Benefit of a streamer?

[nopiano]

I still maintain, if at some point you build a hi-res library a standalone streamer is the way to go, otherwise you'll be doing a lot of faffing on a PC. I too don't disagree that in SQ terms there may be no difference, but personally I'd be more comfy without a PC.

I agree 100%.

 

[MajorFubar]

I think what I agree with is it's all down to whatever solution you personally are more comfortable with. Even with hi-res audio I don't find using my computer to be an issue, BitPerfect running behind iTunes does all the bit-depth and bit-rate switching without any intervention from me, but I can very easily see why others would find even setting that up to be a hassle compared to the 'plug-n-go' solution theoretically offered by a dedicated streamer.

 

[ngibbs]

I think another reason some might prefer a streamer is the perception that they're buying a product which has been optimised for one purpose right out the box. There is still a fear among many when you mention 'computer': the room's going to be a plethora of wires, keyboards, monitors, mice, need to buy virus checkers, register software, download updates, oh my goodness a big red X has appeared on screen, what do I do crikey I only wanted to play Lina Zaveroni's Greatest Hits! :O

And if not a fear, a belief that computers are somehow a jack of all trades but master of none unless you have a Masters in computer science. Bits, bytes, bit-perfect rips, hifi audio players, FLACs and ALACs. Blimey where's the big button on the front which says "Rip the CD I've just put in, tag it and store it?"

The (streamer) manufacturers of course love all this and emphasise how streamers are so easy to use, one touch rip, one touch play, does everything for you, all in a box, no nasty Windows/OSX updates, nothing to bite you and no viruses. Then to cinch the deal some of them have spin-doctors who are highly-trained agricultural-grade sewage-spreaders, spewing such odorous claims that rips made by their streamers sound superior to those made by computers, even though it would be probably possible to prove at bit-level that the rips are immaterially different, and maybe even completely identical.

Probably the most entertaining and best-written comment I've read on this forum. Hilarious, and true! Thank you MajorFubar!

 

[MajorFubar]

Thanks!

 

[kmlav]

To be fair the PC / MAC to dac solition is the more basic set up and better for the less tech savy.

 

[Overdose]

To be fair the PC / MAC to dac solition is the more basic set up and better for the less tech savy.

Contraversial.

:shifty:

 

[kmlav]

Not really .... basic plug and play from a PC / MAC direct to hi fi or or more advanced home network solutions

 

[Anonymous]

Very interesting thread.

At the moment I stream from NAS to Yamaha AV, but also have hard drive attached to BluRay player.

This is fine for party's etc, but having my two channel system I started to think about a streamer fo

that, but then realised I've got three netbooks hanging around redundant, so one of my net books will

become my streamer and attached via a DAC to amp.

If I hadn't have had the netbooks I think I would have gone for a dedicated streamer for pure convienience.

My problem now is which DAC

Just my twopenneth

 

[Overdose]

If I hadn't have had the netbooks I think I would have gone for a dedicated streamer for pure convienience.

My problem now is which DAC

Just my twopenneth

Now going off topic, but for use with a netbook only, I'd choose a good small USB DAC.

 

[bigboss]

I still maintain, if at some point you build a hi-res library a standalone streamer is the way to go, otherwise you'll be doing a lot of faffing on a PC. I too don't disagree that in SQ terms there may be no difference, but personally I'd be more comfy without a PC.

I agree 100%.

+2

 

[BigH]

I don't have a streamer, how do you access all the tracks/albums on a streamer?

 

[iMark]

[/quote]

+2

[/quote]

-1

I've been using iTunes since version 1.0. With the improvement over the years I have come to the conclusion that it's a very useful tool to build a music library. Since we have an Airport Express, a DAC and an iPad listening to music on the stereo system is extremely convenient and the SQ with ALAC files is great. Just rip everything in iTunes with error correction on. It couldn't be much easier. The iPad works great as remote control for the iTunes library.

And then there's a service like Spotify. That also works great on our Mac and iPad and gets streamed through the DAC.

All our music is on an external HD so we can even take all our music with us when travelling.

