New amp and dac ordered just need a source

[admin_exported]

HI Guys,

Need a little help, i will be receiving my new amp a Naim nait5i and Rega dac this week, to go with my Kef Q5se 's i want to stream music from my NAS drive, are the only options a sonos zp90 and a squeezebox touch? (i have a ipad for the control interface)

I will be using the digital out on the streamer i decide on, straight to the new Rega dac.

I like the easy set up of the sonos with my nas drive, but the squezebox has 24bit capabilities.

Is there a middle ground out there that im missing?

Thanks

TIm

 

[Helmut80]

Out of interest, did you demo the Rega, and other DACs before you made a decision?

 

[Anonymous]

HI, yes i did, the main dac i compared it against was the audiolab 8200cd, and ive heard the dac magic before in the past,

I very nearly brought the 8200 cd and amp but liked the extra little weight the naim /rega combo offered.

The amp has been tested against loads over the last few months before deciding on it.

Just need a digital streamer, i get the feeling that he sonos will offer a better digital signal than the squeezebox, as it is a pure streamer no screens or other things interfearing with the output, reading lots of posts simple signal paths and good power supplies make a difference.

 

[mitch65]

Wise choice, a damn fine DAC

 

[Anonymous]

HI, what source do you feed your rega dac.?

 

[mitch65]

Tried it with a Rotel RDC-991 with very interesting results and streaming FLAC files which bettered the standard Rotel DAC (and that's saying something). Still early days yet but mightily impressed

 

[PJPro]

What file format have you used for your music files?

 

[Anonymous]

If this question was aimed at me, my nas drive is new, so all my cd's are yet to be ripped.

But i guess either flac or wav.

Tim

 

[Anonymous]

mitch65:Tried it with a Rotel RDC-991 with very interesting results and streaming FLAC files which better the standard Rotel DAC (and that's saying something). Still early days yet but mightily impressed

Are you using a computer to stream the flacs?

Tim

 

[Anonymous]

So does anyone have any advice on streamers as per original post?

I get the feeling im missing somthing just looking at the Sonos and the squeezebox

Thanks

Tim

 

[fatboyslimfast]

Bit of a different view, but don't forget the Mac Mini.

Can stream to up to 6 Apple Airport Express / Apple TV devices (£99ea), has a remote control (with a remote app available for the iphone/itouch if you have one), and has optical out for connection to your DAC.

You do need a TV/Monitor to plug it into, however, and would need to use Apple Lossless for a lossless file format.

But it is another option... and be picked up 2nd hand for around £250.

 

[mitch65]

tim20:
mitch65:Tried it with a Rotel RDC-991 with very interesting results and streaming FLAC files which better the standard Rotel DAC (and that's saying something). Still early days yet but mightily impressed

Are you using a computer to stream the flacs?

Tim

No I am using a streamer

(sorry but I have to remain tight-lipped at the moment). I've had the Sonos and got good results but not knowing the bit-rates of incoming files and Internet radio stations became annoying after a while but I imagine with a decent DAC it could sing rather nicely. I am sure that other options will become available this year so it just depends how long you can wait

 

[Anonymous]

mitch65:tim20:
mitch65:Tried it with a Rotel RDC-991 with very interesting results and streaming FLAC files which better the standard Rotel DAC (and that's saying something). Still early days yet but mightily impressed

Are you using a computer to stream the flacs?

Tim

No I am using a streamer

(sorry but I have to remain tight-lipped at the moment). I've had the Sonos and got good results but not knowing the bit-rates of incoming files and Internet radio stations became annoying after a while but I imagine with a decent DAC it could sing rather nicely. I am sure that other options will become available this year so it just depends how long you can wait

fair enough,

Do you think the Sonos through the rega dac will be good? will it be better than say a Squeezebox through the rega dac.?

Thanks

Tim

 

[mitch65]

I would imagine the Sonos would sound mighty fine, There's a recent thread by True Blue who has that setup and he doesn't sound disappointed