The Dark Side; Digital audio equipment recommendations and setup.

displayname said:
Here's my knowledge of the under $1K Streaming market...

DIY Raspberry Pi: $100(ish)+
Build it your self, pick your OS, can be upgraded. Volumio tends to be the most popular OS.

Bluesound Node 2i: $550 Bluesound - Node 2i Network Music Player
Kind of the gold standard for under $1K. Tons of sellers, loads of reviews, showcased in a lot of higher end systems. Possibly best software in the game, but less important if you're just doing Spotify Connect. Has MQA too if you're looking at doing Tidal.

PecanPi: $550+ https://orchardaudio.com/shop/ols/products/pcnp-strmr
Prebuilt option based off the Rasberry Pi. Requires software, but you have some options rather than being locked into one OS. Dual DAC is a nice touch. They have some DIY and premium options too.

Volumio Primo: $850 Volumio Primo Music Streamer | AudioThesis
Includes Volumio lifetime subscription built in. Built buy Volumio for max compatibility. ESS Dac. Only option so far with an HDMI.

You can also go used to bring in options like the Cambridge CXN V2 for $600-700. Works more as a full digital hub and streamer with dual dacs.

The software on these is EVERYTHING. It's what makes or breaks it. If you're just doing Spotify, make sure it has Spotify Connect, which I think they all do. If you're using Tidal, I think Bluesound is the best bang for your buck using MQA (if you care) and Tidal Connect. Managing your own files, that's a whole new ball game that I don't have experience with.
But honestly, with just base level Spotify, a BT connection with your phone is a super cost effective choice. We're talking under $50.
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With the pi one you really need a DAC HAT, like the hifiberry, too. The onboard DAC on the pi is hot garbage. That said the price you quoted would be roughly right for the pi, the dac and a case if bought direct from HiFiBerry.
 
Joe Mac said:
With the pi one you really need a DAC HAT, like the hifiberry, too. The onboard DAC on the pi is hot garbage. That said the price you quoted would be roughly right for the pi, the dac and a case if bought direct from HiFiBerry.
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Yeah, I haven't ever heard or worked with the Pi directly. I don't want to DIY this stuff, but I know some people enjoy it, and there are lots of options. But I recalled seeing around $100 regularly for a complete build.
 
displayname said:
Yeah, I haven't ever heard or worked with the Pi directly. I don't want to DIY this stuff, but I know some people enjoy it, and there are lots of options. But I recalled seeing around $100 regularly for a complete build.
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I think when I bought my last one it wss €100 before delivery so might be a bit more in dollars but still not bad value. They’re great for the money, I actually thought that the one I use sounded better than a sonos connect.
 
I have both the $45 Hifiberry DAC 2 and the $100 HD. Is the HD twice as good? Probably not, but I would buy it over the DAC2 personally. My girlfriend can notice the difference and she doesn't always pay close attention. It has better soundstage and can go louder before being super annoying (better signal to noise and THD). I listen to both at least once a week in different set up and both are good. Just my 2 cents.

I have mentioned it in this threads and others but if I upgrade I will get the Denefrips Ares 2 over Node 2i. I think I will enjoy the ladder dac better from what I have researched. I will buy the Digi Hat for the Pi. I like Volumio as my software and best of all it is free.
 
Price, look, footprint and sound quality..............winner across the board. Really pleased with the sound quality and flexibility of this little stack, streaming from my PC, streaming from my digital files using Plex and of course headphones for after hours.

The size is still surprising, Zippo placed for comparison :)
Schiit-Stack.jpg
 
AnthonyI said:
Price, look, footprint and sound quality..............winner across the board. Really pleased with the sound quality and flexibility of this little stack, streaming from my PC, streaming from my digital files using Plex and of course headphones for after hours.

The size is still surprising, Zippo placed for comparison :)
View attachment 92683
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Very nice! What cables are you using between the two? Finding short cables for a stack is always fun!

Also what do you use to call up Plex to the Modi? Just your PC or something else?
 
trickyseven said:
Very nice! What cables are you using between the two? Finding short cables for a stack is always fun!

Also what do you use to call up Plex to the Modi? Just your PC or something else?
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I actually grabbed the Snake Oil cables that Schiit offered ($20) because its such a short run, I didn't want longer cables dangling all over. Everything on this stack is being pulled from my PC.

