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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
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.   
chuckccs OP
42 posts
 
PS: if someone thinks, oh man, if you'd just spend (fill in a reasonable amount) it'll be a major leap forward, I'd like to know what this is, too. It's only money. 
chuckccs OP
42 posts
 
Ok, one more comment/question.  So you can sort think of streaming as possibly two things. There's the 'player' - like a CD transport - that sends the digital output to the DAC.  So the front end is mainly about connecting to the internet, the music service, and navigating the music (UI).  The back end gets the data stream and converts it.  Hmm.  So if you're not married to MQA, there are a lot of great used DAC's out there.  Interesting.  Are there devices like Bluesound Node whose only job is to do this streaming interface without an internal DAC?  
jackd
1,036 posts
 
To answer your question yes there are front end (streamer only) units but they start generally in the area of the top of your budget and are from companies like Lumin, Auralic, Aurender and Innuos unless you want to buy something based on the the Pi concept like Allo.  But you said you wanted an all in one unit so those units don't apply to your original ask. In the case of the Node 2ci, to my ears, it may get the front end right but not the back end. 
mahler123
3,018 posts
 
There are all kinds of streamer/DAC combos, or you can just get a streamer sans DAC;, a DAC that only does DACing; streamer/DACs with amplification built in;
streamer-DAC-amplifiers-toasters-car butt warmers, etc.
My advice would be to check the Audio Advisors site.  Products range from good midfi to lower level high end.  Their sales people are helpful as well.
I would join the chorus that recommends the Node2.  It sounds very good and does MQA, which is important for you, and comes in under budget.  The DAC is the Achilles Heel, and please don’t be offended, but in the system that you describe, the DAC in the Node2 will sound just fine.  In my experience it works better with ethernet, but you seem to have that covered.  If you add a DAC, I strongly suggest the Mytek Liberty, which will do MQA.
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