Looking for advice for a DAC/Streamer

Connection with external Audio Devices Streamers
1

Dear Community

Looking for ideas for a network streamer with a DAC that would have the following characteristics, in the order of importance :

  • has a sweet and detailed and engaging sound
  • has a great DAC implementation
  • has USB DAC input
  • has Ethernet network input and support DLNA
  • can play natively DSD64 and 128 without converting to PCM
  • can play hi res PCM
  • has line out for connecting to a power amplifier
  • has Spotify Connect (wife requirement)
  • has Qobuz support (nice to have)
  • has Airplay

Thanks in advance

2

It’s difficult to reconcile all your requirements but check out the following:

  • Atoll MS120

  • Cambridge Audio Evo line (all in one)

3

Thanks @bitracer The CA Evo is not interesting because I don’t need the amplifier part. I will study the Atoll, have not heard about those. Thx!

4

You can also look at Cambridge Audio CXN v2. It’s closer to your specifications. It’s older device and some users have reported issues. Don’t remember if it was resolved.

5

You can also look at GoldNote DS-10 streamer if you want to go upmarket:

Somebody reported that there were some issues with UPnP and Audirvana some time ago, so you need to verify if it has been resolved by testing it.

Also the Bluesound Node is an option. You can’t connect to it using USB directly, it doesn’t do DSD nor UPnP, but it has the best software of the bunch.

2 Likes
6

Possibly one of these? I think it has pretty much everything you’re looking for.

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It’s also ‘Roon Ready’ :wink:

The spec sheet is certainly very impressive, as are the reviews I’ve read online.

7

What about the CXN V2 , that’s if AS eventually plays to it

Or a RPi then a DAC of you choice say Cambridge Audio DAC magic 200 , that gives you a lot of flexibility.

Just tried Spotify Connect seems ok.

The CXN does Tidal Connect and supports the Spotify app

8

The Auralic looks amazing. Thanks. It’s a bit higher than i wanted to spend for this use case but man it looks great.

9

I was actually looking at the CA CXNv2 and the 851N.
I never listed to one of these personally but the reviews are super solid.
They only bummer on these is the lack of native DSD support it seems they convert DSD64 to PCM and that’s about it.