Any good media streamers coming out, or just released lately?

[zigman]

I have to admit; no matter how many times I come into this thread, I always leave more confused about streaming audio and what to get for best results. LOL

A lot of great advice here from Raspberry Pi to Lumin D2, Aurrender, etc. If you have limited budget simpler is always better. If you need both a DAC and steamer, less components (DAC + steamer combined) means less need for cables and more synergy across the integrated components.

On the streaming side, things you may want to consider are app UI (how you interface with the streamer and play music) and digital out connectors. If you have an DAC already you want make sure the Digital out is compatible with your digital in.

On the DAC side, this is a personal preference. They will mostly sound different, some warm, some neutral, etc. This is a system synergy thing. If you notice the system being neutral-to-warm, I would avoid warm sounding DACs. If your system is non the neutral-to-brighter side then a warmer DAC may round out the sound.

A quick list of main contenders (I am sure others will add to this):

- Lumin: Their pedigree is in pro video streaming so they make very reliable DAC/streamers. Great support, Peter Lie, their head of firmware, is honest, helpful, and active on many forums. They have their own app to interface with your own music or use Roon (server based 3rd part system with a great inteferface). I personally had the D2 and T2 and loved both. I was sad to sell the T2, I like it so much but I bought an integrated amp with DAC/streamer built-in.

- Aurender: Many people really like their DAC/streamers since it's a simple solution. Some come with hard drives and CD drivers to rip music and also to store your own library. They have their own app which is better than most. If I was to buy a streamer now with my setup I would go with Aurender for the simplicity of the app alone.

- AURALiC: Another option people seem to like, similar to Lumin. From reliability standpoint you tend to hear a tad bit more complaints about bugs, but they have their own app and they seem well engineered. They were on my short list when I was evaluating DAC/Streamers a while back.

- Raspberry Pi: I am least familiar with this but you can program a small mini-computer with the software you want and you can buy it with the right outputs you need. Lower cost, no frills, works for many. This is more DIY and a bit more on the complicated side for troubleshooting if you are a tech person. Pretty cool if you are into those kind of projects.

- Bluesound: The Node 2i is a popular low cost DAC/streamer. It function decently, on the lower end of the spectrum if you plan to use their DAC.

There are many many others as well.

 

[amey01]

A lot of great advice here from Raspberry Pi to Lumin D2, Aurrender, etc. If you have limited budget simpler is always better. If you need both a DAC and steamer, less components (DAC + steamer combined) means less need for cables and more synergy across the integrated components.

On the streaming side, things you may want to consider are app UI (how you interface with the streamer and play music) and digital out connectors. If you have an DAC already you want make sure the Digital out is compatible with your digital in.

On the DAC side, this is a personal preference. They will mostly sound different, some warm, some neutral, etc. This is a system synergy thing. If you notice the system being neutral-to-warm, I would avoid warm sounding DACs. If your system is non the neutral-to-brighter side then a warmer DAC may round out the sound.

A quick list of main contenders (I am sure others will add to this):

- Lumin: Their pedigree is in pro video streaming so they make very reliable DAC/streamers. Great support, Peter Lie, their head of firmware, is honest, helpful, and active on many forums. They have their own app to interface with your own music or use Roon (server based 3rd part system with a great inteferface). I personally had the D2 and T2 and loved both. I was sad to sell the T2, I like it so much but I bought an integrated amp with DAC/streamer built-in.

- Aurender: Many people really like their DAC/streamers since it's a simple solution. Some come with hard drives and CD drivers to rip music and also to store your own library. They have their own app which is better than most. If I was to buy a streamer now with my setup I would go with Aurender for the simplicity of the app alone.

- AURALiC: Another option people seem to like, similar to Lumin. From reliability standpoint you tend to hear a tad bit more complaints about bugs, but they have their own app and they seem well engineered. They were on my short list when I was evaluating DAC/Streamers a while back.

- Raspberry Pi: I am least familiar with this but you can program a small mini-computer with the software you want and you can buy it with the right outputs you need. Lower cost, no frills, works for many. This is more DIY and a bit more on the complicated side for troubleshooting if you are a tech person. Pretty cool if you are into those kind of projects.

- Bluesound: The Node 2i is a popular low cost DAC/streamer. It function decently, on the lower end of the spectrum if you plan to use their DAC.

There are many many others as well.

What Zigman said.......

I'll add to your list with one final option........and this would probably be my recommendation if you're still confused:

- Mac Mini: Get a Mac Mini and install whatever software suits you. Audivarna, Roon and JRiver are popular depending on your needs.

!! Avoid using iTunes or the Apple ecosystem, as this will LOCK you in hard.