The Marantz HD-DAC1 is on my rig and has a Chromcast attached to it to stream from my PC as well as any device I can cast from.
 
Can anyone actually hear a difference between flac and MP3/AAC/OGG.. because I can kinda notice but not see to seem like I'm guessing
 
duke86fan said:
Can anyone actually hear a difference between flac and MP3/AAC/OGG.. because I can kinda notice but not see to seem like I'm guessing
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Once we get in the 256k+ range, I have never been able to hear the difference, even with music I know extremely well. I've tried blind tests, and even ones where I know exactly which is which, and I still couldn't hear the difference. I don't think I have the best ears, and I've never had a setup that cost 4 digits, though. I still always get digital files in flac when possible, for archiving, and I have a lossless library and a library of everything in AAC vbr ~256 on my computer. The algorithms used for modern lossy files are pretty good at knowing which information we won't notice.
 
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Here's an article with some data that suggests most people can't reliably tell the difference either: Blind Test Results

Edit: let me add that I don't deny people who can tell exist, I just think they're pretty rare, and that most people who think they can would probably fail a blind test.
 
LeSamourai said:
Once we get in the 256k+ range, I have never been able to hear the difference, even with music I know extremely well. I've tried blind tests, and even ones where I know exactly which is which, and I still couldn't hear the difference. I don't think I have the best ears, and I've never had a setup that cost 4 digits, though. I still always get digital files in flac when possible, for archiving, and I have a lossless library and a library of everything in AAC cbr ~256 on my computer. The algorithms used for modern lossy files are pretty good at knowing which information we won't notice.
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Ditto, If available FLAC for sure, I rip any CDs I get to FLAC files as well. A while back I went back and ripped a couple tracks off of a CD I had just ripped to FLAC and couldn't really hear a difference. To your point, not running through the most expensive equipment, so I take my own conclusion with a grain of salt ;)
 
I wound up with a hybrid between flac and lossy files. I ripped my cd collection to flac, and I've bought a few flac albums from hdtracks.
I copied the flac collection as-is to my roon, and wrote a script to compress the whole thing and download it to my phone.
I like it because I have a "golden" copy at max quality, and I can experiment with different lossy files and settings.
My current lossy format is 96kbps Opus. I can't hear any difference between that and flac, not even for high-res.
 
I find that on my Bluetooth headphones I hear absolutely no difference at all. So even though I use qobuz I only stream on the go at 320 mp3.

Through my PS Audio DAC on the main system I hear more of a difference, is a tad more detailed but actually the main thing is that it’s less fatiguing to listen to hi res and DSD than mp3s
 

Sonos Support

support.sonos.com support.sonos.com

interesting...

Qobuz is now the first music service to deliver 24-bit Hi-Res audio streaming on Sonos. Studio-quality music can finally be played on your Sonos speakers, preserving all the details and color of original recordings, with the ease of simply pressing play in the Sonos app.

Available with the Sonos S2 app, this new integration will make it easy for millions more people to experience the improvement Hi-Res audio can make.
 
MikeH said:

Sonos Support

support.sonos.com support.sonos.com

interesting...

Qobuz is now the first music service to deliver 24-bit Hi-Res audio streaming on Sonos. Studio-quality music can finally be played on your Sonos speakers, preserving all the details and color of original recordings, with the ease of simply pressing play in the Sonos app.

Available with the Sonos S2 app, this new integration will make it easy for millions more people to experience the improvement Hi-Res audio can make.
Click to expand...

I saw that. Makes sense that it was going to come with sonos s2 devices having been technically capable of 24/44.1 for quite a while now.
 
Thought about a Bluesound but there still a bit pricey for what they do and most still also end up using a dac.

For $99 and 3 days of break in I'm really liking the Schiit Modi3+ Dac. Full, musical, smooth. I can live without DSD, MQA, filters, etc. Wish my MBP had a optiical out just to try, but usb sound good with Schiit's Unison usb. May also try the Modius down the road (supposed to be more resolution and front row presentation), but pretty happy for when I do not have or can't play vinyl. It's on one #2 Vibrapod.

Need to grab a good rca interconnect for it, any budget suggestions ? @HiFi Guy

MBP, Audirvana+, Roon, Amz, Modi 3+


20210412_112648.jpg
 
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