ifi zen stream right now. As I have a DAC that will take a USB feed from it I'm happier that it is just a streamer and the 36/384 and DSD 256 compatibility is more than I need. It also seems to be a jack of enough trades that it would be a great Roon bridge, if I ever went back, but is also a great tidal/qobuz/Apple Music option

hmmmmmmm

Highly recommend you don't walk but run away from that zen stream.

The FW or something is just effd. I sent it back as quickly as possible.
The support is also equivalent to communicating with a Mars mission sponsored by the Chinese.


The blue node is flawless now the DAC USB bug is correct. Haven't tried any others.

 

[Joe Mac]

Highly recommend you don't walk but run away from that zen stream.

The FW or something is just effd. I sent it back as quickly as possible.
The support is also equivalent to communicating with a Mars mission sponsored by the Chinese.


The blue node is flawless now the DAC USB bug is correct. Haven't tried any others.

Yeah the node doesn’t do everything I want and has a DAC built into it that I don’t need.

 

[Jbraswell]

Yeah the node doesn’t do everything I want and has a DAC built into it that I don’t need.

yeah, the DAC is turned off on mine. what functions are missing for you?

 

[Joe Mac]

yeah, the DAC is turned off on mine. what functions are missing for you?

DSD and USB out. It’s not really giving me much else new to my pi + hifi berry card in that respect and I’d be paying for a DAC I don’t want. If the ifi is really that shit I’m back to looking at the allo usbridge signature, I do like volumio as software to be fair.

 

[Jbraswell]

DSD and USB out. It’s not really giving me much else new to my pi + hifi berry card in that respect and I’d be paying for a DAC I don’t want. If the ifi is really that shit I’m back to looking at the allo usbridge signature, I do like volumio as software to be fair.

Are you talking the bluesound node?
It does both of those. It better for the hefty $600 price tag.
They had trouble getting the USB out going and it's been good since early this year.

I've heard nothing but good on the Pi product. But do not have any experience with them.

I have not been around any zen stream info in 6+ months.
They could have fixed the "beta" firmware by now.
I just know the support was god awful and my confidence was zero to keep that product longer than the acceptable return moneyback period.

 

[Joe Mac]

Are you talking the bluesound node?
It does both of those. It better for the hefty $600 price tag.
They had trouble getting the USB out going and it's been good since early this year.

I've heard nothing but good on the Pi product. But do not have any experience with them.

I have not been around any zen stream info in 6+ months.
They could have fixed the "beta" firmware by now.
I just know the support was god awful and my confidence was zero to keep that product longer than the acceptable return moneyback period.

It absolutely does not do DSD. It accepts the files and downcoverts them to PCM 24/192. I didn’t realise it passed audio out to a DAC through USB, thought it was Optical and Coax.

Yeah they had teething issues for sure but from what I’ve heard it’s been getting regular updates and it’s based on a volumio core and volumio is an ace product in the pi scene. Whether they’ve got it fully sorted yet I don’t know.

I’m trying to tighten my belt so I’m not buying anything soon but usb/I2S and native DSD are two requirements for me.

Edit: it doesn’t pass audio through usb either, the port is capable but it hasn’t been unlocked until such a time as they choose to by future firmware update.

 

[Jbraswell]

It absolutely does not do DSD. It accepts the files and downcoverts them to PCM 24/192. I didn’t realise it passed audio out to a DAC through USB, thought it was Optical and Coax.

Yeah they had teething issues for sure but from what I’ve heard it’s been getting regular updates and it’s based on a volumio core and volumio is an ace product in the pi scene. Whether they’ve got it fully sorted yet I don’t know.

I’m trying to tighten my belt so I’m not buying anything soon but usb/I2S and native DSD are two requirements for me.

Ah, I see the down convert now.
I don't use DSD but Roon was a great interface with the node for the time I tired it.
That's probably where you need Roon software to keep native files.

 

[Joe Mac]

Ah, I see the down convert now.
I don't use DSD but Roon was a great interface with the node for the time I tired it.
That's probably where you need Roon software to keep native files.