This alternative should be pretty easy to set up and saves you the bother of working out servers, networks and endpoints - probably half of what is confusing you. Plenty of information available on configuring the popular software and getting USB out to your DAC.

The disadvantage of this is that you have a computer/disk drive/fan in your listening room, and the associated noise and vibration. Even if you get an SSD one, if you have a decent sized library of FLACs and high-res, you'll need a USB hard disk connected, so take that into account.

However - the advantage is that (provided you take heed of my "!!" above, you will have an open and expandable system that will grow with you as you get more knowledge and become more comfortable with things.

With this as a base, you could do anything moving forward, such as:
1. Install Logitech Media Server, move the Mac to a cupboard, and PiCorePlayer on a Raspberry Pi for your listening room.
2. Install Roon, move the Mac to a cupboard, and Riopeee on a Raspberry Pi for your listening room.
3. Install any DLNA server on the Mac, and buy any DLNA/Roon endpoint such as Lumin/Aurender.....etc.
4. Keep the Mac in your listening room, but move the disk and storage out to a NAS, locked away out of earshot.
5. About 100 other options.


Oh, and one more option.......you could probably do the above with

- Any old laptop lying around your house - probably not a long term solution - but certainly a "proof of concept" if you're feeling trepidation. (I've seen plenty of hi-fi shows running their demos from old laptops.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

@amey01 What do you think of this?

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/personal-raspberry-pi-music-streamer/

 

[amey01]

@amey01 What do you think of this?

https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/personal-raspberry-pi-music-streamer/

It looks great. I don't know about the need for a "kit" - You just need the 'Pi and set up Volumio on it.

As I hinted at by suggesting the Mac Mini above - the options are endless.

Volumio is another fully configured "music server in a box" for the 'Pi. It is pretty comprehensive in what it can do, and has all the audiophile credentials.

I haven't played with it too much - my only issue is that if you have a proper server in your house (Roon, LMS, etc), a lightweight client like Riopeee or PiCorePlayer (respectively) is much easier.

Volumio is great if you want a self-contained solution - as it is insinuated in this little project.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

That above link appears to walk you through everything to make this work.

I went ahead and ordered the kit below. I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes.
https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-8GB-Starter-Kit/dp/B08956GVXN
Volumio has a pretty long list of DAC's (195 so far) that have been tested and they consider compatible.
https://community.volumio.org/t/usb-dac-compatibility-list/1997
They list the OPPO 205 as tested and known good, but a number of people are using it with the OPPO 105.

It looks like I could either plug an externally powered USB drive directly to it or just share music files off of my network keeping it tiny.

It should be a fun quick project and I've been meaning to play with a Raspberry Pi for a while.

Amazon say it will arrive tomorrow, so I hope to have it up and running this weekend.

 

[amey01]

or just share music files off of my network keeping it tiny.

If you're just going to do that, then there are lighter weight and easier clients around.

But have fun and learn lots.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

If you're just going to do that, then there are lighter weight and easier clients around.

But have fun and learn lots.

What is your favorite if you wanted to play local files and stream ?

Maybe more specifically, which do you like best for running as a local file server.

Obviously I need to make sure that I'm using software that will work on the same operating system.

I'm not sure how Volumio will compare to JRiver, but I'm willing to give it a shot. It took me a long time to get everything setup in JRiver and JRiver worked very well for ripping CD's en mass. Fortunately I won't ever need to do that again

 

[amey01]

What is your favorite if you wanted to play local files and stream ?

Maybe more specifically, which do you like best for running as a local file server.

Obviously I need to make sure that I'm using software that will work on the same operating system.

I'm not sure how Volumio will compare to JRiver, but I'm willing to give it a shot. It took me a long time to get everything setup in JRiver and JRiver worked very well for ripping CD's en mass. Fortunately I won't ever need to do that again

I wouldn't call it a favourite. But given I've had a Logitech Media Server for almost 20 years, the logical choice was PiCorePlayer. Whether it would be my choice if I was setting something up today, I don't know. But I know it inside out, and therefore it is my "favourite".

As for local file server, I use LMS, also running on a 'PI running Raspberry Pi OS (Basically an official Debian build for the 'Pi). It has been rock solid for more than 5 years and the best bit is that it uses very little power, so it just stays running in a cupboard with virtually no intervention.

The PiCorePlayers are just clients then.......they run fully in RAM, so I can just turn them on and off like any other appliance.

I've fiddled with Volumio, but I don't really enough about it to make a call on whether it is good or not.

RiopeeeXL is also really good - it has a LMS client and a DLNA client (as well as Roon) so you can use that too.

