CPP
Active member
Can't wait for the cool train pic.
Streamer selection
- Thread starter Mikado463
- Start date
Can't wait for the cool train pic.
JCS123
Active member
If you can find a good price on a used LUMIIN unit, it would be well worth exploring.
You can do either digital or analog out.
You can run it without a preamp (and it's extra cables) using the Leedh volume control.
The LUMIN app is excellent.
LUMIN's internet radio stations in FLAC sound much better than their mp3 counterparts. I've been able to compare directly going back-and-forth between the TuneIn mp3 and LUMIN App FLAC versions, and the FLAC is far superior.
But the best part of owning a LUMIN, hmm..... that might be a tie...: 1) the world-class customer support provided by Peter right here on this forum, and 2) the bottom line - that fantastic LUMIN sound.
If you get a chance to audition any of the LUMIN products, please do so. You might find yourself saving your $$ for a used D2 or T2, the only units I can personally recommend because I own (and LOVE) both.
You can do either digital or analog out.
You can run it without a preamp (and it's extra cables) using the Leedh volume control.
The LUMIN app is excellent.
LUMIN's internet radio stations in FLAC sound much better than their mp3 counterparts. I've been able to compare directly going back-and-forth between the TuneIn mp3 and LUMIN App FLAC versions, and the FLAC is far superior.
But the best part of owning a LUMIN, hmm..... that might be a tie...: 1) the world-class customer support provided by Peter right here on this forum, and 2) the bottom line - that fantastic LUMIN sound.
If you get a chance to audition any of the LUMIN products, please do so. You might find yourself saving your $$ for a used D2 or T2, the only units I can personally recommend because I own (and LOVE) both.
Puma Cat
Well-known member
Yup!
Could not agree more on your points. Well said.
I'll just add that adding my P1 to my system not only resulted in having a superb-sounding and world-class streamer, DAC and preamplifier, but it allowed me to significantly SIMPLIFY my system.
When I added my P1 to my system, I was able to remove....fifteen pieces of gear (components, PCs for said components, ICs, digital cables, power supplies, power cables for power supplies, yadda, yadda, yadda) from just the main audio rack alone. Fifteen. Good grief. :disbelief:
Now, my my main system* (streamer, DAC, preamp, amp, and speakers) requires 1 pair of ICs, two PCs, and a pair of speaker cables. Job done.
Geinrich Altschuler, inventor of TRIZ† and Nelson Pass have had it right all these years: the "simplest solutions" are...the best.
*-Not including the TT/phono stage as I don't listen to LPs much anymore
†- TRIZ: Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
- Thread Author
- #64
This might be a nice entry level unit to start with, assuming I can be patient !
WiiM Ultra: price, highlights, specs, photos - Crutchfield
WiiM Ultra: price, highlights, specs, photos - Crutchfield
Puma Cat
Well-known member
Go for it.
Darko just published a review on it: More thoughts on the $329 WiiM Ultra | Darko.Audio
Video: https://youtu.be/zWsJCUxLpqs?feature=shared
CPP
Active member
Now that tram ride looks like fun.
- Thread Author
- #70
Received the latest issue of Stereophile Monday, There was a review of the Eversolo DMP-A8. Other than it's built in pre-amp capabilities I don'e see much justification for the $1100 price jump over the DMP-A6. Since I have a completely adequate linestage in my kit I'm leaning towards the 'A6'.
I did get a kick out of JA's last sentence in his measurement review, "Despite its affordable price, the Eversolo DMP-A8's measured performance is state-of-the-art". For me that reads ....... 'No need to spend more' !
I did get a kick out of JA's last sentence in his measurement review, "Despite its affordable price, the Eversolo DMP-A8's measured performance is state-of-the-art". For me that reads ....... 'No need to spend more' !
NewAlkyogre
Active member
Comparing to the DMP-A6, the DMP-A8 has more then an additional pre-amp. The DMP-A8 uses AK4191EQ and AK4499EX dac-chips instead of ESS, has a better dual Femto clock, and a better LPS, and uses better components.
Michaels HiFi
Well-known member
100%
Did you ever decide on a streamer? I recently bought the Wiim Pro (not the Ultra). It costs less than $200 and you can send it back if you don't like it (Amazon). The difference between the Pro and the Ultra is that the Ultra has a better DAC. Since I already have a DAC, I picked the Wiim Pro, but if you need a DAC or want to eliminate one box, you may want to try the Ultra which has gotten rave reviews as well.
