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luddite streaming Q help

E

eddie1

pfm Member
I have an old chrome bumper naim 160 running a naim cd5 into linn speakers via Nac 62 pre- amp.
I have a messy collection of CDs (and an even messier collection of vinyl that rarely gets played)

I hear tell of magic stuff called “streaming” and things like “Sonos”...


Please can you advise what I would need to do/buy to be able to stream music through my current system ?
Would I then need to sign up to a subscription service like Spotify ? And or should I digitise my cds ?
( what would I need for this ?)

Thanks in advance
Ed
 
Do you want to access streaming services like Spotify or music downloaded to a hard drive?

If it’s Spotify a Chromecast audio if you can get one will suffice.
 
I’d like to do both -
Get my Cd collection onto Hard drive and then control it remotely ( what would i need for this ?)
And look at a streaming service
Thanks
 
Something like the Teufel Connector would get you started. Not at all bad as a streamer and will playback most files from a USB drive or NAS too, sounds good analogue out and better with a DAC. App is fine. Then add multi-room stuff to taste. I (ahem) have one for sale...

You'd need to rip your CDs using some proprietary software (lots available for different OS) and get them on a NAS, but that's just a question of time/effort.

https://www.teufelaudio.com/uk/multi-room/teufel-connector-p18477.html

For clarity, you can digitise CDs using a PC or laptop. You don't need any fancy kit. As to streaming, the above unit works with most flavours of service, I used Spotify and Tidal with it fine. Tidal was marginally better sound wise than Spotify, but I mostly used the latter through choice and convenience.
 
A Chromecast audio and a 3.5mm to din cable is the easiest and cheapest way to stream with the added bonus of being able to use your phone as remote control for volume as well.
 
Alexm2033 said:
A Chromecast audio and a 3.5mm to din cable is the easiest and cheapest way to stream with the added bonus of being able to use your phone as remote control for volume as well.
Click to expand...
Getting hard to find a cheap one, have you seen the ebay prices they they are selling at ( and I do mean selling at) :eek:

Saw someone on here had managed to buy one at €32 but not sure where, to think I gave a couple away :D
 
mikeyb said:
Getting hard to find a cheap one, have you seen the ebay prices they they are selling at ( and I do mean selling at) :eek:

Saw someone on here had managed to buy one at €32 but not sure where, to think I gave a couple away :D
Click to expand...

I just had a look. Wow! I would not have expected that at all.
 
eddie1 said:
I have an old chrome bumper naim 160 running a naim cd5 into linn speakers via Nac 62 pre- amp.
I have a messy collection of CDs (and an even messier collection of vinyl that rarely gets played)

I hear tell of magic stuff called “streaming” and things like “Sonos”...


Please can you advise what I would need to do/buy to be able to stream music through my current system ?
Would I then need to sign up to a subscription service like Spotify ? And or should I digitise my cds ?
( what would I need for this ?)

Thanks in advance
Ed
Click to expand...
Hi Ed

If you're just strarting out and dipping your toe in, I'd suggest a used SONOS Connect (now called the PORT), it's one of, if not THE easiest way to get into streaming. It's a very mature product with plenty of help online, very easy to setup and use. The whole range has been refreshed so there are deals on new ones around. Used ones regularly pop up.

https://www.sonos.com/en-gb/products/wireless-stereo-components

https://www.richersounds.com/sonos-connect.html

You'll need a cable for your Naim - Flashback are great, just ping them for advice:

https://www.flashbacksales.co.uk/

Music services abound and all have trials - Spotify is a good starting point, with Tidal/Qobuz as leaders in higher resolution files. One Caveat is SONOS only does CD quality so if you want to listen to Hi Res then something like a BlueSound Node 2i would be my choice. You'll easily move on a used SONOS box so I wouldn't stress too much about Hi Res yet.

https://www.bluesound.com/products/node/

https://www.spotify.com/uk/premium/...VS7TtCh3o2w03EAAYASAAEgKLEPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://offer.tidal.com/?geo=GB

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/music/s...MIoa-x7oPx5gIVS7TtCh3o2w03EAAYASAAEgJkI_D_BwE

If you're on a budget there are lots of devices you can get - a Raspberry Pi setup is an option, bit of IT geekery involved but buying one already setup takes most of that away. They come up used pretty frequently.

Ripping CD's to a hard disk - this is pretty much the goto product:

https://www.dbpoweramp.com/

Storing the CD rips to hard disk or more commonly to a NAS is where it gets a bit more IT centric but loads of help online and guys on here to keep you right. The 2 most common makes are QNAP and Synology. A NAS is just a networked connected box with hard drives in.

Once you have your CD's converted to data files on hard disk - usually you'll rip to a format called FLAC for lossless CD quality rather than MP3 - fine for the car. Your streaming device can then be told about the Library of FLAC files - where it lives on your computer system and then you can play them at will - search - create playlists and do random shuffle play and so on, much more flexible than CD or Vinyl playback.

https://www.qnap.com/

https://www.synology.com/en-uk

HTH

Gus
 
What sort of budget do you have in mind? If £500 is okay, the earlier suggested Bluesound Node is probably a good and easy it’s starting point. If UK-based, just pop into your local Sevenoaks for a demonstration. For the user experience, the app is very important — so it’s important to try before dishing out lots of money...

If you have more monies in the kitten, a second-hand Naim ND5XS would be lovely for your Naim kit... :)
 
P.S. Avoid lossy Spotify — go straight to Qobuz or Tidal. Your boxes deserve it... The Naim app has Tidal integration, and the latest generation of Naim streamers will soon have native Qobuz integration too. Personally I prefer Qobuz via Roon. Sadly older Naim streamer don’t support Roon, but there are work-arounds for the older kit...
 
I would try streaming first.
Chances are that the vast majority, (or more likely all) of your cd’s will be available to stream using Tidal.
That’s the beauty of the free trial periods you get with the streaming services. You can test it out to see if it ticks all the boxes for you.
There’s not much point in ripping all your cd’s to a NAS drive etc if you end up just streaming from Tidal anyway.
Keep em as a back up just in case.
As far as the hardware is concerned, the Bluesound Node 2i is a great way to go. It’s sounds bloomin good, you can use hi-res via Tidal with it, the app is probably the best out there, the inbuilt DAC is very good for the price, it’s reliable, etc etc.
( ok, arguably the Sonos app is even better, but the SQ of the Node is better).
The Sonos Port is still very good & cheaper than the Node2i if £499 is too much.
Connect either of them to you amp just as you would any other source. Download the control app to a phone, iPad, etc. Sign up to a trial of Tidal ( or other streaming service) & off you go.
 
Second this, can't fail to see that a Node 2i plus tidal is not going to make anyone happy on a first foray into streaming.
 
Timo_F said:
What sort of budget do you have in mind? If £500 is okay, the earlier suggested Bluesound Node is probably a good and easy it’s starting point. If UK-based, just pop into your local Sevenoaks for a demonstration. For the user experience, the app is very important — so it’s important to try before dishing out lots of money...
Click to expand...

@eddie1 Don’t waste your time visiting Sevenoaks. Shop here instead...

https://www.strictlystereo.com/bluesound

The price is the same but the service and support are much better.
 
Last edited:
What's your budget? I would recommend the Bluesound Node 2i over a Sonos any day. Add in a Beresford DAC and you are laughing.

With the Bluesound Node 2i, you can stream Tidal, Spotify, Internet Radio and others.

Rip your CDs to FLAC files onto a NAS and add the NAS settings in the easy Bluesound interface. Or buy the all-in-one Bluesound Vault with its integrated storage.

Andrew
 
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