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Budget Music Streamer

I've been trying to get my head around best sound out of a budget streamer. All my CD collection is now in my portable 2TB hard drive as FLAC files and I also have subscription to Apple Music (large playlist). Currently using Apple TV and Airport Express (airplay limiting to 16 bit/44.1kHz) and Apple TV streaming at 48kHz. I have a revealing system and know I can get better sonics by upgrading my digital source. Unfortunately I have been blessed with a good ear for music.  

There are quite a few options out there, each having it's limitations, specially the ability to play Apple music directly from iTunes using a remote without limiting the sampling rate. Do I consider a Mac Mini or build my Raspberry Pi source? Will I get a spdif connection (preference) out of the two? Is there remote control capability to view playlist (I don't intend to hook up a monitor). Or is there a better solution out there for both listening to FLAC files on hard drive and streaming Apple Music? I plan on selling my OPPO player - no use to me, to fund a better DAC (schiit Yggdrasil or BorderPatrol) - hence the digital source is on a budget. Experts chime in..

Simaudio W5 poweramp
Von Schweikerts VR4 
OPPO 105 
Apple TV (using Kanexpro HDMI de-embedder to extract audio - coax in DAC)
Airport Express (optical in DAC)
Benchmark DAC1 (no USB) - used as preamp
Marantz AV7701 preamp
Morrow Audio interconnects 
128x128ghulamr

Showing 2 responses by ljgerens

ljgerens
152 posts
 
Is there any difference in the SQ between your Airport Express and Apple TV? If the Apple TV is not as good, it might be the Kanexpro. I have 4 systems, 2 using an Airport Express and 2 using Apple TVs (the 3rd generation using the optical output). I can't detect any difference between the SQ using either the Airport Express or Apple TV, they all sound wonderful. The SQ on all 4 systems is neutral to slightly warm with no harshness at all, I can listen all day without fatigue.

A while back, I auditioned a Node2 and found no difference in the SQ between my Airport Express or Apple TV and the Node2 using my external DACs. I did find that the SQ was not as good using the internal DAC on the Node2. This was wirelessly streaming lossless ripped CDs  on my Mac. 
ljgerens
152 posts
 
@ghulamr - I have been streaming 3 systems wirelessly for 8 years and added a fourth for my wife over a year ago and I have never observed a dropout with either an Airport Express or Apple TV. My router is an Apple Airport Extreme.

My wife's system is a budget system using an integrated amp with a built in DAC. In my 3 systems I am using Emotiva XDA-2 DACs. I know many people on this forum will trash them but to me these were a great buy at $200 each new from Emotiva. 
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