I am extremely pleased with this streamer. It is Roon-Ready so if you use are familiar with Roon it willl be transparent to you (just enable the audio zone and select it as your audio device). It also integrates with Qobuz, Spotify, Amazon, Tidal, etc.).
You can also connect it to your own library stored in a NAS and connected to the same network.
I was impressed with how easy it was to install and start listening to music. Plug it in, connect it to your DAC, run a latency test (built into the unit), and you are all set. It comes with its own software which looks very well done, but have not played with it much yet.
IME, you don't need to spend big bucks on a streamer, put your money where it really counts (your speakers and your room).
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Randy Myers
Well-known member
This is 100% personal preference. I do not use streaming services, however if I was going to it is available through Roon. My server provides all digital content to my DAC and then through the system (as it could also provide streaming services). I do have my Oppo spinner that I can play discs on. However I rip all my CDs and SACDs to the server for playback through Roon and HQPlayer.
I don't use streaming services because I have a hard enough time picking what I want to listen to from my 1400ish albums on the server and in the mid 300s vinyl albums. Also the streaming services, while being decent quality, are not up to the quality I prefer in my digital music.
I don't use streaming services because I have a hard enough time picking what I want to listen to from my 1400ish albums on the server and in the mid 300s vinyl albums. Also the streaming services, while being decent quality, are not up to the quality I prefer in my digital music.
If you can't get sound quality at least as good as CD via a good streaming service, your equipment isn't up to scratch! A CD quality or HD quality service from Qobuz (or Tidal) should reach your ears sounding as good or better than a spinning CD.
I have a similar number of CDs that are ripped to hard drives, but I will normally choose to listen via Qobuz because they may well have the same album in HD quality. Also, it's a lot easier to search for the album via PC, iPad, phone, etc from your chair, rather than to get up, rummage through your collection, take out a CD from its jewel box, place into player - then repeat in reverse 60 minutes later!
Also, if you were to use Roon, after you've chosen a few favourite tracks, it will suggest others it thinks you will enjoy. Thus you are likely to discover new artists that you may never have heard of. Win-Win as far as I'm concerned!
Agree with what’s said here. Streaming services can deliver sound quality much higher than CD quality which is limited by design to 16/44.If you can't get sound quality at least as good as CD via a good streaming service, your equipment isn't up to scratch! A CD quality or HD quality service from Qobuz (or Tidal) should reach your ears sounding as good or better than a spinning CD.
I have a similar number of CDs that are ripped to hard drives, but I will normally choose to listen via Qobuz because they may well have the same album in HD quality. Also, it's a lot easier to search for the album via PC, iPad, phone, etc from your chair, rather than to get up, rummage through your collection, take out a CD from its jewel box, place into player - then repeat in reverse 60 minutes later!
Also, if you were to use Roon, after you've chosen a few favourite tracks, it will suggest others it thinks you will enjoy. Thus you are likely to discover new artists that you may never have heard of. Win-Win as far as I'm concerned!
Although I have Roon/Qobuz, these days I listen to Spotify most of the time because Spotify’s algorithms for suggesting music I might like are superior.
I realize that everyone has preferences. In my case, when listening via Roon/Qobuz I often prefer the remastered versions of albums from my ripped library.
The only frustration that I have had with streaming is when computer or network gremlins keep you from listening to music. Those gremlins DO show up every now and then.
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NewAlkyogre
Active member
I long time thought that these high res music files sound better then cd quality.
A few years ago I visited the big Dutch audio show in Veldhoven. One dac was promoting its own non oversampling dac. In that time, I believed that high sample rates were better. After listening I had to admid, that this setup was one of the greatest sounding setups in the whole show.
Since a year I have a new cd player, the sound beats my streaming quality and I am back into listening compact discs. This player is still newly build with old stock of Philips, old Philips lasers and mechanisms
In my opinion the Nyquist-Shannon theorem is right a frequency 2 times the hearing limit frequency of 20k is fine as long as the reconstruction filter in the dac has a very high quality.
I forget a bit about streamers, clocks, switches, network cables, USB filters, network filters, one good designed cd player 44 kHz 16 bit hooked to an externsl dac, it is so easy, not much can go wrong and the SQ is tremendous, it is my nr 1 source
The streamer is for finding new music.