Again no. I use roon now. Well until next month when my sub runs out, not going to renew this time.

If the device can’t play DSD files natively it can’t play them natively. What roon will do is recognise this and do the downsampling at its end and send the files the streamer can handle natively.

The bluesound node is a great product and I’d recommend it to most users, it doesn’t fit my needs, I know this, I’ve researched it!

 

[Jbraswell]

Again no. I use roon now. Well until next month when my sub runs out, not going to renew this time.

If the device can’t play DSD files natively it can’t play them natively. What roon will do is recognise this and do the downsampling at its end and send the files the streamer can handle natively.

The bluesound node is a great product and I’d recommend it to most users, it doesn’t fit my needs, I know this, I’ve researched it!

I see. I'll just stick to the analog stuff. I am not a computer person.
The streaming is only about 5% of my playing.

 

[Joe Mac]

I see. I'll just stick to the analog stuff. I am not a computer person.
The streaming is only about 5% of my playing.

Yeah mine too, which is why I’m dumping Roon for now, but I was a CD person first and my CD player unintentionally also turned out to be an SACD player. I dabbled in them because of it and ripped a few of them with an old PlayStation and have picked up a few really nice sounding DSD SACD rips of Japanese SACDs down the years. I’d be loathe to lose the ability to play them when I wanted. DSD is pretty rare but it’s worth it if you have the files or want to chase that dragon. It isn’t as common and a lot of the likes of bluesound and sonos that are more mainstream aren’t going to touch it because of that. If someone on here was looking to just stream I’d 100% point them to the bluesound and with tidal connect it’s perfect. That’s probably 99% of people. I just kinda want something that it can’t be crowbarred into being.

 

[MikeH]

Yeah mine too, which is why I’m dumping Roon for now, but I was a CD person first and my CD player unintentionally also turned out to be an SACD player. I dabbled in them because of it and ripped a few of them with an old PlayStation and have picked up a few really nice sounding DSD SACD rips of Japanese SACDs down the years. I’d be loathe to lose the ability to play them when I wanted. DSD is pretty rare but it’s worth it if you have the files or want to chase that dragon. It isn’t as common and a lot of the likes of bluesound and sonos that are more mainstream aren’t going to touch it because of that. If someone on here was looking to just stream I’d 100% point them to the bluesound and with tidal connect it’s perfect. That’s probably 99% of people. I just kinda want something that it can’t be crowbarred into being.

I tried getting more DSD files and it's not easy at all to find (i'm not entirely convinced that all the ones I downloaded are actually DSD or weren't converted from another source at some point...)

But this did remind me that I haven't played any on my Ares II DAC yet and I believe it does DSD decoding up to 1024!

 

[AnthonyI]

For those of you ripping CD's for portability, Plex, whatever, what software are you using and will it rip to FLAC?

My current software got an update, or rather, got picked up by MS and after the update it's jacked up, keeps freezing, so we're looking for something else.

Thanks

 

[MikeH]

For those of you ripping CD's for portability, Plex, whatever, what software are you using and will it rip to FLAC?

My current software got an update, or rather, got picked up by MS and after the update it's jacked up, keeps freezing, so we're looking for something else.

Thanks

I use either xAct or dBpoweramp to rip to FLAC I think! Not in front of my comp at the moment. I’m on mac so not sure which is compatible with windows if you’re on a PC

 

[Kris]

For those of you ripping CD's for portability, Plex, whatever, what software are you using and will it rip to FLAC?

My current software got an update, or rather, got picked up by MS and after the update it's jacked up, keeps freezing, so we're looking for something else.

Thanks

I have a Microsoft PC and I use Media Monkey.

 

[JohnnyCashFan]

For those of you ripping CD's for portability, Plex, whatever, what software are you using and will it rip to FLAC?

My current software got an update, or rather, got picked up by MS and after the update it's jacked up, keeps freezing, so we're looking for something else.

Thanks

I use Max on mac, it's open source and free

Max from sbooth.org

An application for creating high quality audio files

sbooth.org