Suggestions for streaming system

[LondonSi]

Long time reader/lurker but first time poster!

I'm helping you'll be able to help me with recommendations for a new system.

A few years ago I sold a Cyrus system (having tired of cables and not having space) and went for a Sonos system. The lack of cables and the ability to stream straight from Spotify appealed massively. Flash forward a while and I'm moving to a bigger place and long for the hi-fo qualify sound I used to get.

now I am looking for a new system and quite frankly am completely stuck. I love the speed and ease of use of Sonos but want a much better sound.

i tried the Naim muso thinking it would be the answer but whilst it was good at what it does, it didn't have the quality of sound I was looking for (even with high quality audio files).

can anyone recommend an integrated streamer that works with Spotify (and Tidal I guess as a I realise Spotify ain't all that when it comes to quality) but which will allow me to have the quality of sound I'm after?

things I've looked at so far are a Cambridge Audio Minx Xi with floor standing speakers (q acoustics 3050 for example), the Naim Muso as mentioned), the Cambridge Audio 851n (but that needs an amp and speakers at which point things are getting expensive). Max budget approx £1,500.

I would also like to use the system to connect my TV to. Or would just a good quality sound bar for TV/movies and 2 Sonos Play 5s in a stereo pair for music give decent enough results? There are so many options but nothing that seems perfect!

hope someone can help!

 

[Andrewjvt]

Long time reader/lurker but first time poster!

I'm helping you'll be able to help me with recommendations for a new system.

A few years ago I sold a Cyrus system (having tired of cables and not having space) and went for a Sonos system. The lack of cables and the ability to stream straight from Spotify appealed massively. Flash forward a while and I'm moving to a bigger place and long for the hi-fo qualify sound I used to get.

now I am looking for a new system and quite frankly am completely stuck. I love the speed and ease of use of Sonos but want a much better sound.

i tried the Naim muso thinking it would be the answer but whilst it was good at what it does, it didn't have the quality of sound I was looking for (even with high quality audio files).

can anyone recommend an integrated streamer that works with Spotify (and Tidal I guess as a I realise Spotify ain't all that when it comes to quality) but which will allow me to have the quality of sound I'm after?

things I've looked at so far are a Cambridge Audio Minx Xi with floor standing speakers (q acoustics 3050 for example), the Naim Muso as mentioned), the Cambridge Audio 851n (but that needs an amp and speakers at which point things are getting expensive). Max budget approx £1,500.

I would also like to use the system to connect my TV to. Or would just a good quality sound bar for TV/movies and 2 Sonos Play 5s in a stereo pair for music give decent enough results? There are so many options but nothing that seems perfect!

hope someone can help!

How much bucks are you spending?

Id look at hegel h160 but its not cheap

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004]

Still on the naim path,maybe a unitiqute 2 with a pair of dali ikon 1 mk2 speakers,streamer,amp dac all in one and I believe the dali speakers are available at richer sounds for around £300,they were over £500 on release.that should sound very nice indeed with plenty of connectivity for your TV or whatever.It also has Spotify connect and tidal support for streaming duties.It might be a bit over your budget,but worth it I'm sure.

 

[jmjones]

Bloody spam filter won't let me paste an Internet link, but try this.

http://www.audio-express.co.uk

They have an offer on the Cyrus lyric and if you like the Cyrus sound, you can't beat this offer.

I assume it is being replaced, but a great deal.

IMHO the Sonos is not a good idea. Try a listening test, I think you will find the SQ is well down on your other options.

 

[LondonSi]

About £1,500 with speakers. Looks good but there's lots of good options for £2.5-£3k just on an amp/streamer

 

[jmjones]

Missed the speakers off the budget!!

 

[Esra]

If the Minx Xi fits your bill and needs, you should look at speakers like Monitor Audio Silver 1 instead big floorstand speakers.If it is ok to turn your tv on while listening and your set is nearby your tv you could consider also an Amazon Fire TV Box for streaming and connect it to a more capable amp maybe with a integrated Dac or via a seperate Dac of your choice.

 

[andyjm]

A streamer is a format converter and user interface. Sonos have the resources to produce and support an excellent user interface, most (if not all?) of the competitors fall short in this respect. If you are used to Sonos, alternatives will seem poor at best.

