Digital convenience in one box. Is there a respectable "jack of all trades" for <$3k?

I own the SACD 30n and it is a fantastic SACD and CD player.

But it’s a B grade streamer at best. And HEOS software is just “adequate”.

HiFi Rose is excellent. Might look at ExoSound. And if you’re ok with an outboard DAC, Aurender is another fantastic option that might best suit your vinyl sensibilities.

MELCO is another route to explore.

 

A lot of good selections and options given here! Not sure how far past your original budget number you’d consider going but a nice solution may be the “Uniti Atom” from Naim. I believe they are $3.7K list- not sure of the street prices. I purchased the next level “Uniti Star” for a family member a few years ago and it’s still being used to this day! The Atom doesn’t have an internal drive but will accept NAS/USB. No disk player though- you would need the Uniti Star for CD play/ripping and it has internal storage via SD card.
Uniti Atom
Good Luck!

 

Thanks Jon. I hadn't made it that far down the page when searching for Bluetooth connectivity confirmation. That diagram makes it seem pretty clear but I'm surprised there's no mention of 5.0 or AptX compatibility. All I found previously was mention of 4.0 which made me think it was predominantly for remote control. Glad to be wrong!

Thanks, Toneh. I took a look at the Auralic G1.1 after @Shoalcove recommended it a little upthread. It looks very appealing. As far as remote control goes, I'm aiming for fixed level outputs to my Yamaha amp where I can use its own remote for volume adjustments. I'd prefer not to have multiple remotes required.

 

My bad, I didn't notice the earlier recommendation for the same unit.

And yes, regarding volume control - I think I was a little too fixated on my use case since I use it as a pre-amp to my Moon 330A power amp. Of course it can be used in a fixed level output configuration - I used it that way to the XLR inputs on my A-S2200 when I still had that.
Good luck anyway - lots of great options at your price point. I wonder how much improvement separates would really offer until you spent a bit more. For around 3k it may well be a case of just more boxes than head and shoulders better? But I haven't heard every option out there, haha.

Also - just an FYI - the Auralic is user upgradable to the internal storage option, they sell kits for the purpose. So you could use it with your external drive to minimize the upfront costs until you were ready. If it's still a contender of course.

 

Excellent point. I noticed in the Auralic images that the SSD looked like a very straightforward implementation. Thanks!

 

The Auralic Altair G1.1 was recommended. I am very happy with my Auralic Aries G1 and Taurus II headphone amp. The products are well designed, have great sound, and are very flexible. I had an Auralic VEGA DAC for several years and loved that, too. (I swapped it for a DAC-preamp with parametric EQ for room correction.)

I don't know what part of Oregon you're in, but Auralic headquarters is in Beaverton. When I got my Aries G1, I picked it up there and avoided shipping. That was a trade-up deal for my original Aries.

Auralic control software runs on iOS. However, it is possible to use almost all features of Auralic streamers with an Android tablet running an OpenHome control point (I use BubbleUPnP) and a Web browser. The products are also Roon Ready.

 

I'm definitely in range of Beaverton and that locality is good info, thanks Mike!
Thanks too for the info about Auralic control software being iOS based. I presently employ zero "i" products and my experience has been that it isn't all that smooth sailing when trying to get an iOS platform to perform well on a Windows or Android side of the OS. I'm not familiar w/ the OpenHome control point you mentioned but I will admit that I'm not very fond of work arounds. I don't mean to read too much into this, a personal user's experience is the only one that matters and there are obviously plenty of ways to experience. Your insights are greatly appreciated.

 

I believe the Cary Streamers will do everything you want. I have been using a DMS-500 for a few years, sounds excellent and has everything except internal storage but accepts HDD, cards, and thumb drives. The linked machine is b-stock, but the next model up is in your range as well.
DMS-550 | Network Audio Player
DMS-650|Network Audio Player NO relationship with Cary.

 

Dang, that DMS-650 looks excellent. Thanks for the links!

 

There are no "i" devices, here, either, nor a love of work-arounds usually. Whether you consider BubbleUPnP a work-around or simply an alternative is a matter of perspective. Paired with MinimServer (a DLNA server), it offers the most flexible indexing of local files that I've come across.

