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Rega Streamer???

A Rega-badged streamer, whether developed in-house or using bought-in technology, would have to compete with the rest of the so-called "mass-market" (though eminently specialist) brands. It would also require a complete technical support back-end in terms of personnel costs and ongoing training, testing and validation.

The barriers to entry into the streaming products market segment are typically engineering expertise and cash, on both the manufacturing as well as the distribution side of things. Make of that what you will.
 
Or they could just make the next Elicit with a DAC and streamer. :)

I hope they don't (and I expect they won't). I don't buy all this multi-purpose malarkey. An amp is an amp and a streamer is a .... Keep it purist I say. Built-in (optional) phono stage makes sense but that's about it.
 
Most UK manufacurers who entered the AV market got their fingers badly burned.

Just two thoughts here:

1. I consider a streamer to not be in the AV product area. In fact I view it squarely in the hi-fi component arena, in that it only handles audio and is the equivalent to the PCM logic and display of a CD transport.

2. Would I advise Rega to launch a streamer? Probably not. In that a well implemented laptop will achieve the same thing and more. Probably the only reason I'd buy a Rega stream is because it would looks cool with a simple red LED interface and might produce a cleaner digital output than most laptops.

In addition to 2. a well implemented laptop interfaced properly to a DAC would probably more than suffice and allow for better music-surfing.

So a Rega streamer, while nice, may not be viewed by the market as a particularly wise-buy. These I reckon are more pressing reasons for Rega not to jump into the streamer market, beyond the comments attributed to Roy in AndyU's original message.

If Rega can provide something with a powerful and easy interface and simple plug & play - then and only then would it be worthwhile releasing.

Andrew
 
So if someone makes a box with a SPDIF or USB socket on it we call it a DAC, and that's ok, and safe and proper... If it has a Network socket and you can be control without needing to switch the PC on it's called a streamer, becomes the work of the devil and everyone slams them !!!
Is that not missing the bigger picture some what ?
 
So if someone makes a box with a SPDIF or USB socket on it we call it a DAC, and that's ok, and safe and proper... If it has a Network socket and you can be control without needing to switch the PC on it's called a streamer, becomes the work of the devil and everyone slams them !!!
Is that not missing the bigger picture some what ?

You'll still need to have a PC/NAS up and running.

I still like the concept of a dedicated streamer: if for no other reason, because it'll take care of not injecting noise into my mains poisoning everything else. I'm getting a PSU for my squeezebox, taking the squeezebx's price up to around $550. From that perspective, I wouldn't mind going up another few hundred dollars to get Rega's synergy (in looks if nothing else).
 
Yep NAS sits in my study away from the HiFi minding it's own business, never needs a reboot, goes to sleep when not needed, uses very little power, doesn't need patching and updates each week, doesn't try and force me to work and buy on from it's store and doesn't mind what files types I store..... Why make it more complicated or difficult ?
 
QNAP TS 109 been running since Jan 2008.... Before hard drives shot up in cost was going to upgrade to a new twin bay version, just as preventative maintance.
 


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