So if you've got jRiver running and are happy with it, then I wouldn't see a reason to change. Try some DLNA builds that can exploit that - I think RiopeeeXL may be a good choice, but you'll have to experiment with what suits your needs.

You could also try jRiver on Raspberry Pi OS if you want a lower power, simpler server. (I think they have ARM linux builds, right??)

 

[RCHeliGuy]

JRiver has discontinued support for the Raspberry Pi two versions back. The version I'm running is only a Windows 10 version.

They do have a linux build. I hadn't considered that for this.

 

[agladstone]

If you don’t believe in using a stand alone USB Galvanic isolation out of streamer, than going into a stand alone USB reclocker into your DAC (with good audiophile quality USB cables, that just means you’ve never tried this set up / “tweak” in your system, for $300-$500 plus cost of the cables (another $300-$600) plus the cost of good audiophile quality linear power supply to power them, the sound quality is literally at least twice as good, maybe even three times better!!
you can get all these from Amazon or Music Direct, both offer 30 day in home trial, if it doesn’t blow you away, just return it (but you won’t, trust me!!)
Same thing goes for an Aurender vs. any computer, raspberry pie, Mac mini, Bluesound etc - I’ve tried them all and the Aurender sounds at least 10 times better! (Music Direct sells them too, slap down a credit card and do your own 30 day free in home trial, you can just return if it’s not significantly better! Trust me, you will be keeping it!!

 

[amey01]

They do have a linux build. I hadn't considered that for this.

If it works on ARM linux, it'll work. It doesn't have to be a specific 'Pi build.

 

[amey01]

, than going into a stand alone USB reclocker into your DAC (with good audiophile quality USB cables,

I can't even give you benefit of the doubt on that one sorry. That statement is rubbish.

Do you even understand "asynchronous" even means? Not synchronised (or clocked), that's what. So how can you "re-clock" something that is being controlled by the DAC?

You can't "re-clock" what by definition is not clocked!

To be fair, you've got the theory right (in terms of isolating your data from being locked to the source's clock, and forcing your DAC to be slave to whatever inconsistencies exist (or are created along the way)).......it's just that every DAC manufacturer in the last 10 years has beat you to it by designing asynchronous, bulk mode and buffering DACs.

As for galvanic isolation - it's 2021 - all our houses have the best form of galvanic isolation I can think of......it's called wi-fi.

 

[BigGuy]

I can't even give you benefit of the doubt on that one sorry. That statement is rubbish.

Do you even understand "asynchronous" even means? Not synchronised (or clocked), that's what. So how can you "re-clock" something that is being controlled by the DAC?

You can't "re-clock" what by definition is not clocked!

To be fair, you've got the theory right (in terms of isolating your data from being locked to the source's clock, and forcing your DAC to be slave to whatever inconsistencies exist (or are created along the way)).......it's just that every DAC manufacturer in the last 10 years has beat you to it by designing asynchronous, bulk mode and buffering DACs.

As for galvanic isolation - it's 2021 - all our houses have the best form of galvanic isolation I can think of......it's called wi-fi.

Being of the opinion that a wired connection was better than WiFi, I opted for ADNACO Fiber To USB setup with standard 30' umbilical between board installed in dedicated PC (optimized for audio) and USB module powered by LRPS. Since ADNACO has 2 USB outputs, I use a split cable between USB receiver and the DAC...one leg for power, other for data.

 

[jmschnur]

I use Roon plus an Oppo 203 to my Bryston am driving my Montis. I also have three Logitech squeezetouch as end points around the house going into my preamps ,Macintosh, Marantz.
sound is good
Roon is an effective way of Chong and listening o music.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

Being of the opinion that a wired connection was better than WiFi, I opted for ADNACO Fiber To USB setup with standard 30' umbilical between board installed in dedicated PC (optimized for audio) and USB module powered by LRPS. Since ADNACO has 2 USB outputs, I use a split cable between USB receiver and the DAC...one leg for power, other for data.

Why is wired better than WiFi ? Just curious why you believe this. I have no issue with either and use both.

 

[wink]

Why is wired better than WiFi ? Just curious why you believe this. I have no issue with either and use both.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

This is my new Raspberry Pi 4 music server. The kit popped together ridiculously easily. This was nearly plug and play for a DIY project.

I installed the small fan, and connected it to the 3.3V vs. 5V so it's always running but is nothing I can hear unless I'm within 2-3 feet of it.

