I appreciate the answers. It seems as if the Innuos has a big following. Mike, it seems as if you do exactly what I'd like to do. I just figured out my current LPS will work with the Stream1. It won't have the aesthetics.
Innuos or Aurender
I am looking to purchase a server/ streamer maybe even with ripper used. I have narrowed my choices down to the Innuos Zen mini 3 w power supply or the new model Stream1. A power supply would put that over my budget. The Aurenders I'm looking at are the N150, N10 and the A1000. I am looking for ease of use interface, Tidal capable and roon capable. I must be able to transfer my old wav. files on to it. CD ripper software would be a plus even without a cd drawer. Obviously, sound is very important. I will not get to demonstrate either. The rest of my system consists of my newly purchased Garlubidor dac, Lamm 2.1 deluxe pre, VTL st150 amp and Vandersteen 2sig3 speakers.
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I have the Zen Mini MK3 + PSU and absolutely love it! Had it for 3 years and has always worked perfectly and is very musical. Innuos updates the software 2-3 times a year and has all the functionality that I could ever want and I think the best in the business. I had originally planned to start here and then upgrade but frankly I haven't seen any need to upgrade at all. 3 years on a piece of gear is a long time for me so quite a recommendation for Innuos. Plus, their new stuff is crazy expensive. |
From Steve Stone, an excellent audio journalist https://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/how-to-build-your-own-low-cost-high-performance-streamer/ "There is no product category with a wider range of available price options than music streamers. I have reviewed under-$100 streaming solutions, such as the Muzo Cobblestone ($59), and premium options, such as the Aurender ACS10 ($6000–$8000), but these were all “turnkey” products that came completely assembled and ready to install. There is another way—Do It Yourself (DIY). Welcome to the wonderful world of Raspberry Pi streaming solutions. This option isn’t new—computer hobbyists have been using Raspberry Pi’s for years. And even some turnkey items, such as the Bryston 3.14 streamer/DAC I reviewed in Issue 309, use a Raspberry Pi internally as the basis of their own proprietary streamer. This article will introduce you to Raspberry Pi, and some of the many options for assembly and use. The goal is to encourage you to consider and maybe even try a Raspberry Pi project yourself. For slightly under $100 you can have a Roon-compliant streaming endpoint capable of supporting high-resolution PCM, FLAC, DSD, and even MQA files (if supported by your DAC). How good can it sound? That depends more on your DAC’s capabilities and sonics than on the Pi itself. And if you want to go “ultra-fi” there are power supply and SPDIF upgrades for the Pi that claim an even higher level of performance." |
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