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

Obviously it’s a matter of taste. For me, compared to higher end streamers, the Pi sounds like Bluetooth. Functional? Yes. Optimum sound? No.

In my opinion.

 

The op's pi will deliver bit perfect with roon raat and the dac is audibly transparent. Don't know what else a higher end streamer can do different. If coloration is desired, roon dsp can do that, too.

 

I applaud you responding to two quotes that - as it were - address two sides of the same coin? On the one hand - the best available UI for little outlay - but on the other, the potential for improved outcomes inherent to deploying better hardware? At cost.

Without wanting to put words in the O.P's mouth - something I often read in the (unspoken) justification for threads about upgrades is - sometimes we're captivated by the idea of a solution we just want.
In the case of a "one-box" solution there are compelling reasons against the approach... the ability to mix and match components to achieve an outcome tailored specifically to our tastes or to upgrade the component in the chain at greatest risk of obsolescence... but on the other hand the promise of simplicity of set up and operation too... the list of components on the shortlist here all seem competent to the extent that the sonic compromises (if any) ought to be very small indeed. In fact - more likely - they may lead to an improvement? Again - at cost.

I too - have succumb to the appeal of the "higher-end" one-box solution, so perhaps I'm not truly as unbiased as I like to think?

 

You’re free to view things that way.

Having experienced both, I can say with certainty that there’s little comparison between the very willing pi and high end streamer/ servers.

The pi is not keeping Aurender, Auralic, Antipodes, Taiko, Lumin, Innuos, etc executives up at night.

The bits are bits argument sounds terrific until you actually do a listening test.

 

I think I'd have to install something called RoPieee to the Pi and set it up w/ RoonBridge to make it a Roon endpoint? Not out of the question, and I hear the validity in capitalizing on Roon and it's reportedly excellent UI, but I'm more interested in consolidating boxes and paying for a plug-n-play solution at this point.
I do appreciate the suggestions, and I am taking all of this to heart. Perhaps if it keeps raining and I get bored enough to dig back into Pi configuration I'll give the Roon trial a chance. For now, streamer/dac shopping!
Many thanks!

 

HiFi Rose RS250 audio & video streaming D/A preamplifier

Nice review on Stereophile.

 

Hey Taylor, I've been thinking of upgrading from the D2 to the T3. I'd also consider the Hifi Rose if it has balanced outs. How bout a copy of the pm?

 

Have not heard the pi, but I must say that the improved quality of today's affordable DACs is Moore's Law on steroids. But the high-end streamers/DACs have improved commensurately. I'm grateful for what I have now, but if anybody out there wants to swap with me for an Esoteric or DCS, kindly PM me

 

That's probably the easiest way from what I gather. I think it's also possible to install bridge on volumio and others.

If that's too complicated, you could get a $250 windows celeron pc and install roon as an endpoint/remote on that and attach your dac to the usb. Bonus, full remote hd display/control of the core/server that could then run headless.

But I get the desire to reduce boxes and complexity. From what I can tell, Nad/Bluesound is what I would look at.

 

This is a totally cool budget approach. Absolutely nothing wrong with any of that.

It’s just that these higher end rigs are a different sonic beast altogether. Is it worth the price? That’s a personal decision.

 

Hey! Sending you a quick PM now.....

 

@Toneh The point I was trying to make is that @aunitedlemon could try this uber-best-ever interface we speak of for free or cheap per the recommendations that @SKBubba made.

After trying it for himself, he could decide if Roon Ready is a must-have feature on his shopping list. Some very expensive and well regarded streamers (like Aurender) don’t support it.

Then, he knows that he could take that step now or whenever in the future. It’s an easy step to take to make a more informed decision and potentially avoid some buyer’s remorse.

@SKBubba - I was pretty hard-line on the idea that streamers couldn’t affect the sound as long as they delivered bit-perfect data, but taking the step to try higher-end streamers in my system made me change my tune. My Aries G1.1 is a beast compared to the Node it replaced. Some other streamers did not produce an audible difference from the Node in my system. The additional benefit of the form factor, screen, and robust software features in the Aries rounded out the value proposition for me.

