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Budget Music Streamer

I've been trying to get my head around best sound out of a budget streamer. All my CD collection is now in my portable 2TB hard drive as FLAC files and I also have subscription to Apple Music (large playlist). Currently using Apple TV and Airport Express (airplay limiting to 16 bit/44.1kHz) and Apple TV streaming at 48kHz. I have a revealing system and know I can get better sonics by upgrading my digital source. Unfortunately I have been blessed with a good ear for music.  

There are quite a few options out there, each having it's limitations, specially the ability to play Apple music directly from iTunes using a remote without limiting the sampling rate. Do I consider a Mac Mini or build my Raspberry Pi source? Will I get a spdif connection (preference) out of the two? Is there remote control capability to view playlist (I don't intend to hook up a monitor). Or is there a better solution out there for both listening to FLAC files on hard drive and streaming Apple Music? I plan on selling my OPPO player - no use to me, to fund a better DAC (schiit Yggdrasil or BorderPatrol) - hence the digital source is on a budget. Experts chime in..

Simaudio W5 poweramp
Von Schweikerts VR4 
OPPO 105 
Apple TV (using Kanexpro HDMI de-embedder to extract audio - coax in DAC)
Airport Express (optical in DAC)
Benchmark DAC1 (no USB) - used as preamp
Marantz AV7701 preamp
Morrow Audio interconnects 
128x128ghulamr
robelvick's avatar
robelvick
466 posts
 
@ghulamr
Auralic Aries or Aries Mini should work great.  Roon, Spotify, and AirPlay all work great.  Multiple digital out choices too, so it'll be nice to have those options when you upgrade your DAC.

Ethernet or Wifi, and both work wonderfully, with no drop-outs in my experience.
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,645 posts
 
Speaking of a budget system, I’m running a Chromecast Audio through a Schiit Modi Multibit in one of my systems and I think the sound quality is pretty decent. I recently added an ifi ipurifier in the loop and it smoothed out some of the rough edges. Aside from the user interface, I think the overall sound quality is on par with my Node2 except for MQA encoded content. Don’t know if it’ll sound better than what you already have.
ljgerens
44 posts
 
Is there any difference in the SQ between your Airport Express and Apple TV? If the Apple TV is not as good, it might be the Kanexpro. I have 4 systems, 2 using an Airport Express and 2 using Apple TVs (the 3rd generation using the optical output). I can't detect any difference between the SQ using either the Airport Express or Apple TV, they all sound wonderful. The SQ on all 4 systems is neutral to slightly warm with no harshness at all, I can listen all day without fatigue.

A while back, I auditioned a Node2 and found no difference in the SQ between my Airport Express or Apple TV and the Node2 using my external DACs. I did find that the SQ was not as good using the internal DAC on the Node2. This was wirelessly streaming lossless ripped CDs  on my Mac. 
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
3,018 posts
 
The Kanexpro may very well be part of the problem. Using HDMI is not the best quality for 2 channel audio. 
As for the Benchmark, it is revealing and does have a forward presentation, but has a very good clock to correct jitter.

I'm using a Bluesound Node 2i and it sounds terrific thru my Audio Note dac. It even sounds good on it's own. Setup was plug and play and it's performed flawlessly.



ghulamr's avatar
ghulamr OP
33 posts
 
@lkgerens - what DAC are you using? Do you have drop outs using Airplay airport express? 
I too believe the kanexpro might be the weakest link. I have Apple TV gen4 and have to extract sound out of HDMI. Will try using OPPO as de-embedder with HDMI in and Coax out. 

I think the end goal is to get the best sound. Not sure if I see value in the aftermarket digital streamers like Auralic Aries or Node2. First I plan on using an external DAC and secondly they all use Airplay which down samples to 44.1kHz. So where's the value unless you are using Hi-Res streaming? FLAC files can be played out of OPPO NAS or Mac Mini. 

Before getting a new DAC I want to see if replacing the fuse with HiFi tuning supreme will make any difference. Also want to try a re-clocker at the digital source like W4S remedy. Wonder if benchmark will like the cleaner signal or would not really care since it's got a decent clock to begin with. 
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