Which streamer to buy?

[peterpan]

I think the days of cdp are gone. I will buy a streamer, but which one? I don't like a bright sound with shrill highs for my music (much older rock, symfonic metal, pop).

I like a "hifi" solution. Also:

NAD C446

Marantz NA 7004

Pioneer N30/N50

Cambridge

Etc.

I think the NAD is too expensive.

My system: NAD C355, NAD C545, MA RX 6

 

[John Duncan]

Cambridge ;-)

However...the Pioneer N50 looks very attractive and it'll be interesting to see how it sounds when it arrives (if it hasn't already), but I think you should also add a Squeezebox Touch to your list, which is extremely cheap and higher-fi than you might think, straight out of the box.

 

[Anonymous]

+1 on the SB Touch. However you will need either a PC or beefy NAS to host the files and server.

 

[Shanka]

Hi,

Am looking at similar items and another consideration maybe the Yamaha NP-S2000 which is available with a large discount so is less than half original price from ssav.

There is a review in the media server section which can give more information if interested.

Linn Sneaky could also be of interest and superfi offering very competitive price

Good luck

 

[tino]

Hi, Am looking at similar items and another consideration maybe the Yamaha NP-S2000 which is available with a large discount so is less than half original price from ssav.

+1 ... but it is a fairly hefty beast and won't fit on to most hifi racks ... it is nearly 450mm deep.

 

[John Duncan]

The Yamaha's lovely looking but is a bit short on DAC funcitonality. I like the Stream Magic 6 in this regard very much (though obv the NP30 doesn't do it).

 

[plastic penguin]

Cambridge ;-)

However...the Pioneer N50 looks very attractive and it'll be interesting to see how it sounds when it arrives (if it hasn't already), but I think you should also add a Squeezebox Touch to your list, which is extremely cheap and higher-fi than you might think, straight out of the box.

Worth checking out Marantz NA7004. It's a very impressive piece of kit for the money.

 

[philipjohnwright]

Computer and a DAC?

My Mac Mini / Pure Music / Arcam rDac outperforms the Meridian 508 that it replaced, which was no slouch. Use a windows laptop to keep cost down?

Just a thought. As I said in a post elsewhere it would be interesting to pitch this solution against a good streamer. Haven't a clue which would be better.

 

[amcluesent]

Really check the features you need, many of these streamers still can't do gapless playback.

 

[peterpan]

Isn't the Marantz the best choice?

 

[matthewpiano]

Personally I think the Squeezebox approach is hard to beat, particularly as you could add an external DAC at a later date. The user interface is better than almost any other streamer and it is very easy to use and navigate.

 

[Crocodile]

Personally I think the Squeezebox approach is hard to beat

I see you've updated your sig, how are you finding the Touch? Although I'm guessing it only arrived today.

 

[matthewpiano]

Personally I think the Squeezebox approach is hard to beat

I see you've updated your sig, how are you finding the Touch? Although I'm guessing it only arrived today.

Hi Crocodile. Yes, not set it up yet but I have been using a Squeezebox Classic for some time and I've used a friend's Touch a few times. I think they are really good products. Will sort it out at the weekend and report back. Very grateful to you for sharing the voucher code, as it is something I've been after for some time but I haven't been able to stretch to it along with all the other demands on money!

 

[Gusboll]

I've had the SB Touch for a few months now and I'm still amazed by it. The old cliche about playing all the old music and it being given new life still stands. Best £135 I've ever spent on hi-fi and I was a confirmed CDPphile/streamer sceptic until I took a punt. I do recommend a decent NAS drive (I didn't know what such a thing was until a few weeks ago) or using a PC for storage though; the Touch currently doesn't bond with external hard drives too well, especially, in my experience, if you have over 20,000 tunes going on - random play? Forget it!

The other features of it are great bonuses, but the main one as far as I'm concerned is its Spotify ability; brilliant!

Currently listening to: Neu! - Neu II

 

[nads]

SBT aswell. See the thread on SBT set ups http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/your-squeezebox-touch-set-up

 

[SteveR750]

Computer and a DAC?

My Mac Mini / Pure Music / Arcam rDac outperforms the Meridian 508 that it replaced, which was no slouch. Use a windows laptop to keep cost down?

Just a thought. As I said in a post elsewhere it would be interesting to pitch this solution against a good streamer. Haven't a clue which would be better.

+1

I'd be surprised if a wells et up PC isn't at least as good as a budget streamer. I'm going to audition a Linn sneaky, i have a sneaky feeling it won't be that much better than my laptop / mc

 

[Trefor Patten]

Symfonic???????? oke:

 

[Crocodile]

Very grateful to you for sharing the voucher code

Just glad to see someone get the benefit.

Isn't the Marantz the best choice?

Not sure of the point of the thread then? :?

 

[John Duncan]

Personally I think the Squeezebox approach is hard to beat

I see you've updated your sig, how are you finding the Touch? Although I'm guessing it only arrived today.

Hi Crocodile. Yes, not set it up yet but I have been using a Squeezebox Classic for some time and I've used a friend's Touch a few times. I think they are really good products. Will sort it out at the weekend and report back. Very grateful to you for sharing the voucher code, as it is something I've been after for some time but I haven't been able to stretch to it along with all the other demands on money!

I'm curious to know what you think it gives you over and above the 8050 though, MP?

 

[matthewpiano]

Personally I think the Squeezebox approach is hard to beat

I see you've updated your sig, how are you finding the Touch? Although I'm guessing it only arrived today.

Hi Crocodile. Yes, not set it up yet but I have been using a Squeezebox Classic for some time and I've used a friend's Touch a few times. I think they are really good products. Will sort it out at the weekend and report back. Very grateful to you for sharing the voucher code, as it is something I've been after for some time but I haven't been able to stretch to it along with all the other demands on money!

I'm curious to know what you think it gives you over and above the 8050 though, MP?

Gapless playback for one thing, which is important to me, and the Touch offers a much better user interface than the Onkyo - being able to see the artwork etc. Also, it means that when I am ready I can upgrade the amplification without having to go back to the drawing board with the streaming side of things.

 

[John Duncan]

OK understood. I never think about gapless...

 

[peterpan]

For who already have a streamer; how do you like it? Is it better than a cdp like NAD C545 or Marantz cd 6004?

 

[fr0g]

OK understood. I never think about gapless...

This is the one "essential" thing for me in any streamer.

For classical and many electronica and prog-rock albums a pause in the middle of "tracks" is a real bummer.

In terms of functionality I have yet to see anything touch the SB.

 

[The_Lhc]

In terms of functionality I have yet to see anything touch the SB.

Other than hi-res audio (which, as ani fule no is rubbish anyway) I don't think there's anything that the SB does that Sonos can't.

 

[John Duncan]

There's only one way to find out.