What Streamer would you recommend to a novice at varying price point?

[Jasonovich]

Yes it's Eversolo again, £1300 Streamer, the next Gen 2 Master according to Steve Huff is looking good.

What's your personal preference?

View: https://youtu.be/lEvvJ6PUu2M?si=jr1pqnOQ-vYpZVrq

 

[Witterings]

It all depends what you want to spend ... could start with a WiiM Mini as a starting point although I'd probably go for a Pro or Pro Plus depending what DAC your Amp has (assumin it has one).

I've recently found the new Bluesound range to be better sound quality than the WiiM's, I started with the Nano and have also bought a 2024 Node, they're better on their own although I do use an external DAC with them.

My neighbour has just returned an Eversolo Gen 2 in favour of the Bluesound Icon which is getting very positive reviews generally.

 

[manicm]

It all depends what you want to spend ... could start with a WiiM Mini as a starting point although I'd probably go for a Pro or Pro Plus depending what DAC your Amp has (assumin it has one).

I've recently found the new Bluesound range to be better sound quality than the WiiM's, I started with the Nano and have also bought a 2024 Node, they're better on their own although I do use an external DAC with them.

My neighbour has just returned an Eversolo Gen 2 in favour of the Bluesound Icon which is getting very positive reviews generally.

What were your neighbour's notes between the Eversolo Gen 2 and the Node Icon?

 

[manicm]

Yes it Eversolo again, £1300 Streamer, the next Gen 2 Master according to Steve Huff is looking good.

What's your personal preference?

View: https://youtu.be/lEvvJ6PUu2M?si=jr1pqnOQ-vYpZVrq

The main draw is its preamp capability - but there seem to be few pure powered/active speakers these days? So maybe with a good power amp then, but which?

 

[matthewpianist]

The WiiM Ultra is everything I need streamer-wise, using the internal DAC, which is also better than the one in my CD player.

The control app is stable and intuitive, the unit itself is nicely made, it's not overly expensive, and it sounds excellent. Job done.

 

[Jasonovich]

The main draw is its preamp capability - but there seem to be few pure powered/active speakers these days? So maybe with a good power amp then, but which?

Good question.

If I were to sell my Eversolo Z8 DAC in my study, I would pair up the DMP-A6 Master Gen 2 with my nearfield Adams A7V active monitors. Each has a built in D class and an AB class amp, bass and treble built in respectively.
I think that combination would be great but also I think it will work well with other active speakers such as Elac Navis ARF51 active Bookshelf Speakers or Klipsch KD-400.

A power amp would work too, possibly a pair of mono blocks from Fosi , sure there are better options or if your existing integrated amp has a preamp input, that would be a perfect way to save costs, I believe my Atoll IN100 has it.
Ah, yes it has preamp output and By-Pass (preamp input). Good to know
This allows me to use it as a power amplifier.🙂

 

[RJW232]

https://www.whathifi.com/hi-fi/musi...h-budget-music-streamer-offers-the-best-value

I would say this one or the other one from this article. Both good streamers.

 

[Witterings]

What were your neighbour's notes between the Eversolo Gen 2 and the Node Icon?

I haven't seen "notes" but his commens were ... he had a love / hate relationship with the Eversolo, some tracks he felt it was mind blowingly good and was frustrated with others, he was also frustrated with some issues with the software.
I was on holiday for over 2 weeks so lent him my Nano which he felt, whilst on a few tracks the Eversolo may beat it, but only just .... it didn't have the negatives he didn't like about the Eversolo.
I also lent him my Chord Qutest and he found the combination of that with the Nano, the Eversolo didn't get a look in.
He then ordered the Icon, on it's own it gives everything the Eversolo did but without the negatives and prefers the software, he thinks the Nano and Chord Combo still beats the Icon and may add a Qutest in the future.

 

[davidf]

I'd like to put up a Silent Angel streamer against the Eversolos. I know the Node X sounded better than the A6, and I'm sure a Munich M1 (or M1T with a suitable DAC) and PSU would perform very favourably - without all the glitz and glamour.

 

[Gray]

I've seen it said that 'a streamer is only as good as its app'.
Well I bought a Wiim Ultra and have to say that I can't imagine a better control experience on any other streamer.

Everyone has their own preferences and priorities for the way things work and look - so it's impossible to design the perfect app. But the Wiim app is so logical - and really appears to be the result of something actually tried and tested by its designers (and they constantly make. worthwhile improvements).

Of course a streamer is not only as good as its app,
Sound quality must be at least as important (if not more) to most people.
In that respect the Ultra is slightly below what I've been used to from a Rpi/ Hifiberry Digital+Pro / ESS9038Q2M DAC in terms of the finest HF detail resolution.
But I'm a real detail freak - and I know that what's missing wouldn't bother too many people.

 

[Dave_]

Of course a streamer is not only as good as its app,

Unless of course you're using it purely as a transport to feed into DAC/Amp/AIO actives or whatever....

 

[davidf]

A streamer lives and dies by its app/interface. Plenty of substandard ones out there.

 

[Gray]

Unless of course you're using it purely as a transport to feed into DAC/Amp/AIO actives or whatever....

Believe me, I thought like you think but....
Not only its headphone amp and analogue out, but all three of its digital outputs lack in the same way - when put through the same DAC and compared with Pi / Hifiberry as the transport.

The result is not what I expected, but unmistakable.

 

[Witterings]

I've seen it said that 'a streamer is only as good as its app'.
Well I bought a Wiim Ultra and have to say that I can't imagine a better control experience on any other streamer.

Everyone has their own preferences and priorities for the way things work and look - so it's impossible to design the perfect app. But the Wiim app is so logical - and really appears to be the result of something actually tried and tested by its designers (and they constantly make. worthwhile improvements).

Of course a streamer is not only as good as its app,
Sound quality must be at least as important (if not more) to most people.
In that respect the Ultra is slightly below what I've been used to from a Rpi/ Hifiberry Digital+Pro / ESS9038Q2M DAC in terms of the finest HF detail resolution.
But I'm a real detail freak - and I know that what's missing wouldn't bother too many people.

I loved and still have several WiiM's and agree the App is better, I really didn't want to move away from it also because of it's integration with Alex and Amazon Music Unlimited .... but there was a big uplift in sound quality to a Bluesound Nanao so have switched and also moved Tidal which was a major inconvenience and something I REALLY didn't want to do.

I guess it comes down to if your priority is sound quality or ease of use / integration into your eco system

Unless of course you're using it purely as a transport to feed into DAC/Amp/AIO actives or whatever....

I also though this but using USB out on both a WiiM Ultra and the Bluesound Nano into an external DAC there was still a difference, I would have much rather stayed with the Ultra but went with the better sound quality instead.