I went by the book.
Downloaded the SD card association formatter and did a full format of the included SD card just to verify all the sectors. (time consuming and probably unnecessary)
Downloaded Etcher to my computer to flash the card.
Downloaded the Raspberry Volumio image.
Flashed the Raspberry Volumio image to the card using etcher. ( 30 seconds )

Plugged newly flashed SD card into my Raspberry Pi.
Moved it into my den and connected it to my Oppo 105D DAC by USB cable and powered it up.
It created the WiFi Hotspot Volumio automatically.
I connected to that Hotspot with my Smart phone and logged in with the password provided.

The configuration was extremely easy.
Set it to English.
It recognized my OPPO USB 2.0 DAC immediately.
I connected a 2Tb USB drive using a powered USB Hub just to make sure.
Then Connected it to my local WIFI.
It asked me about any NAS drives, but I don't have one setup yet.
Last it asked me for an optional Paypal donation and was done.

It rebooted and immediately started to index the music off the USB drive.
I can now browse to the Volumio server off of any computer connected to my WIFI.
The temporary Hotspot is gone.

I downloaded the Android Volumio app and it immediately connected to my local Volumio server with zero setup.

Then I started to play my music using the Volumio app. As long as I'm connected to my local secure Wifi at my house or am on the wired network I can control it.

That was pretty darned easy and it sounds great.

I'm going to move all my music to a 6Tb drive I have that is running 24x7 that is in another room and use that for all of my music so this has a tiny footprint.

I need to dust behind my TV !!! This tiny little thing won't be visible, but takes the place of a computer that lives somewhere else now.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

They really thought this system through. I never needed a keyboard, mouse or display connected to the Raspberry Pi.
Other than downloading a couple programs and the Volumio image file, there was very little involved on the computer.

All the connections talk to each other. So when I chose music to play from my desktop computer, my Android phone updated immediately to show what I had selected. Very smooth operation.

I've just barely scratched the surface of this software, but it is intuitive and works very quickly.

Apparently all you have to do for streaming is install the plugins for them.
I've installed the Spotify plugin so far which was simply a matter of clicking plugins, clicking Install and then adding login credentials and authorizing the device.

BTW this will work with Logitech Media Server.

For Tidal and others they do have extra fees so I don't see those options yet.

Below is from Spotify. It's still indexing my 1.5Tb of music on the external hard drive. I need to move that to the network shortly. I also took the screen shot after turning off my OPPO 105D so it says "Not Connected". It did let me play music off the USB drive while it was indexing it and I was browsing Spotify. So it appears to jump very easily between mixed sources.

If you click on More info they give you an option to register for paid features including support for TIDAL and QOBUZ,

They have more information here. My Volumio Overview · Volumio
Basically for one device streaming TIDAL they charge 28.99 euros/year. For 6 devices they charge 66.99 euros/yr.
That includes a other features including Alexa integration, ripping, and music artist and track info discovery.

 

[BigGuy]

Why is wired better than WiFi ? Just curious why you believe this. I have no issue with either and use both.

I am not technically versed in the whys and wherefores but here are some thoughts...

Interference from WiFi - why is it audible?

A bit more on the topic...
"A It seems as though we’re looking at two possibilities here: one long-range/wireless, the second local/wired.

As for option one, Sound & Vision has reviewed a handful of network music players, including Cambridge Audio’s NP30 and Pioneer’s Elite N-50, that should meet your needs. Both models feature wired Ethernet and Wi-Fi connectivity, FLAC decoding, and 96/24-capable DACs (up to 192/24 on the Pioneer). While I’m with you on the idea of tapping a wireless network to send music from one place to another (what could be more convenient?), I should add that I’ve found Wi-Fi in my home to be less reliable than a hardwired connection for music (and video) streaming. Your experience may be different, but you might also want to reconsider running that cable."
Source: What the FLAC? Wi-Fi Streaming vs. USB

As with all things audio, YMMV.

 

[RCHeliGuy]

Fair enough.
Hard wired is pretty much a known good.

WIFI had dependencies.

• The quality of your WIFI router
• How close your router is to your streamer ( signal strength )
• The number of devices running off your Router.
• Should NOT HAVE ANY impact on sound quality. It's simply transferring a file.

In my case the WIFI router is in the room next to my den where my streamer is and it has a strong signal and the router is attached to Gigabit Internet service.

FYI, this Raspberry Pi solution has

• Ethernet
• WIFI
• Reads FLAC, and every other format I'm familiar with.
• Runs USB drives directly
• Runs shared drives on the local network
• Streams from just about any service
• Has client software by browser so anything with a web browser can use it.
• Has mobile apps for Apple, Android phones.
• Has applications for Windows, Mac and Linux
• Very quiet
• $119 ( for the specific kit I purchased )

For the moment I'm running off of a local USB drive, but I'm going to run WIFI to a large server drive shortly just to reduce the footprint.