@erik_squires Good thoughts. I was thinking about writing a similar post about how streamer manufacturers are not in a good economic position to author apps. And related is the ability to easily manufacture obsolescence in software. The recent news of Sonos discontinuing support for its older devices comes to mind.
It seems to me that many Vinyl and CD guys are now buying their first streamers, and streaming itself is now booming. I also suspect that streamer sales will slow as the market saturates with streamers. And if sales slow, the streamer manufacturers will not be in a good place economically to continue to pay for the even the current pore app development. And yet, the streamer consumer wants a good app! We love our consumer grade software, with beautiful user experiences and user interfaces, but many (most?) streamer manufacturers seem to only be authoring business grade software at best.
I feel like the one piece of consumer grade streaming software that isn't about to go anywhere is the Chromecast protocol. Every streamer manufacturer should be slapping CC in their streamers. (NAD and Cambridge have it.) This way, the streamer manufacturers won't have to create and maintain apps. Plus, all the streaming services build CC support right into their apps. I can just use the app that my favorite streaming provider already builds and maintains. Demanding a streamer app to bypass the streaming provider app I already pay for seems wasteful.
While I write this I have in mind another post where the OP asked about a streamer recommendation to replace his Cambridge streamer because the OP wanted a better app. But the Cambridge has CC build in... Well, maybe he'll sell me his Cambridge for cheap.
I've thought hard about the streamer I will use. Darko says that the Allo Digi One Signature (a Raspberry Pi with a reclocking HAT and two low noise power supplies for $500) performs at the level of $2000-$3000 streamers. That's great value for money. But I don't think my S.O. would like the streaming software options that run on the Pi.
So, for now, I use a discontinued Chromecast Audio with iFi reclocker. Both the reclocker and power cable upgrade for the CCA dramatically improved my system. I'm happy with this setup for now as I don't really know how a more expensive streamer will compare.
BluOS and Roon also interest me. I suspect that NAD and Bluesound are winning market share from streaming alternatives, and that this is happening partly because BluOS is so convenient and polished.
It seems to me that many Vinyl and CD guys are now buying their first streamers, and streaming itself is now booming. I also suspect that streamer sales will slow as the market saturates with streamers. And if sales slow, the streamer manufacturers will not be in a good place economically to continue to pay for the even the current pore app development. And yet, the streamer consumer wants a good app! We love our consumer grade software, with beautiful user experiences and user interfaces, but many (most?) streamer manufacturers seem to only be authoring business grade software at best.
I feel like the one piece of consumer grade streaming software that isn't about to go anywhere is the Chromecast protocol. Every streamer manufacturer should be slapping CC in their streamers. (NAD and Cambridge have it.) This way, the streamer manufacturers won't have to create and maintain apps. Plus, all the streaming services build CC support right into their apps. I can just use the app that my favorite streaming provider already builds and maintains. Demanding a streamer app to bypass the streaming provider app I already pay for seems wasteful.
While I write this I have in mind another post where the OP asked about a streamer recommendation to replace his Cambridge streamer because the OP wanted a better app. But the Cambridge has CC build in... Well, maybe he'll sell me his Cambridge for cheap.
I've thought hard about the streamer I will use. Darko says that the Allo Digi One Signature (a Raspberry Pi with a reclocking HAT and two low noise power supplies for $500) performs at the level of $2000-$3000 streamers. That's great value for money. But I don't think my S.O. would like the streaming software options that run on the Pi.
So, for now, I use a discontinued Chromecast Audio with iFi reclocker. Both the reclocker and power cable upgrade for the CCA dramatically improved my system. I'm happy with this setup for now as I don't really know how a more expensive streamer will compare.
BluOS and Roon also interest me. I suspect that NAD and Bluesound are winning market share from streaming alternatives, and that this is happening partly because BluOS is so convenient and polished.