 

Understood good sir. I think I might have worded my post in a way that sounded like I was "pushing back" on yours, but that was not the case.
I was merely using your message as a springboard to make the point that sometimes the "want" aspect of a proposed upgrade is enough to override alternate options?
In this case the O.P seems set on the high end, "one-box" approach which may render other approaches less desirable despite their merits?

 

Got it. I was thinking more about the higher end NAD streamers. They seem to have the software part down.

 

No worries at all, I didn’t take it that way. I just reread my earlier post and saw room to write what I intended to communicate more clearly.

And yeah, if any of us are real with ourselves, the “want” is the only true motivating factor behind all of this. There are a good percentage of people in this hobby that seem to think their wants are objectively superior to others’ wants and are willing to pound fists on the table about it. Just the slightest amount of backing up and getting some perspective should show how silly that is.

 

I’m a huge believer in the neat and tidy one box solution ethos. Try as I might, somehow I currently have 10 in active use!

A word about my expressed enthusiasm for Roon. Those comments are about its GUI and library management acumen, top notch.

Having had a Roon lifetime license for 5 years, I’m much less impressed with Roon’s sound quality. It’s decent, but having owned perhaps every Mac compatible audiophile music software ever made, Roon is middle of the pack at best.

At least in my experience, which has gone far far down the various Roon system architecture arrangements.

Fortunately Roon allows HQPlayer to be its sound engine. And HQPlayer is top notch for SQ, once you traverse the steep learning curve.

As mentioned, I recently had the Aurender N100H here for audition. Monkeying around with HQPlayer’s armada of different settings, I was able to achieve noticeably better sound than the Aurender. Not bad for software costing around $250.

In my universe, Roon desperately needs HQPlayer to complete the package. The number of Roon endpoints on the market are plentiful. With the number of Network Audio Adapter (NAA) being much fewer. NAA is HQPlayer speak for the equivalent of Roon’s RAAT, which are the softwares that allow either to connect to a streamer over the network.

As is often the case in audio, a rabbit hole awaits just around the corner.

 

We couldn't agree more on the points you've made. This particular thread has been pleasant, so the following are generalized comments only.

The stakes of the discussions we have here couldn't be lower. All we're discussing is people spending their own money and time as they see fit to amuse themselves in the privacy of their own homes.
But throw in ego and the desire to present your opinion as the preeminent one, the generalized internet bad habit of thinking it's OK to be as rude as you like to complete strangers and many people being on a hair-trigger to outrage these days and suddenly these chats about stuff that really couldn't matter less can take on other proportions?!

There's nothing wrong with having no more justification for wanting what you want than because you want it. And it's been my experience that people often end up happiest when they acquiesce to the option they "want" when making these kinds of decisions.

@aunitedlemon - which option on your shortlist do you feel most drawn to? The reasons don't have to be strictly "scientific" - particularly on a list of strong options where it's hard to go truly wrong with any of them - just the one that feels like the right one.

 

I'm presently leaning towards a Lumin. Possibly a used T2, maybe a demo'd T3 (both dependent on availability). The Rose RS250 is attractive but I'm wanting to utilize a balanced connection to my amp. RS150 provides that but for nearly twice the price. Still considering the options, but leaning Lumin.

 

I've heard nothing but good things about both brands. If it were me I'd probably lean toward the "boxier" industrial design of the Rose... nicer visual match with your Yamaha?
But I take your point about XLR connection.

 

That’s a great direction. The main thing that attracts me to HiFi Rose are the VU meters

I love VU meters.

 

Amen!
My amp...

I like that the front panel of the Rose is also a control panel. It's display panel is probably it's biggest selling point, it just happens to sound great too. Pro's, con's, compromises. No doubt that whether I choose a Lumin or a Rose (or any of the other contenders), it'll sound awesome. I do think these products in this price bracket are all very capable and that I won't be terribly sorry I didn't opt for a separate streamer and dac.

 

The fully balanced aspect is what sold me on the Lumin over the Rose. The display, as cool as it is on the Rose, wasn't important to me as I keep all lights and displays off while listening. Also, I sit too far away for a display to be useful. Even though it's way more than I'd spend, I'm doing my best to resist the temptation of the new T3.

 

Got it. So when are you buying the T3?

 

I haven’t seen a Rose up close, but those Lumins look super nice in person.

 

Have you seen the new T3? I think they look really sharp w/o being flashy.



I can only imagine that it's way better in person.