The Dark Side; Digital audio equipment recommendations and setup.

displayname said:
The one thing I'll add is that everyone messing with these is generally approaching or past the $100K total system mark. Which is also wild.

These aren't popping up in living room or multi-function areas. Always in dedicated rooms that often look and sound nicer than most audio dealers these days. People that are truly chasing that last single percent out of their system.

I can't speak for the difference they made because I haven't been able to hear a before/after with one of these. But I am surprised at how quickly this type of gear is catching on in some circles.
Click to expand...

I’m not. I do sometimes wonder at the lack of perspective. The good that money could do rather than buying an audiophile placebo.

Edit: Sorry that wasn’t aimed at you or to sound too preachy, some things just exasperate me. Up to a point I can see the justification with amps and speaker and can see where the extra money goes even if it can be excessive all the same. A bit like a super car for example. I can see why it’s different and why that difference costs more money even if I don’t like that people are spending that money on a car lol. When that kind of excess applies to this sort of emperors new clothes nonsense it’s almost too vulgar lol.
 
Last edited:
Thackeraye said:
So far, so good. Integrates well with the Wiim app, and I'm using the Mac OS app quite happily on my laptop. Moved a bunch of playlists over, and it did a decent job - a few gaps (no Detroit Cobras!), but it's got above 85% of my big daily playlist. Pretty impressed an hour in. Next step is to try using the TV interphase, and to see how it is on the move.
Click to expand...

I always liked their app and it on the move through my headphones. Sounded and worked great. My other little peeve with it was the car. Its CarPlay interface doesn’t support Siri (or the android equivalent in android auto) and using a touchscreen whilst driving is a big no no for me.
 
I know people complain about the Node app, but I don’t really have any complaints.
Granted I’ve only used it a handful of times and only for Tidal. Seems ok to me. Maybe that will change once I start to use it more as I begin to purge my physical catalog.

Eventually I’d like to get an iPad instead of using my phone.
 
I’m Just Ken said:
I know people complain about the Node app, but I don’t really have any complaints.
Granted I’ve only used it a handful of times and only for Tidal. Seems ok to me. Maybe that will change once I start to use it more as I begin to purge my physical catalog.

Eventually I’d like to get an iPad instead of using my phone.
Click to expand...

Yeah files is where it get real with interfaces and so far only roon has come up to scratch from what I’ve used.

iPad is definitely nicer for controlling streaming and files and the larger artwork display when playing does give a nice effect you don’t get in a phone!
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah files is where it get real with interfaces and so far only roon has come up to scratch from what I’ve used.

iPad is definitely nicer for controlling streaming and files and the larger artwork display when playing does give a nice effect you don’t get in a phone!
Click to expand...

I looked at the mini thinking the word alone would mean less money….but nope….lol.
 
I personally don’t understand what the issues are that people have with the bluos app. It ain’t pretty but it does its job. I don’t necessarily need pretty, that fucking Discogs web update looks good and is nigh useless from a functionality stand point.

Also there is a big update in 5 days and the pictures I’ve seen look a lot better:
 
Joe Mac said:
I’m not. I do sometimes wonder at the lack of perspective. The good that money could do rather than buying an audiophile placebo.

Edit: Sorry that wasn’t aimed at you or to sound too preachy, some things just exasperate me. Up to a point I can see the justification with amps and speaker and can see where the extra money goes even if it can be excessive all the same. A bit like a super car for example. I can see why it’s different and why that difference costs more money even if I don’t like that people are spending that money on a car lol. When that kind of excess applies to this sort of emperors new clothes nonsense it’s almost too vulgar lol.
Click to expand...
No offense taken. I get it. I’ve thought the same thing in several of situations.

I just assume the best and hope if they have this level of luxury they are putting an equal or greater chunk into the world for the better.
 
The CD part of my system isn't the end all be all, but having lived with it a while and having added a Schiit Modi Multibit 2 to the chain this past week, I gotta say, for $300 it's a great DAC. Beautifully full, detailed and neutral. Has 3 inputs, USB, Coax and Optical and a NOS mode, which sounds great in my opinion.
WhatsSpinningCD.jpg

Anyway, just wanted to share in case someone is looking for a quality DAC that won't break the bank.
 
AnthonyI said:
The CD part of my system isn't the end all be all, but having lived with it a while and having added a Schiit Modi Multibit 2 to the chain this past week, I gotta say, for $300 it's a great DAC. Beautifully full, detailed and neutral. Has 3 inputs, USB, Coax and Optical and a NOS mode, which sounds great in my opinion.
View attachment 184594

Anyway, just wanted to share in case someone is looking for a quality DAC that won't break the bank.
Click to expand...
I’ve had the Schiit Modi 3 on my older Cambridge Audio CD player for over 3 years now. For $100, it is the best value in audio equipment I have ever purchased.
 
Lee Newman said:
I personally don’t understand what the issues are that people have with the bluos app. It ain’t pretty but it does its job. I don’t necessarily need pretty, that fucking Discogs web update looks good and is nigh useless from a functionality stand point.

Also there is a big update in 5 days and the pictures I’ve seen look a lot better:
Click to expand...
What are the issues people name?

I purchased a Bluesound Node this past spring and have it going into my Marantz SA-KI Ruby and being fed by a NAS to access a roughly 300GB digital library. Now, I do not use it for streaming so I don't know if there are shortcoming there. But for my network-connected library, I have no complaints with the BluOS app.
 
Smack Bunny Diaper Baby said:
What are the issues people name?

I purchased a Bluesound Node this past spring and have it going into my Marantz SA-KI Ruby and being fed by a NAS to access a roughly 300GB digital library. Now, I do not use it for streaming so I don't know if there are shortcoming there. But for my network-connected library, I have no complaints with the BluOS app.
Click to expand...
I think mostly just that it’s clunky. Seems like a couple years ago it didn’t play with Qobuz very well. It ain’t pretty… that’s for sure. I’m not really looking for pretty so I don’t have any problems with it. It’s intuitive, it does its thing consistently.
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah files is where it get real with interfaces and so far only roon has come up to scratch from what I’ve used.

iPad is definitely nicer for controlling streaming and files and the larger artwork display when playing does give a nice effect you don’t get in a phone!
Click to expand...
Once I tried Roon it was really difficult to go back to anything else. Roon does just about everything I want it to really well and the UI is very intuitive
 
Rowan said:
Everything about Roon is great but the price.
Click to expand...
Yea…I ended up caving and buying the lifetime license before the price went up. Based on how much I use it, I felt it was worth it for me. Definitely overkill for many people but I use most of the features including multiroom.
 
MikeH said:
Yea…I ended up caving and buying the lifetime license before the price went up. Based on how much I use it, I felt it was worth it for me. Definitely overkill for many people but I use most of the features including multiroom.
Click to expand...

Yeah in a digital only system I’d totally just view a Roon lifetime licence as just another piece of essential gear.

Apple Music as streaming only does work look and sound great on an iPad though which is why I’m edging that way in a couple of years. Trade in the streamer and phono towards a better phono and have a usb cable for my iPad. Well unless airplay improves, buf then pigs don’t fly!
 
Joe Mac said:
Yeah in a digital only system I’d totally just view a Roon lifetime licence as just another piece of essential gear.

Apple Music as streaming only does work look and sound great on an iPad though which is why I’m edging that way in a couple of years. Trade in the streamer and phono towards a better phono and have a usb cable for my iPad. Well unless airplay improves, buf then pigs don’t fly!
Click to expand...
I am definitely considering going the iPad route in the future as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top