BubbleUPnP also has a large user base, I expect larger than for Auralic's own software. It's well supported and used by many Linn, Lumin, and other users. When configuration of the streamer is needed (not often), the Auralic Web interface does that without compromise. What's missing, I suppose, are features like Amazon HD integration. But as I use Roon mostly, the tablet OS doesn't matter.

A side benefit of Auralic streamers is that you can attach a USB computer CD drive to play back CDs. The data will be buffered and de-jittered by the streamer just like a network stream. I sold my SimAudio transport in favor of that way of playing the occasional CD and came out about $1000 ahead.

Whatever you decide, I hope you have fun with it and enjoy your better streaming and DAC setup. IMO, there is NO reason that digital can't sound as good and be as involving as vinyl.

 

You know how good your Gold Note PH-10 / PSU combo is...(fantastic phono pre)
can you home demo the DS-10 (or EVO)? and maybe procure the PSU later on?
One of my dealers carries Gold Note And Simaudio and wants me to try the DS-10/PSU combo sometime (he knows i'm a vinyl guy). I may try that and also comp the Moon 680 myself.
Good luck - have fun.

 

Naim Uniti Atom All-In-One Streamer

 

On the first page I outlined in brief my setup in 'streaming': Bluesound Node, Hard drive, dac but just to add to that I have to say that I am a vinylophile such as yourself (two TTs in operation) and what makes the streaming essential for me is doing vinyl recordings.
I have a Tascam DA-3000 set up just like an old school tape deck and record pretty much every piece of vinyl that gets put on the TT, You just have to choose a sample rate (in setup, it stays the same all the time until you change it), I settled on 24/88.2 and record on SD cards -you can get around 200 albums on a 256gb card.
I then dump those files onto a HD that is plugged into the Node, occasionally I back that up on another HD but generally keep the original SD cards as backup as well because they are cheap.
The Node software is capable and the Denafrips Pontus makes it all sound great, the best part is the sound of these files being pretty damn good facsimiles of actual playing.

The Node by the way includes access to internet radio and can be a gateway for Spotify or Qbuz or whatever.

I personally wouldn't spring for a streamer beyond the cost of the Node given that the technology is evolving and the Node delivers at it's price point.
You can rip CDs from whatever computer but the main investment should be the DAC as that makes it all sound good (I really like the Denafrips Pontus for how it sounds across the board), the streamer and a hard drive to feed it (I use a standalone powered HD plugged into the Node) which can be on the router or whatever.

The Pontus is great as it has balanced ins and outs, two rca coax, optical, usb and I2s, I feed the output of the Tascam into the balanced connection.
I use a keyboard to control the Tascam which makes setting up for recordings a snap, the most time consuming aspect is setting levels which requires a little checking.
The point of all this is that if you enjoy the vinyl experience you can augment that experience by recording the great sounds of the TT and plugging them into a streamer, heck if you want to sell some records down the road you wont miss anything if they've been recorded already.
In closing I'll just say that if your MC cartridge sounds just grand then so can that recording of it...

 

Thank you for the thoughtful reply ubiknik. I appreciate a lot of the points you've made.

That's awesome. It sounds like you're more of a "vinylophile" than I am. My desire to get into streaming is to be able to; listen to albums that have a nicer sounding digital mastering than they do a vinyl pressing, enjoy background music w/o costing me stylus life, discover new-to-me music. I've yet to feel a ping of interest in recording my vinyl records though your passionate explanation of why you do is intriguing.

When I decide to upgrade my DAC the Pontus is a top contender. I like what I've read about it and it's dearth of connections appeals to me.

I hear you. And several others have reiterated the same point, which is not lost on me. My willingness to spend a few thousand on a streamer would only be if I found the digital music unicorn that checked the majority of my wants. Exceptional onboard DAC being #1, blissful user interface following close behind. Because I'm considering upgrading my DAC, streamer, and beginning a hi-res subscription- the HiFi Rose RS250 is keeping my attention.

I dig your perspective here!

I'm taking a baby step by amending my Raspberry Pi streamer into a ver. 2.0 w/ a HAT that will allow a s/pdif connection to my Topping D50S. A minor investment that may bring a noteworthy sonic gain.
Thanks again for your thoughtful insight! Excellent food for thought.