A few years ago I visited the big Dutch audio show in Veldhoven. One dac was promoting its own non oversampling dac. In that time, I believed that high sample rates were better. After listening I had to admid, that this setup was one of the greatest sounding setups in the whole show.
Since a year I have a new cd player, the sound beats my streaming quality and I am back into listening compact discs. This player is still newly build with old stock of Philips, old Philips lasers and mechanisms
In my opinion the Nyquist-Shannon theorem is right a frequency 2 times the hearing limit frequency of 20k is fine as long as the reconstruction filter in the dac has a very high quality.
I forget a bit about streamers, clocks, switches, network cables, USB filters, network filters, one good designed cd player 44 kHz 16 bit hooked to an externsl dac, it is so easy, not much can go wrong and the SQ is tremendous, it is my nr 1 source
The streamer is for finding new music.
Agree that not all high-resolution remasters sound better than a CD. There are many high-resolution remastered albums that have a lower dynamic range than the original CD. The designers of the CD had it right! The Nyquist-Shannon theorem actually proves that 44.1 sampling fully reproduces all frequencies in the human hearing range.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
Of course there is a variance in CDs, SACDs, high res digital files, etc. However, high res, especially DSD sounds much better than CDs or any streaming services (yes I have compared on both mine and other friends systems).
Even storing high res files on internal drives versus a NAS or other storage on your network does make a huge difference. I had a buddy who felt there was no way this could be the case. When I stayed with him for a few months before retiring and joining Cheryal at our new home we setup his new multi-room streaming setup. I showed him how copying files to the internal drive actually sounded better (he had an 4-8 TB SSD in his server). He was surprised and amazed. He does still stream quite a bit because he loves exploring new and different music. That is a great purpose for it.
There are many factors involved here. If you believe that wiring/cabling does make a difference in your audio quality then an obvious difference is eliminating wiring and devices that the signal travels through. As an IT guy I always thought it is just 1's and 0's so how can it make a difference. It was finally proven to me that it does, it really does. With streaming you are going through thousands and thousands of miles of cabling, and hundreds, maybe even thousands of other devices, switches, routers, etc., etc. I can assure you a majority of these "providers" or "routes" do not give a rats ass about the quality of the signal passing through.
If simply going straight from internal SSD drives (or even better M.2 drives) served straight to the DAC makes a difference compared to files from a NAS on your own network, how could signals coming from huge data banks (NAS's and a whole lot more) through thousands of miles of cabling and hundreds of random devices prior to even reaching your provider and then serving it to you through one of their mid-grade, at best, modems even compare. Obviously it doesn't.
There are pros to streaming, but having better digital sound in not one. My digital setup rivals my vinyl. It's that simple. No streaming service can come close to my vinyl setup in sound quality. Certainly they win in the convenience factor.
Even storing high res files on internal drives versus a NAS or other storage on your network does make a huge difference. I had a buddy who felt there was no way this could be the case. When I stayed with him for a few months before retiring and joining Cheryal at our new home we setup his new multi-room streaming setup. I showed him how copying files to the internal drive actually sounded better (he had an 4-8 TB SSD in his server). He was surprised and amazed. He does still stream quite a bit because he loves exploring new and different music. That is a great purpose for it.
There are many factors involved here. If you believe that wiring/cabling does make a difference in your audio quality then an obvious difference is eliminating wiring and devices that the signal travels through. As an IT guy I always thought it is just 1's and 0's so how can it make a difference. It was finally proven to me that it does, it really does. With streaming you are going through thousands and thousands of miles of cabling, and hundreds, maybe even thousands of other devices, switches, routers, etc., etc. I can assure you a majority of these "providers" or "routes" do not give a rats ass about the quality of the signal passing through.
If simply going straight from internal SSD drives (or even better M.2 drives) served straight to the DAC makes a difference compared to files from a NAS on your own network, how could signals coming from huge data banks (NAS's and a whole lot more) through thousands of miles of cabling and hundreds of random devices prior to even reaching your provider and then serving it to you through one of their mid-grade, at best, modems even compare. Obviously it doesn't.
There are pros to streaming, but having better digital sound in not one. My digital setup rivals my vinyl. It's that simple. No streaming service can come close to my vinyl setup in sound quality. Certainly they win in the convenience factor.
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