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Need help on buying a streamer / network player

Please help me to pick the right streamer.

I am currently streaming wirelessly from a NAS to a Windows laptop, and play using Foobar2000, digital (USB) out to a DAC.  There are some intermittent "interruptions" while playing.  I think that is caused by Foobar because the computer is fairly new, a powerful one and not running anything.  Also, I can't setup Foobar such that I can create smart playlist based on my rating, part of the reason is I play FLAC files with separate cue sheets.  Thirdly, I can free up the laptop for somethign else.  So, I am thinking to get a streamer, but I have some specific requirements:

1) There is no ethernet cable.  So, need to discover and stream music from the NAS wirelessly, and I can control it using my phone or tablet wirelessly.  If I buy a server and move all my music, than I don't need wireless for streaming, but I still need wireless to control it.
2) Can handle cue sheets.  I can split them up by track, but then it is (a lot of) additional work.  But if I can't find one, this may be one of the requirement to be dropped.
3) When I compare Foobar to Groove, I like Foobar better.  So, I hope the player in the streamer sound as good, if not better, than Foobar.
4) Stable.  No intermittent interruptions or drop out.  I read some comment for the Bluesound Note 2i that it sometimes failed to connect to NAS wirelessly.  Same thing happened on my Windows computer, sometimes the NAS drive disappear.  
5) <$1000 
6) I don't need a DAC, but it seems most of them has it.
7) I don't need multi room support

I am surprised many doesn't support wireless.  I gather the list below, and would like any feedback on them about stability.

1) Yamaha WXC-50
2) Bluesound Note 2i 
3) Primare NP5 Prisma
4) DenonDNP-800NE
5) find another software on the computer

Especially, I am interested to know CUE support, stability, and sound quality.
I know the Bluesound is widely recommended, but I read the audioscience testing saying that the Toslink is having some problem.  It also doesn't support CUE sheets.

Buying a streamer or network player is much harder than I thought.  =(
gte357s
mrklas
441 posts
 
@gte357s 
My set-up issues were directly related to me.  I decided to switch from wifi to ethernet to make it easier for remote 'trouble shooting'.

And now that my system is set-up correctly I wouldn't change a thing.  Also airplay is useful when entertaining....others can share music.
mrklas
441 posts
 
@gte357s 

My NAS is a Western Digital PR 2100.
bachemar
14 posts
 
I would second the recommendation to look at Roon. Roon in extremely easy to setup (the networking bits “just work”) and It has the perfect architecture that you are looking for (Nas for storage, Central DB, control from phone, play through hardware streamer, best sound quality etc).

Mainly, You can start with the pieces you already have, and grow into the final perfect setup, as you add each piece of the puzzle mentioned above.

For now, setup Roon on the laptop (or on the Nas, if it’s powerful enough), pointing to music on the Nas, and Use the laptop itself acts as the streamer. This allows you to control the music from your phone or any other computer in the house. 
When you are ready, add a dedicated streamer (Bluesound Node 2i), so the laptop (Roon core) isn’t tethered to the streamer, this improves sound quality, and looks cleaner.

Eventually you can move the Roon Core to a dedicated pc (Intel Nuc) or repurpose the laptop when you upgrade to be a dedicated Roon Core, for 24/7 uptime, and potentially better cpu.

That will then be a great setup with few compromises.

I too balked at the lifetime price of Roon for many years, but eventually realized all the other options were compromises, and was spending more money on piecemeal upgrades. Even though that delay in thinking cost me the price jump to 700, I have no regrets, except the thought that if I was going to pay for lifetime anyway, there was no point in delaying.. 
soix
8,660 posts
 
I’m not a computer moron (pretty close tho), but regardless I absolutely HATE troubleshooting computer crap.  HATE HATE HATE.  If that sounds like you, I’d just bite the bullet, ditch the frustrating NAS, and get a server/streamer like the Innuos Zen Mklll.  Why?  In addition to avoiding computer operational, configuration, and other optimization nightmares, the Zen is already self contained and optimized to be an audio server/streamer that minimizes noise and maximizes performance.  Done.  No more frustrating troubleshooting battles or headaches.  Also, loading CDs into the Zen Mini couldn’t be easier, but once you start streaming something like Qobuz you’ll probably find yourself rarely playing your own music (that’s my experience anyway) as most of it’s available on Qobuz anyway — some of it maybe even available at higher res.  And the Mini can be significantly upgraded later as funds allow with a better power supply and/or separate DAC.  Anyway, that’s my $0.02 FWIW.  Best of luck in your quest. 
gte357s OP
281 posts
 
 @mahler123  A Mac mini doesn’t have a screen, what do you use to set up the playlist and play music?  Is there an amp that can be installed on iPhone or iPad to do that?  Or you need to hook it up to a monitor?
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