I appreciate Aangen’s suggestion to call SmallGreenComputer regarding the Urendu log-in issue. I will call them for help to see if I can get it going. But, between Windows 11 blocking me out ot Audirvanna and Mini Mac’s password problem
It may be time to leave the mainline computers out of music streaming. This is one possibility: Matrix X-SABRE Pro. I read that it can be slightly harsh. Any other suggestions of direct streamers that will connect to the DS DAC’s i2s under $2.5K.
There is no phone number to call SmallGreenComputer. I filled in a contact box.
I was depending on computer access for streaming and discovered pc’s aren’t very good as this is not the main purpose for them. I purchased a bluesound node 2i and never looked back.
I’m in a similar camp. I hadn’t done the Tidal/Qobuz streaming yet, but I enjoy an occasional listen to internet radio and Spotify to see what’s new. In my case, though, I knew I wanted a server to store my ripped music. My MacBook just didn’t deliver the goods like I wanted it to. It was functional, but there were too many moving parts. Was the USB cord the best sounding? Mehhhh… Was JRiver going to be completely cooperative with the OS? I picked up an Auralic Altair G1 and got all of what I needed, plus Airplay, dedicated internal storage and a really nice user interface. It’s been a while since I made a better decision than the upgrade.
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I had been waiting for 2+ years on PS Audio to bring out their Server/Streamer product so that I could ditch my PC/jRiver combo. Given the recent news that the product coming to market was going to be streamer only, with no internal memory or ability to connect a USB drive, I just bought an Aurender N100C. It has 4 TB of internal storage for my music library, and supports both Tidal & Qobuz for streaming.
I bought a new one at a discount from TMR, but they are an Aurender dealer, so they almost always have good used units coming through there for even less. The Aurenders don’t have I2S outputs, so you would still need a Matrix X-SPDIF 2 for I2S. I use a PS Audio LanRover to the USB input of my DSD, and it sounds significantly better than the same setup coming from a laptop running jRiver.
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Help this dense old man, please………since when is it possible to stream music without a computer of some kind, shape or form???
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I’m another old man, 75 on the last day of the year, but I do know that most of the streamers have dedicated computers inside, but all they do is music. They also have high quality power supplies and top audio circuits. Just no constantly changing, noisey do it all computer.
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This is the only reasonably price I2S compatible streamer I am aware of. There are several owners on the forum.
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Thanks dawkins. That may be just what I’m looking for.
As noted in a post above every device capable of streaming has some form of CPU within it. I stopped using a Mac for streaming 8 years ago when I bought a Synology NAS. The cpu in this NAS runs MinimServer and is quite capable of handling the associated computing (in my case converting 16/44 Apple lossless to 24/44 WAV, which is best for my renderer / DAC). Audio file streaming requires far less power than needed to stream video.
I’d also note that the renderer has a processor to convert ethernet packages to streamed audio, as does the control device (phone or tablet) for music playback.
Using a NAS may be the least expensive option for you, particularly if you have storage needs other than for music files.
Such interesting options. Thanks for all the info. I’m surprized that the Mano Ultra mkII is not on Jesus spread sheet for a compatible i2s connection to DS. After reading a few related post I see that is compatible but not quite on paper. I have a Synology NAS, a raspberry pi and a M1 Mac mini sitting in my custom built toy box ready to play, and there’s a JRiver down stream- I think that was a pun, just for fun.
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This might give you some idea at least to start on how things go together:
Would I use the Synology usb to my Matrix-X to get to the DS DAC?
I’m about to give up my pc, (that feeds my Auralic Aries G2) with a synology DS920+. I like the idea of hd redundancy, if one fails you can put in a new drive without loosing anything. The thing about pcs or drives in audio kit, they only have 1 drive, if it goes you have to rebuild them. And unless I’m wrong, it won’t suffer bitrot as it’s self correcting.
Mny Tnx, 67.
Unfortunately this is not possible with a Synology NAS. The USB connection is there to allow copying/backup of the files on the NAS by connecting a desk-top hard disk via USB. The streaming output is only available via ethernet so you need a device “a renderer” to convert this stream (of data packages) to a stream of music. This stream of music could be output as any (or all) of SPDIF, TOSlink, I2S or AES/EBU that can be connected to the DAC.
Some renderers do have a USB output but this output will require further processing in the DAC to produce music.
Me too I want to put my MacMini out of system as soon as possible.
Maybe next year when PS Audio will launch the new streamer, I do not need storage because I’m a vinyl guy 70% and CD guy 30%. So I would use the new streamer only for streaming purpose like quobuz or octave as well. Occasionally and mainly to zapping new music to buy on physical support.
Just one limit: video concert DVD. The only real benefit from my MacMini (and Apple DVD disc drive connected to it) actually is that I can watch live concerts/music contents (video from it and audio from PS Audio 2 channel system).
So my question is: when I put out the MacMini from the chain how can I see DVD concert. Not enough space on my solidsteel shelves. Is there a little DVD player able to be directly connected to DS DAC or to the coming soon streamer, as small as a MacMini?
I had an Apple tech look at my screen and she said I had a network issue. I’m going to Spectrum in the morning and picking up a new modem and discuss the WAN with them.
Hi Luca,
I faced a similar problem some time ago, although for slightly different reasons. My aim was to completely move away from physical media and switch exclusively to some digital storage and playback scheme for both audio and video. I also wanted to channel all audio through the I2S input on my DSDAC. I’ll leave aside my audio solution as your question was about video. What I settled on for DVD and Blu-ray discs (BDs) was to copy my collection to ISO disc image (.iso) files. Many computer OSs these days are natively capable of ‘mounting’ .iso files as so-called ‘virtual discs’. Many software players like VLC are also capable of treating .iso files as virtual discs. Theoretically this provides the same user experience as if you had loaded a physical disc into a DVD or Blu-ray player. At least VLC does this for you. The down side of this is storage requirements. DVD .iso files typically require about 7GB while BDs around 45GB. So you’ll probably want a NAS with a decent capacity, depending on the size of your collection. I have a Synology NAS with a 20TB storage volume. I access the library across my LAN as a (Windows) shared folder. My music library is on the same NAS in a separate folder and I access that similarly.
The ‘player’ (or ‘streamer’) simply accesses the shared folder in order to manage the library.
Cheers,
Mike
Thank you @MikeK.
I do not need a big storage (NAS) because my collection is and will always be (never say always in this hobby!) physical, vinyls CDs and DVDs.
So your idea, if I understand well, would be to rip the DVD when I want to watch it. And play the .iso file from the streamer (the Octave new streamer for example when it will be launched). In this scheme the MacMini is completely out of the chain. A computer, wherever in the house, is needed only to rip DVD and via LAN network bring the file ripped to the streamer. Maybe also via WiFi, because the Octave streamer will be able to connect WiFi (even if many members here consider this a bad idea due to noise and interference issues).
Just one question: how can I connect the TV to see video? Via Octave streamer or DS DAC? Or whatelse?