Will streamers disappear?
- Thread starter TLS
- Start date
Igloo Audio
Registered User
Agreed.
In that great interview with Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, Steve admitted that Microsoft was the first company to realise it was about the software and not the hardware. It's still the same today, which is why Sonos have succeeded in numbers where the AURALiC Aries (DSD streamer due soon) will have to the make the software and hardware argument to be successful.
Peter
Obi1
Swedish HiFi enthusiast
I belive streamers will stay a niche product. (maybe for the "computer challanged" people out there)
A computer gives a user more flexibility and also the ability to do video playback, mail, youtube, facebook and what have you.
User interfaces is getting better everyday. And anyone can get it runing today.
Buy a MacMini, install XBMC or similar and you are set.
A computer gives a user more flexibility and also the ability to do video playback, mail, youtube, facebook and what have you.
User interfaces is getting better everyday. And anyone can get it runing today.
Buy a MacMini, install XBMC or similar and you are set.
Whaleblue
Southbound
I wouldn't consider myself "Computer challenged" but I no more wish to configure my music player to play music than I wish to configure my car to turn left.
Computers that look like computers should die a death as quickly as possible in the consumer world.
It's also why I have an iPhone and not an Android or Windows "phone" (though to be fair they're catching up).
Alan Sircom
I dü werds, me
Chances are both will continue to co-exist for the foreseeable future. Streamers appeal to a different set of music lovers to a computer+DAC solution. If anything, the proliferation of companies putting their digital toes in the streaming waters at this year's CES suggests streaming is not going anywhere for a while.
I don't think the availability of cheaper USB converters will hold much sway over prospective streaming customers. High performance, low cost USB converters have been around for at least five years now, and in that time streaming has significantly increased its market share year on year.
I don't think the availability of cheaper USB converters will hold much sway over prospective streaming customers. High performance, low cost USB converters have been around for at least five years now, and in that time streaming has significantly increased its market share year on year.
The computer is going the way of the 'electric' light: before long half the items you own will be smart. I suspect standalone streamers will only exist as high-end products within a decade. Most cheap DACs will have integrated processors. Integration, integration, integration.
In the meantime, until the pre-PC, pre-web generation dies off, there will continue to be a market for disguised computers.
In the meantime, until the pre-PC, pre-web generation dies off, there will continue to be a market for disguised computers.
linnfomaniac83
I bet you can’t wheelie a unicycle!
I don't ever want to have a laptop plugged in next to my HIFI for my tunes thank you, a streamer that can be seamlessly controlled by my phone or iPad is very appealing and is what I have been using for over five years now. I know I'm not alone here, I think streamers are safe for the foreseeable future. Oh and just to add, I can send all audio from my computer to it.
PhilCTTE
Senior mumbler
Well don't then. Why use a laptop?
My NetTop is the size of a DVD case, controllable by phone iPad and a nifty little handheld keypad with trackball.
I do miss the SONOS still , integration with spotify, radio and playlists from my nas
Yes, streaming has increased in the last few years but in the end, isn't the best solution the one that offer the best value? Computers + dac can replace many boxes, cables and are easily ameliorated with a simple software upgrade.
It would be different if streamers did prove to have better sq. but it does not seem to be the case actually.
Yank
Bulbous Also Tapered
Isn't a dedicated streamer purchase taking the fast track to obsolescence? Computers are commodity-priced items now, an upgrade every few years won't be nearly as painful as replacing a streamer which will have no resale value as soon as the next technological step comes along.
For the price of an NDS, for example, I'd hope for something a little more "future-proof".
For the price of an NDS, for example, I'd hope for something a little more "future-proof".
topa
Sans CDPs
Here's my Daphile (www.daphile.com) Server&Streamer, it's the tiny box on top of the amp. It has an internal 500GB disk, but I needed more, so that is hooked up via Network.
I think this pic pretty much answers the question. In this setup it is hooked up via Coax SPDIF to an oldschool Morgan Audio Deva DAC, in another setup I have a HighRes USB Dac connected.
I think this pic pretty much answers the question. In this setup it is hooked up via Coax SPDIF to an oldschool Morgan Audio Deva DAC, in another setup I have a HighRes USB Dac connected.
Mr Perceptive
Perceptive Member
Streamers will always win when multi-room audio is required
beammeup
pfm Member
From my personal experience a dedicated streamer "sounds" better than a standard computer (although I've not tried a Mac Mini yet) - however - I've never bothered to soup up and fine tune a computer to the nth degree (take a look on the JPlay website to see how far you can go!).
A solid streamer like a Yamaha CD-N500 or Marantz NA 7004 already have the good quality power supplies, no moving parts, SQ optimisations, decent S/PDIF connectivity, so you don't need to bother faffing around with upgrades - and you have dedicated software for playing the music without sharing it's resources to compete with IO operations elsewhere.
A solid streamer like a Yamaha CD-N500 or Marantz NA 7004 already have the good quality power supplies, no moving parts, SQ optimisations, decent S/PDIF connectivity, so you don't need to bother faffing around with upgrades - and you have dedicated software for playing the music without sharing it's resources to compete with IO operations elsewhere.