 

WiiM Pro is inexpensive and competent.

 

I think DAC technology is evolving quickly, especially compared to amplification or speakers. I’m less clear on the pace of streamer technology. I’m auditioning a brand new Aurender N100H that is a model that came out in 2015 - got a close out deal. The embedded Aurender Conductor software has been continually updated, but Aurender only recently replaced the hardware. They go years and years with the same hardware tiers. Even with that, the new N150 that replaced the N100H sounds very similar. The hardware is slightly different, but both run the exact same Conductor software. In fact even their $30K flagship model runs the same software as the entry level.

I have the fairly recently released Marantz SACD 30n and an IFi ZenStream with Elite power supply. Both of those are 5 to 6 years newer than the N100H’s hardware. Yet the “old” Aurender runs circles around both the Marantz and IFi in terms of streaming.

This makes me wonder - as in I don’t know - how much streamer evolution is software centric?

 

Thank you for this post. Very informative and helpful to someone like me who is curious about a better digital experience.

 

For streamers honestly it seems to be less about updating the hardware and more updating software. Like Aurender, Auralic also is constantly updating its LDS app. They also update the hardware with firmware updates on a regular basis. I am running an Aries Mini, which is long discontinued but still am getting firmware updates keeping my device basically current.

 

How about setting up a Logitech Media Server on the computer where your library is and reprogram your Pi to run piCorePlayer? This would be wifi instead of Bluetooth however. I use Squeezer as the control app on my Android phone and it has a very good gui. The only cost to this would be if you want a better DAC.

 

My library is accessed via a portable SSD. I'll take another look at the piCorePlayer. Thanks!

 

I am sort of in the same boat, and I am seriously looking at the Linn streamers - the Selekt and Selekt Edition are expensive new, but the Akurate DSM is within your price range used. The ones I am looking at have the added benefit of a phono stage and volume control, so I could replace my pramp and streamer with one box, and i would not have to use an external DAC.

 

What hard drive do you use? How do you connect it to the node? Thanks in advance.

 

I just went to the computer store (Micro Center) and got a powered HD enclosure and a Western Digital HD (I think I got a blue) to put in it.
The HD enclosure came with the USB cable that plugs into the Node.
I think the HD was on sale at the time, so all in was somewhere between $80 and $100.
If I come across the name of the HD enclosure I'll post it later.

FWIW I got a 2tb HD but I am soon to get a 5tb as a replacement because the 2tb is filling up fast.

 

I use a Mac mini with Roon (with all my CD rips, downloads and Qobuz) connected to my DAC (McIntosh D150). It's awesome! You can even stream while outside your house with Roon ARC!

 

I've had time to consider the aforementioned suggestions (thank you all that chimed in) and I'm ever more interested in the "one box to rule them all" approach for my digital music needs.
I've successfully modified my Pi streamer, added a Qobuz subscription, set up access to locally stored and streaming music via one app (BubbleUPnP), and I just don't dig it. I've seriously considered getting a nicer DAC (Denafrips Pontus II), and accepting my Pi streamer for what it is, but I'm ready for a more developed and streamlined interface. I just don't appreciate the BubbleUPnP app as my controller. It's fine, it works, but it will never be intuitive or polished. I've weighed replacing my Pi w/ a Node and a nicer DAC but then my desire for a single box solution takes over.

My present top 5 contenders are;

1. Moon 280D (pretty solid, a little spendy) $3,900
2. Lumin D2 (compact footprint, no Bluetooth) $2,300
3. Cary Audio DMS-650 (game over but it takes many coins) $4,800
4. Hi-fi Rose RS250 (4k touchscreen control, no balanced outs, weak Bluetooth ability?, being discontinued for the 250a?) $2,500
5. Auralic Altair G1.1 (smaller footprint, there's no dedicated Android control software) $3,650 (w/ 2TB SSD)

Anyone compared any of these units (and their respective software) to one another? Care to share your insights? If I'm not mistaken they all offer; native Qobuz integration, well-regarded UI's, and external SSD or HD support. All offer balanced outputs except the Rose.

I'm getting closer...