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Another streamer question

Bas V

pfm Member
So I finally found a JOB Int amp. The only thing I need now is a decent streamer. I solely use Spotify, Radio Paradise and other radio stations. The JOB has a decent dac on-board, so I was looking at Auralic Aries LE (used) or the Ifi Zen Stream. Both are supposed to be a lot better than the Node 2i. Budget is around E 500. Any thoughts on this?
 
One of the Yamaha add-ons would be perfect for what you wish to stream, remembering Spotify is compressed at this time. Only around £140 or so and gives nothing away to other products costing a few hundred more.
 
One of the Yamaha add-ons would be perfect for what you wish to stream, remembering Spotify is compressed at this time. Only around £140 or so and gives nothing away to other products costing a few hundred more.
A Yamaha WXA-50 has served me well, with no problems at all. Just because it's from a "big" name don't dismiss it, the support and build quality is very high, plus it will stream pretty much from any source.

https://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/audio_visual/wireless_streaming_amplifiers/wxa-50/index.html
 
So I finally found a JOB Int amp. The only thing I need now is a decent streamer. I solely use Spotify, Radio Paradise and other radio stations. The JOB has a decent dac on-board, so I was looking at Auralic Aries LE (used) or the Ifi Zen Stream. Both are supposed to be a lot better than the Node 2i. Budget is around E 500. Any thoughts on this?
If you are not going to use Roon, you might just be overlooking two very important aspects of the issue - the user-interface and compatibility with Asset/Minim/Twonky/whatever upnp software takes your fancy.

Some interfaces are much better than others but what is best is very much a case of "one man's meat..."

In my personal experience even if the manufacturer boasts about this or that upnp software being used in the development of a product, it does not mean instant compatibility... One very reputable manufacturer of digital hardware listed Asset/Minim and Twonky but when it came to using the product, only Minim presented albums by track number... Imagine Selling England by the Pound in alphabetical order of track titles :) Been there escaped from that!

Try before you buy
 
So I finally found a JOB Int amp. The only thing I need now is a decent streamer. I solely use Spotify, Radio Paradise and other radio stations. The JOB has a decent dac on-board, so I was looking at Auralic Aries LE (used) or the Ifi Zen Stream. Both are supposed to be a lot better than the Node 2i. Budget is around E 500. Any thoughts on this?

There is an Aries Mini + PSU on hififorsale for £350. I'd nab that. It's brilliant, best value bit of kit I can remember owning and my son now has it. Love Lightning software. I also owned a full Aries.
 
I have read about connectivity problems with both the Auralic and the Ifi. I must say that my Naim is flawless, which is a great relief! Maybe I’ll take a look at the Yamaha. It just seems too good to be true (at the price).
 
I have read about connectivity problems with both the Auralic and the Ifi. I must say that my Naim is flawless, which is a great relief! Maybe I’ll take a look at the Yamaha. It just seems too good to be true (at the price).
No, it’s just true. Same with the majority of their products.
 
Been checking them out. Most of al these options don’t have a usb-output. The Node has, I believe, but the others don’t. USB. Is supposed to be the best connection to the JOB.
 
I solely use Spotify, Radio Paradise and other radio stations.
As you listen to Radio Paradise I would strongly recommend that you find a way to access their lossless FLAC streams. To my ears they sound a lot better than the lossy streams, and a number of other stations offer lossless too.
I wouldn’t know which streamers within your budget support this. I know that the current Naim streamers do, and so does Roon, or you may be able to play it direct from the RP app on an iOS device.
 
As you listen to Radio Paradise I would strongly recommend that you find a way to access their lossless FLAC streams. To my ears they sound a lot better than the lossy streams, and a number of other stations offer lossless too.
I wouldn’t know which streamers within your budget support this. I know that the current Naim streamers do, and so does Roon, or you may be able to play it direct from the RP app on an iOS device.

I thought I would check this out on my Bluesound Node 2i, there are two options, MQA or CD quality. I feed out to a separate DAC, which does not have hardware MQA support, but the MQA stream sounds a whole lot better, much more more body. The DAC display is showing 88.1vs 44.1 for MQA vs CD, so guessing I am getting a single unfold.
 
Been checking them out. Most of al these options don’t have a usb-output. The Node has, I believe, but the others don’t. USB. Is supposed to be the best connection to the JOB.
I thought the Node only had USB in, for attaching sticks or unpowered USB drives?
 


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