As a format converter, Sonos produce the 'Connect' (used to be the ZP90), which is of pensionable age, has middling jitter performance and is very expensive for what it is (£250 vs £150 for the Play 1 which arguably has much more gubbins in it).

However, partnered up with a decent DAC there is no reason it won't sound just as good as any other solution whatever the price. You would also have the benfit of being able to stay within the Sonos environment.

 

[LondonSi]

The Cyrus deals are very tempting, thanks for the link.

yes spotify does have an exceptional,interface, everything else seems slow and clunky in comparison.

Seems it's difficult to find a relatively uncultured solution without spending significantly more!

 

[tino]

The Naim UnitiQute / Cyrus Lyric options look like a good bet if you want an all-in one solution with minimum cable tangle. These will support optical and line-in inputs from your TV.

Another option might be to look at a good quality AV receiver - but I'm not qualified to say which ones are good for stereo. AV receivers usually come with built in wireless networking, streaming services, good control applications for your phone or tablet and simple conectivity to your TV. For example, the Yamaha Multicast solution might be of interest if you like the Sonos approach to controlling your devices.

I would also suggest you look at something like the Auralic Mini or similar as a streaming device coupled to the amplier/speaker combination of your choice. This little device has good specifications and internal storage for your music, so no messing with NAS drives etc.

Finally, a plug for the venerable Squeezebox Touch (or other Squeezebox devices). I use one of these. These are great little devices with good connectivity, great UI and good software support. You can't buy them new anymore, but you readily available second hand. You can try and download the SqueezePlay software for your computer to see how the user interface works.

 

[Leeps]

Bluesound Powernode 2 £700

Rest of your budget for the best speakers you can afford that suit your room.

Bluesound has multi-room, internet radio, Spotify and Tidal support. The Powernode 2 has a decent digital amplifier included and has an Optical input for your TV.

Beware of "streamers" that really only stream DLNA from files you've downloaded onto a hard drive or computer. Many of these (including Cyrus) ONLY offer this kind of streaming and have no support for Spotify or Tidal which is why Naim and Bluesound are to be commended for keeping up with the times.

Cyrus have lagged behind a little in this respect. So their streamers will only be able to stream local files. Pretty useless to me whose primary music source is Tidal. For clarity it would be useful if the industry didn't call both kinds "streamers" because it may make some punters think they're getting something they're not.

 

[tino]

Beware of "streamers" that really only stream DLNA from files you've downloaded onto a hard drive or computer. Many of these (including Cyrus) ONLY offer this kind of streaming and have no support for Spotify or Tidal which is why Naim and Bluesound are to be commended for keeping up with the times. For clarity it would be useful if the industry didn't call both kinds "streamers" because it may make some punters think they're getting something they're not.

+1

Streamers and the streaming services they support are two different things. The Lyric does not support Spotify directly, but could do via Bluetooth from your phone or tablet. But that's more faff.

 

[LondonSi]

The Bluesound has native Spotify?

 

[tino]

The Bluesound has native Spotify?

Their blurb says:
Premium high-res music services like TIDAL®, Spotify®, Rdio® and Qobuz® – as well as virtually all other popular music services and internet radio stations are already built-in. Access your downloads and your entire iTunes library – or any other USB NAS drive connected – all without ever turning on a computer.

 

[lpv]

1) apple mac mini £399 ( after warranty expired I would swap HHD for SSD)..

2) any iPad to control mac mini - you may already have one, if not used £100

3) pioneer u-05 £549

4) yamaha hs8

5) some basic stands or acoustic pads, xlr and optical cables

and second version:

1) auralic aries mini £375

2) iPad to control aries £100

3) some £900 active speakers

4) ) some basic stands or acoustic pads, rca cable

third option:

1) Dynaudio Xeo 2 £995 ( cheaper in Europe)

2) Sonos connected straight to one of the Xeo speakers

3) dedicated Xeo wall brackets or stands + cables to connect sonos and tv

or:

1) AV receiver of your choice ( almost all if them have spotify built in)

2) some active speakers via AV receiver pre out

or:

1) new Onkyo or Pioneer audio receivers ( around £500) + speakers of your choice