Better digital front end for my DAC


I have a psAudio directstream DAC with the Bridge II.  I have tried using mcontrol, recommended by psAudio and find it frustrating.  It consistently repeats songs and I always have to manually skip to the next song.  In addition, I would like something that provides access to Sirius for more casual listening.

I bought a Sonos and plugged it into my DirectStream and it sounds bright and is not enjoyable.  This is using an optical cable.

Are there other alternatives that provide a better user interface, sound quality and options above what I have tried?
128x128mmporsche
unmodded sonos is jittery so yes it will sound shrill, a classic sign of problematic jitter in the bitstream

if you want to hear the sonos properly and benefit from its simple and foolproof user interface, get this:
https://wyred4sound.com/products/digital-converters/remedy-reclocker

... and a proper 75 ohm coax digital cable, don't use toslink unless it is glass cabled

e j sarmento at wyred has sold many of these, and modded countless other sonos streamers (before introducing the outboard reclocker) for a reason

otherwise just get a bluesound node 2i

third option is pay for roon... there are then many streamers that are roon ready, the software is very nice but you pay over and above the streaming services to use it

(no affiliation - just a happy customer)
@jjss49 thanks for the advice.  I have Roon but want to be able to stream XMsirius.  I guess I thought my fancy DAC was supposed to fix all the issues with low quality digital sources, i.e. Sonos.  I will try one of the Remedy Reclockers and see if this is the answer.  
@mmporsche

well the dac is receiving a digital bitstream signal, so depending on its internal ability to reclock and manage incoming jitter, it can sound good, ok or bad

with the reclocked signal out of the sonos using the little w4s box, you know that the incoming signal is pristine (and also upsampled to 96k) - so that part of it is handled

i have a/b-ed the reclocked sonos against auralic, mytek and innuos streamers costing many times more, cannot hear a difference into various good dacs on hand...

good luck have fun

ps - total sidebar -- what porsches does mmporsche drive? :)
Thanks for the great advice, I just ordered new cables and a reclocker.
I currently have a’98 Carrera S, last year of the air cooled cars.
nice!

i am air cooled fan too... nb 993 and 964 as well

i think the reclocker will make real audible difference for you, it did for me... if not i believe you can return for money back
I just received my Aurelic Aries G2.1 feeding into my PS Audio DAC and I can honestly tell you that it sounds better than my sacd’s fed thru my PS Audio DMP player.  I was skeptical to make the plunge into streaming audio, but I am pleasantly surprised.  
Oh, and since this is also a Porsche post, my last one was a 2010 Carrera 4S.  Not air cooled, but I think the last raw 911 made.  964 and 993 by far my favorite 911s of all time.  

Happy listening...er, driving!
I agree with @jjss49...bluesound node 2i clean simple to install, go coax. Also 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S...funny...high end stereo,  high end cars...we like quality for the money!




996’s drive ok but the interiors are just sooooo bad ... and the 996 gt3 is an absolutely brilliant driver’s car... tactile, demanding, doesn’t suffer fools - was it jeremy clarkson or richard may who said the best thing about driving a panamera is that you can’t see its exterior? same for 996... but then you see the interior!!! LOL

.1 997’s are ok if you don’t track them... ims and oiling issues are tough, but otherwise they are very nice cars, and nowadays quite good values
2010 997s didn’t have the ims issues. I sold mine at an incredible value. I had people calling me night and day up bidding the price. And yet, I wish I hadn’t. My 993 was my favorite, but unfortunately never owned a 964. Gosh, I almost thought this was a HiFi thread for a second. Agree, 996 wasn’t the prettiest inside or out, but the gt3 was one of the best.  
I had a very rare 996 TT X50 that had an MSRP of $165K. Leather everything and it was beautiful inside and out. White with Metropol Blue interior, hardback sport seats, PCCBs, on and on. I daily drove the car and loved it and should have never sold that car. Truly a unicorn.

I drive a Kia and a Biria. I’m considering buying the Uptone Audio Ether REGEN for the router. I currently use the ISO Regen and Ultracap LPS 1linear power supply with my Ayer DAC. The Regen and LPS 1 were a solid purchase, the improvement was considerable. Is anyone using the Ether REGEN and was the difference worth the $700.00 asking price?
I'd suggest using Roon; then you no longer need to use MConnect which can be clumbsy. Roon ties in with Tiday, Spotify, Quboz, huge nubmers of radio stations too. Don't know about Sirius XM though. You also get Roon's parametric EQ functionality for each endpoint (great and easy to use) and their sleep timer etc. 
Bubbleupnp has the same functionality as MConnect but I like it much better. It can't hurt to give it a try. Works flawlessly with my streamers. 
Like the response about the Lumin U1 Mini...it is very good and especially with the Leedh Processing volume control.
Can’t offer any advice on the audio question but and can say that the 996 is your best bang for your dollar after you upgrade the IMS. I have an 00 996. You don’t drive the interior. Also my Panamera GTS will kick just about any other cars ass. There is no four door sedan like it 
I have an Aurender N10 music server connected to PS Audio dIrect stream DAC. It works well, N10 has multiple types of outputs. N10 allows you to stream SiriusXM from iPhone. A

I was going to post a similar question, which streamers outperform PS Audio's Bridge II when using a DSD, so far the answer seems to be Aurelic Aries G2.1, Lumin M1 mini, Aurender N10, Bluesound Node 2i.

Does this mean most all dedicated streamers will sound better than router hooked directly to the Bridge via ethernet cable?  
@thosb 

Does this mean most all dedicated streamers will sound better than router hooked directly to the Bridge via ethernet cable?
 
seriously doubt it...
So in this case it's all about the added functionality provided with the Sonos device, and ensuring it sounds as good as possible, as opposed to finding a streamer that outperforms the Bridge II.  

And Porsches.
Yes, for casual listening I appreciate the ease of the Sonos as does my girlfriend.  We both dislike mcontrol for the layout and inability to play more than one song without manually advancing to the next.  

The Wyred 4 Sound Reclocker arrived today and I just connected it and the improvement is significant.  The unlistenable sound I was experiencing has disappeared but I am only 2 songs in thus far.  I am not able to listen at a great level because of family activites at the moment.  I did purchase a coax cable but the local store, ListenUp only had one.  Currently I have the optical out of the Sonos feeding the Reclocker and the coax into my PS Audio DAC.  I will source another coax and see if it makes a difference.

While at ListenUp my sales person suggested I trade in my old Sonos for the new version.  Wondering if anyone has tried the new Sonos Port after having the Sonos Connect and noticed a difference.  Also, now that I have the reclocker is it necessary?  I still get confused with the 1s and 0s.
@mmporsche

glad the reclocker is working for you

here are two good sources for reasonably priced, excellent quality and sounding digital coax cable - be sure to get no less than 1.5 meters in length

https://www.cullencable.com/nitin-digital-cable/
https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm

and to answer your last question - a sonos connect v2, and a sonos port, feeding bits (not analog) connected through a w4s reclocker will sound the same, work the same

happy listening

btw, i am not affliated with any of the above, other than buying owning and enjoying their products
I’m a big Roon fan but you get a big jump sound quality with mcontrol. I can no longer use Roon for critical listening. 

i added the uptone audio gen. A BIG upgrade for a modest cost.  Not as big of an improvement as going from Roon to mcontrol. 
I also went from a $150 “audiophile” Ethernet cable to a $500 cable from uptone and that was a nice improvement. You get what you pay for in cables, unfortunately. I wish it weren’t so but glad to have the improvement.