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No-bull digital audio streamer + DAC sought

Sonos. Avoids the messy iTunes conundrum, has a good integrated DAC, has integrated access to Spotify and other pay-per online services, has varied remote control options, works seamlessly with my qnap/uPnP/Networked PC/Mac, the ZP90 streamer plugs into your preamp or directly into amp or active speakers. Zero drop outs as it uses Wireless Mesh or Wired Ethernet. Is Extendable. Can do optical out but don't bother, the Sonos DACs are fit for purpose, unless you like to needlessly overcomplicate things.
That's where I might go finally. Many people tell me it's rock solid - I just expect it to be able to do everything a SB can, but reliably. So do you mean in earnest that there's no point in spending £££ in a 'proper' DAC ?

And which file format do you guys recommend, and is it of any relevance which software I use for ripping ?
 
That's where I might go finally. Many people tell me it's rock solid - I just expect it to be able to do everything a SB can, but reliably. So do you mean in earnest that there's no point in spending £££ in a 'proper' DAC ?

And which file format do you guys recommend, and is it of any relevance which software I use for ripping ?
FLAC. You've ruled out iTunes, which would be the only reason not to use it (iTunes does not support FLAC and you would use Apple Lossless instead).
 
That's where I might go finally. Many people tell me it's rock solid - I just expect it to be able to do everything a SB can, but reliably. So do you mean in earnest that there's no point in spending £££ in a 'proper' DAC ?

And which file format do you guys recommend, and is it of any relevance which software I use for ripping ?

I should take fox's comment with a pinch of salt. He's gone all hair-shirt about audio ever since being very badly burnt on the mana altar.

The SB3 is rock-solid, I think you only ran into problems with the radio because you were piggy-backing on a doggy wireless connection and because the radio/touch/duet handset firmware is all rather complicated and new.

You should use FLAC of course.
 
IIRC, a couple of months ago, you asked for a replacement for your amplification, whatever happened to that plan?
It's shelved because basically I was after a remote control, so I can stop the music when the phone rings or so. Meanwhile I found out that I could control an SB radio (and a Sonos too) with my Android, and most of the time I listen to radio or CD, so the remote problem is solved. And soundwise, after all these years I'm still happy with my amp and speakers combo, it's a compromise but a nice one, so why change (gulp I tend to think the same thing of my girlfriend :D).

By the way, is there such a thing as a pure music streamer without built-in DAC ?
 
The DACs inside the Sonos are "proper" and they are fine. You may find as I do that its easier to just get a Spotify account than worry about ripping and maintaining a huge library (obviously you'll want to have a few locally stored files).

However if you must then any file format that is lossless will do. FLAC works.

My biggest recommendation is avoid modified streamers. The modders claim the earth with their "audiophile" upgrades but they rarely deliver.
 
Very easy to build your own music streamer with a PC and some software, this then feeds a DAC via USB.

Wi-Fi can be problematic when it comes to transmitting music unless there is a very good signal and not much else is using it. My house with thick walls did not suit Wi-Fi for music so in the end I just ran some CAT5; problem solved.
 
OP, you should be using EAC to rip to FLAC at the highest quality settings in order to get the best results from using those files.

There's comprehensive guides out there on the interweb. Will try and post a link to the one I used.
 
Wi-Fi can be problematic when it comes to transmitting music unless there is a very good signal and not much else is using it. My house with thick walls did not suit Wi-Fi for music so in the end I just ran some CAT5; problem solved.

Ethernet over Power is a good application here where cabling is difficult or undesireable. You need power to your streamer so you might as well carry data over it as well. Sonos uses Mesh Wireless networking which is self configuring and is dedicated to Streaming Audio which is why it is much more reliable and had better reach than say, a Squeezebox+Wifi.

Sonos also acts as a router as well so you can plug Ethernet devices into the Sonos and it becomes part of the network, so its a great way to extend a laptop into a room that has no wireless access.

Just a very happy Sonos customer here...
 
Specifically the Cullen Mods sounded indistinguishable from unmodified through my monitors. I'd high hopes based on their blurb (and it makes sense when you read it) but, sadly no. I'm not convinced there is anything to to be gained from fiddling with already good sounding kit. The moment thee people start talking about improving Jitter you know you're being spun a yarn.

Remember the OP asked for a "No Bull" approach to Streaming hence my recommending Sonos. Wood for trees.
 
Thanks for visiting Spotify.

To us, music is everything. Our dream is to have all the music in the world available instantly to everyone, wherever they are.

But for the time being, we’re not able to launch in every country. We’re really sorry about this, but it takes time to arrange licensing agreements with record labels and local publishing rights societies.

Rest assured we’re doing everything we can to resolve this, and hope to offer Spotify in many more countries as soon as possible.
:(:(:(
 
Specifically the Cullen Mods sounded indistinguishable from unmodified through my monitors. I'd high hopes based on their blurb (and it makes sense when you read it) but, sadly no. I'm not convinced there is anything to to be gained from fiddling with already good sounding kit. The moment thee people start talking about improving Jitter you know you're being spun a yarn.

Remember the OP asked for a "No Bull" approach to Streaming hence my recommending Sonos. Wood for trees.

The trouble is that plinkerty plonkerty ambient electronica probably sounds much the same on any old system - with or without mana.

Garbage in, garbage out - as they say.
 
I've not used Mana for 7 years Patsy. You seem to be scrabbling around for something original to say.
PS I don't really play any Ambient Electronica. Not my cup of tea and a bit irrelevent to the OP's question.

Cheese. I hear ya. We cannot legally get Hulu or US content streams like Pandora in the UK but it is possible (but adds complexity as you need to dick about with private proxies).
 
Anyway, thanks guys for the valuable input, I'll test the Sonos app on the Android and if this works, I guess the choice is made. Some other DAC's blackness is maybe inkier than the one of the Sonos, but for the next crisis of nerdyness I'll still have the TT to fiddle around with. Better a BBC 3 on computer audio than no BBC 3 at all.
 
Actually I have but others are modified DSPs like the Metric Halo and the (Black Lion modded) MOTU 828 Mk3 so suitably far from what the OP was looking for to not include (hence the word "specifically").

Cheese. Best with the Sonos. It's a fit and forget solution. I hear there's a HD version in the offing so if you really get the itch for 24/96 you can go multi-room with a pair of budget actives. i.e. you're not stuck with flogging off some ugly thrown together bodged black boxes in /classifieds.
 
There is rumours that Sonos has a high resolution Streamer in the works that plays high bitrate files. the Sonos is good for CD rips i.e. 44.1KHz but that now higher resolution stuff is becoming available they are going to support it in a new revision later this year. This is one reason why the Cullen Mods are actually useful they offer high-resolution file formats that exceed that of CD.

I pooh poohed multi room for ages but its actually really nice having music in the kitchen and having it synched so its playing back at the same time in each room.
 


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