I don't understand how a dedicated streamer could improve on this. Where is the control over your music files? And how flexible is a streamer when a new service or a new codec arrives? What if the hard drive in your streamer with hard drives goes belly up? How do you make backups? Our entire music collection is on an external drive and I have a full backup in a different location.

IMHO a dedicated streamer system made by a specialized audio company could work. But then it needs to have at least the same or better features than my Mac. Otherwise I'm not interested.

 

[nopiano]

I don't have a streamer, how do you access all the tracks/albums on a streamer?

By using the supplied remote control or an app for your iPad or phone. For example:-

http://www.naimaudio.com/hifi-products/pdt-type/n-stream

 

[nopiano]

IMHO a dedicated streamer system made by a specialized audio company could work.

We can agree there then, as that's what is being debated. You might think my SBT doesn't count, and I'd have thought the same until I heard it!

 

[Overdose]

I don't have a streamer, how do you access all the tracks/albums on a streamer?

By using the supplied remote control or an app for your iPad or phone. For example:-

http://www.naimaudio.com/hifi-products/pdt-type/n-stream

So by the addition/introduction of a computer into the system then?

If you use a streamer that requires the use of such mobile devices with apps for control, then the streamer cannot be considered 'dedicated'.

Remember that the original question was, what does a dedicated streamer offer over a computer and DAC.

 

[nopiano]

I don't have a streamer, how do you access all the tracks/albums on a streamer?

By using the supplied remote control or an app for your iPad or phone. For example:-

http://www.naimaudio.com/hifi-products/pdt-type/n-stream

So by the addition/introduction of a computer into the system then?

If you use a streamer that requires the use of such mobile devices with apps for control, then the streamer cannot be considered 'dedicated'.

Remember that the original question was, what does a dedicated streamer offer over a computer and DAC.

I think you are being argumentative now! You can use a remote control, or is that a computer too? Dedicated here means dedicated to music, rather than spreadsheets or emails, surely?

 

[The_Lhc]

I don't have a streamer, how do you access all the tracks/albums on a streamer?

By using the supplied remote control or an app for your iPad or phone. For example:-

http://www.naimaudio.com/hifi-products/pdt-type/n-stream

So by the addition/introduction of a computer into the system then?

If you use a streamer that requires the use of such mobile devices with apps for control, then the streamer cannot be considered 'dedicated'.

Of course it can, it's dedicated to playing music. The controller isn't dedicated but generally people aren't buying iPads solely to use as remote controls (you'd have to be pretty rich/stupid to do that), although I do know of people buying very cheap Android tablets as replacements for the Sonos CR200.

Remember that the original question was, what does a dedicated streamer offer over a computer and DAC.

That question has been answered many times over. Convenience. I bought an external soundcard for my laptop the other day, specifically for playing music, only to find it doesn't support 16-bit 44kHz output (I kid you not), so I can't use it with WASAPI and Foobar! That's the kind of stupid ******* irritating, idiotic, ****-kicking, window-licking sort of bollocks that you have to put up with when using PCs and is exactly the reason why I don't want one in my living room attempting to play music for me. I've had my Sonos for over 5 years and I've never had one single issue with it (I'm fully expecting to go home this evening to find it all in a smouldering heap now of course!).

 

[BigH]

I don't have a streamer, how do you access all the tracks/albums on a streamer?

By using the supplied remote control or an app for your iPad or phone. For example:-

http://www.naimaudio.com/hifi-products/pdt-type/n-stream

OK thanks but do you need an iphone/ipad? I don't have these devices.

 

[BigH]

The other problem with streamers seems that many people have networks or internet connection problems, just read the Cambridge opinions on this site. I never have a problem with my computer connection but if I buy a streamer I would be concerned about reliable connections and other access problems, I'm not bothered about playing files but mostly playing Spotify/Rdio and internet radio.

