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Another streaming newbie

Guys, I have tried to search and figure this out, because I know this topic has been well-covered. But I am still wandering in the dark, so plz forgive my redundant questions....

First, here's my current rig,: I built a Lenco table 15 yrs ago with a JMW 10 arm/London Super Gold that I run into a phono pre that I built from a pretty high end kit  (can't see the name, have no idea what it is now!) thru a VTL tube IT-85 integrated amp and then thru some SF Electa Amator II, supported by a sub I built.  So pretty mid-fi setup, but it really works for me.  Sounds great, to my ears.  

The Covid thing has me home (no golf in Los Angeles!), listening to music more. Would love to stream something that approaches the vinyl sound quality with a music service, but being retired, budget is more a concern now... I just subscribed to TIDAL with its premium level (MQA) that I was running straight from my iphone 6 to the VTL. Meh.  Then my daughter ran same stuff through her iphone 11 and, hey, that sounded better.  So, clearly, I am in need of a streaming DAC.  

I know MQA gets mixed reviews. I have no way really to test this or to go listen to stuff. Everything is shut down here. So here's the criteria that matters most to me:
  • A great UI app because now streaming is like going to the Smithsonian.  There's a lot to organize. 
  • Great sound. (whatever that means!) 
  • One box.  Cables get expensive & messy.  
  • I'd like to keep it under $2K. I'd really like to keep it under $1K, but that may be wishful thinking.  I mean, is Bluesound Node 2 up to it? I am sure it would beat my daughters iphone 11, but ... what are reasonable streamers/DACS?  Where's the killer solution that isn't $10K?  I know it's out there....
I am not so far into TIDAL that I can't change. My system is in the same room as my router, so I can run an ethernet cable to the DAC.  As I have looked at all of this, it has occurred to me to get an older, much higher quality used DAC that I can somehow mesh with TIDAL (or another service with high quality streaming) and forget the MQA.  But this has to somehow hook into my internet directly and be able to be run by a remote UI.  So now my head is spinning.

Thanks for your input.  Chuck
chuckccs
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jazzman7
334 posts
 
Bluesound Node is a great place to start. It has a solid interface and supports a whole host of streaming services as well as internet radio.
Get started there, and then if you want to take it further, take it up a notch with an outboard DAC. If you look to the used market, you can definitely put together a very nice streaming rig within a $1K to $2K budget with a Bluesound Node of any generation (N100, Node 2, or Node 2i) as your starting point.
For the money, a Bluesound Node 2 or 2i combined with something like a Chord Qutest or Ayre Codex would make for an absolutely killer combination.  But hey, older kit, like a Bluesound Node N100 combined with something like a Bryston BDA-1 wouldn't be at all shabby, and that combo could probably be had for around $1K.


tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,533 posts
 
The Bluesound Node2i is a streamer/DAC that you can connect to wirelessly or with an ethernet cable. The BluOs app that you would download to your phone for free is a really nice app that will allow you to connect with and control Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify, Internet radio, etc. It is easy to set up and use. It’s probably about as easy to use as you can get. It shows you the album art, titles, and tracklists. It is just a really good basic app. Help is available from Bluesound or here if you need it.

For $500 you get good sound. For more money there is much better sound out there. You don’t seem to be a hard core audiophile, obsessed with the way you system sounds, so I think it would be a very good entry option into streaming for you. It is not the only option, though. 

I see them used for sale here for $350 from time to time. I don’t know what they actually sell for, but you won’t have to take a big loss if you don’t like it. If in time you want better sound you can buy a better DAC and just use the Node to stream.

I love streaming. The ability to access so many albums so easily is just great. The week’s new albums are on your phone automatically every Friday. Read about an album that sounds interesting and just pull it up on your phone and give it a listen. A lot of music is easier to enjoy if you don’t have to buy a copy of it. It ends the buyer’s remorse problem.

I’ll let someone else give you another option.

jackd
1,037 posts
 
The best sounding and most functional all in on unit you are going to find under $2000, though just barely, is the Teac NT-505. While the Node will accomplish the streaming part you would need to buy an outboard DAC for acceptable sound quality up to the standards of the rest of your gear. A far better option to the Node 2 if you don't want to go to the top of your budget may be the Volumio Primo.

https://volumio.org/product/volumio-primo/
chuckccs OP
42 posts
 
Thx, guys. Question. This stuff is still confusing to me. How does something like Bluesound node2 and Chord Qutest work together? What does each do? Would the node be sort of like the front end (get and manage the streaming) and the Chord do the actual conversion? 

And it's true, while there are much more hard core audiophiles out there, I did buy and sell a lot of pretty good gear to finally put this system together that worked for me. So I definitely have some hard-to-define threshold that is pretty much pass-fail for me. 

But yeah, this whole world of content is just siting there for $10-20/month. That's awesome.  I mean, I like playing records. Sometimes.  But just to be able to play this, then that piece of music without getting out of my chair.  Nice.   
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