Hardware Options for Streaming Music From Internet via Pandora, Tidal, etc.


What are the best hardware options for streaming music from internet radio sources?

Right now, I’m using Apple iDevices (iPod, iPad, iPhone) and Echo Dot to access the internet wirelessly - connected to my several pre-amps, amps, via an audio cable (typically 3.5mm mini to RCA, or mini to mini port).

I also use a Pure Audio i-20 iDock, with my iPod, which can connect to a DAC via various digital interfaces - if I want to use a DAC external to the iDevices (e.g. W4S DSD II SE, etc.).

Are there any other, better, alternatives (to iDevices, or Android Devices) for streaming music directly from the various internet radio stations - for a reasonable cost (<$1000)?

And... I don’t mean... laptops, notebooks, PC’s. I mean some type of dedicated internet receiver, with a solid state buffer, which can receive the digital stream from any of the services, and transmit it to a DAC via optical, coaxial, USB, etc. (not analog).
bassdude

Showing 2 responses by randy-11

Apple TV-3 

mine was $40 refurbed from Apple with a warranty

but I don't use the services you list, so check on that
for anything in the digital domain, I’d forget about "average sound quality...vs. superb sound quality"

After you spend $6,000 on speakers (*) you can go back and see if a super quality digital component makes a difference.

Also, it is unlikely that you will hear much difference between super res files and a well-recorded CD (redbook std).  A poorly recorded CD is a truly bad sounding thing however.  So go thru your collection and see if you have any CDs from the 1980s, or if your favs have been released with acclaimed sound quality.
Many people (and maybe all) cannot tell the difference between mp3 lossy compression and high bit rates/depths.  Redbook, and later mp3, were designed so that sonic artifacts could not be heard by humans.

(*) e.g. Magneplanar 2.7i speakers; or spend $10k on something else