 

[cheeseboy]

That question has been answered many times over. Convenience. I bought an external soundcard for my laptop the other day, specifically for playing music, only to find it doesn't support 16-bit 44kHz output (I kid you not), so I can't use it with WASAPI and Foobar! That's the kind of stupid ******* irritating, idiotic, ****-kicking, window-licking sort of bollocks that you have to put up with when using PCs and is exactly the reason why I don't want one in my living room attempting to play music for me. I've had my Sonos for over 5 years and I've never had one single issue with it (I'm fully expecting to go home this evening to find it all in a smouldering heap now of course!).

if you managed to pick up an external soundcard that doesn't do 16-bit 44khz it must be either one million years old or have costed about 5p.

that's the standard rate for any pc soundcard.

What was it?

 

[Andrew Everard]

OK thanks but do you need an iphone/ipad? I don't have these devices.

No, you can 'drive' the devices in question using the remote control handset supplied. app control is entirely optional.

 

[Overdose]

I don't have a streamer, how do you access all the tracks/albums on a streamer?

By using the supplied remote control or an app for your iPad or phone. For example:-

http://www.naimaudio.com/hifi-products/pdt-type/n-stream

So by the addition/introduction of a computer into the system then?

If you use a streamer that requires the use of such mobile devices with apps for control, then the streamer cannot be considered 'dedicated'.

Remember that the original question was, what does a dedicated streamer offer over a computer and DAC.

I think you are being argumentative now! You can use a remote control, or is that a computer too? Dedicated here means dedicated to music, rather than spreadsheets or emails, surely?

Argumentative? No, just trying to illustrate that dedicated streamers are limited. If you have no mobile devices that can be used as remotes, then the dedicated streamer is quite a clunky device, also, if to get the best out of them, a smart phone or tablet is required (these are computers and I think people are forgetting this fact) then the streamer is not dedicated is it? It is part of an integrated system incorporting a computer.

As BigH is asking, what do you use to control the streamer and how do you scan the source libraries without a mobile device such as smart phone or tablet?

If, as is argued, that most people already have such mobile devices, and their use is so simple, then there is no need for a standalone dedicated streamer, stream from the mobile device by simply adding a Sonos or AEX/ATV and you're good to go.

I should perhaps have started off by saying that I consider a dedicated streamer as something that comes as plug 'n' play with its own remote or panel mounted control function, be it button or touchscreen, so that it truly stands alone. I don't consider the Sonos a dedicated streamer, more part of a streaming ecosystem.

 

[The_Lhc]

If, as is argued, that most people already have such mobile devices, and their use is so simple, then there is no need for a standalone dedicated streamer, stream from the mobile device by simply adding a Sonos or AEX/ATV and you're good to go.I don't consider the Sonos a dedicated streamer, more part of a streaming ecosystem.

A dedicated streaming ecosystem. Sonos doesn't do anything else, it just plays music, it couldn't get any more dedicated and it's definitely a streamer. I'm sorry but I think you've got your wires crossed here.

 

[Overdose]

I bought an external soundcard for my laptop the other day, specifically for playing music, only to find it doesn't support 16-bit 44kHz output (I kid you not), so I can't use it with WASAPI and Foobar! That's the kind of stupid ******* irritating, idiotic, ****-kicking, window-licking sort of bollocks that you have to put up with when using PCs and is exactly the reason why I don't want one in my living room attempting to play music for me. I've had my Sonos for over 5 years and I've never had one single issue with it (I'm fully expecting to go home this evening to find it all in a smouldering heap now of course!).

So you didn't bother to read the product capabilities before you bought it? Hardly the fault of the Pc or the equipment. Should've bought a Macbook.

Edit: I can see your frustration when I select to quote your EDITED post. :rofl:

 

[Overdose]

If, as is argued, that most people already have such mobile devices, and their use is so simple, then there is no need for a standalone dedicated streamer, stream from the mobile device by simply adding a Sonos or AEX/ATV and you're good to go.I don't consider the Sonos a dedicated streamer, more part of a streaming ecosystem.

A dedicated streaming ecosystem. Sonos doesn't do anything else, it just plays music, it couldn't get any more dedicated and it's definitely a streamer. I'm sorry but I think you've got your wires crossed here.

No, not at all. I consider a dedicated standalone streamer as someting that can be plugged in and operated straight out of the box without any accessories. A Sonos device needs other Sonos devices or remotes added for full functionality.