Entry Level Streamer & Multi-Input DAC Options Please

[rtsyrtsy]

I am on the tail end of a 9 day holiday here in Dubai (Eid al Adha, the feast of Abraham sacrificing Isaac) and apart from logging in >300kms on my bicycle, I have put a pair of speakers in the bedroom.

Now, I want to get a streamer with a multi-input DAC so I can:

-play the FLACs/ALACs in my music server.
-listen to the following sources DVD player (digital coaxial output), cable TV set-top box (Toslink out), and PS3 (Toslink out).

This streamer+multi-input DAC will feed an entry level Opera Consonance Cyber 10 (6550 output tubes version, 2 analog inputs) which in turn drives 94db sensitive speakers. As mentioned, this is a bedroom so critical listening does not happen here.

The Naim streamer-DACs (ND5-XS, NDX, NDS) is near ideal given that I like the Naim sonic signature and it seems to be the most developed user interface around. For perspective, the Musical Fidelity M1CLiC user interface would make me pull all (that remains of) my hard and teeth out with my bare hands. But alas, Naim and cheap are infrequently found in sentences without the word "not."

-Cambridge Audio Stream Magic 6 US$1.1k
-Rotel RDG-1520 $1.3k
-A bit unusual, the Oppo BD-105 $1.1k

If I relax the constraint of having both streamer and DAC functions in one box, my options open up.

-The cheapest option for me is to bring back the Audio Note DAC One.1x that I Architectural Audio is helping me sell). I can pair that with an Apple TV or a Sonos and I'd probably be OK for music (& streamed movies if I use the Apple TV). But the DVD player, cable TV, and PS3 would use the TV as a DAC connected via RCA interconnects--this is my current set-up and it sucks.

-There is a plethora of multi-input DACs (Emotiva XDA-2 for US$299, Peachtree Audio DAC-IT US$449, the Wyred4Sound options starting at US$1k).

With a $1k budget, what would you do?

[mykel18]

How about Simple Audio RoomPlayer II connected to Peachtree Audio DAC-IT? Might exceed your budget a little.


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[timber715]

I would actually look for a dsd capable dac given your situation. At least it gives you options for the next level in digital audio... I have a w4s dac2dsdse and been happy with the upgrade, it is quite costly but for me is worth every cent.
There are lots of dacs to choose from from very cheap to ones that cost like houses which am sure any budget would fit. The best dacs I have come across brings nothing to the system ( not warn nor bright ) just good detail, separation and a pure joy.
Btw, a w4s dac2 and a w4s dac2 dsdse are wolrds apart in both performance and price
Heard several dcs dacs in several systems too but would not consider them myself since I cannot afford them, but they sure can sing....
Cheers

[carbondated]

Since there'll be a TV in the room my personal suggestion would a cheap Mac Mini, which has an HDMI output and will connect straight to the TV input. You can control it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. That way you get full functionality and a 500GB hard drive and you're not locked into iTunes ecosystem and can play FLAC files. And no one designs better UI's than Apple.

Then you can splurge on a standalone DAC, either the Naim DAC V1 or the full-width DAC (up to 384kHz or 768kHz respectively). I second the choices above but would add the Audiolab M-Dac to the list, and the Burson implementation of the Sabre ESS 9018 chip is nothing short of amazing.

Of course if you want to spend more than that there are lots of boutique manufacturers happy to take your money...

[macolive]

I've been considering a streamer + dac as my digital front end for a while. I had considered the Mac mini and possibly the m2 tech young Dac. At the time, mytek was already set to come out with a DSD Dac...so I figured that the whole thing was still in its infancy.

Now it seems to have matured a bit and i'm hoping to understand more before i jump in. DSD sounds interesting but it might be hype....not to mention that the differences in manufacturer's philosphy ans execution are so varied that they all must have different outputs. Everyone claims to be true to the music.

This will require further study

[timber715]

Well since the hifi show is just around the corner, maybe you can hear dsd for yourself during the event. Am sure there would be room/s that will cater to this....

[macolive]

Well since the hifi show is just around the corner, maybe you can hear dsd for yourself during the event. Am sure there would be room/s that will cater to this....

That's what i plan to do!

[rtsyrtsy]

Thanks for the responses so far.

I'm afraid neither the Simple Audio + Peachtree DAC-IT nor the W4S DACs are viable alternatives for me.

The Simple Audio has things I don't need (e.g. amplifiers) and does not have things that I do need (e.g. one box). The W4S DAC2 DSDSE breaks the budget and I don't really have a lot of DSD's to stream.

As mentioned, I do like the Naim house sound. In fact, I run a Naim DAC (bare) in my main rig. A Mac Mini + DAC-V1 is a likely "cost no object" option but I really am looking to go budget/entry level for the bedroom. Even something like a Unitiqute or an ND5XS would work well but that is still above budget.

I saw a ~US$500 device from Denon as well as a $1k+ device from Onkyo. I think their marketing departments have decided to call these as Network Tuners. Opera Consonance has its own version, the Reference 7 and the D-Linear 7 ($1125). Cyrus has a selection of them as well though I cannot differentiate one from the other.

The search goes on...

[timber715]

The Simple Audio has things I don't need (e.g. amplifiers) and does not have things that I do need (e.g. one box). The W4S DAC2 DSDSE breaks the budget and I don't really have a lot of DSD's to stream.

With several media players like foobar and jriver that can convert pcm to output dsd, you really don't need much dsd format music, but it they are very nice to have.

Goodluck on your search..
Cheers

[rtsyrtsy]

I may have found my solution...

US$50 HDMI switch which separates audio into a coaxial / optical out. No published specifications on jitter (I would simply assume it is terrible ).



I will then connect this into an old DAC I've been trying to sell without success.

I will order later and report on results.