Streamer to kill the big boys for under $250

[Blizzard]

Here is the $6000 question. Upgrade my N100H to the N10 or build a music server? Must have an iPad app for control purposes.

I'd say just wait for the Roon integration. By then there will be others confirming the sound anyways. Grab a cheap deal at Bestbuy or something on a HP or Dell mini tower after xmas when all the sales are on. It can just be in an office or something. As long as it has an I7 quad core processor, it will be fine.

 

[nc42acc]

The Roon integration will allow the use of the remote with HQplayer correct?

I'd say just wait for the Roon integration. By then there will be others confirming the sound anyways. Grab a cheap deal at Bestbuy or something on a HP or Dell mini tower after xmas when all the sales are on. It can just be in an office or something.

 

[Blizzard]

Where can I download the needed software for the turn key USB sticks? BTW, does it support the Alpha Berkeley USB?

I will prepare the images on a fast file hosting site.


It's will support any Linux compatible USB device. But the Alpha is limited to 24/192 PCM, so you won't get the best out of HQ player. It shines the most at upsampling all PCM to DSD. This way it bypasses the DAC chips internal SDM/SRC with far superior algorithms. If you have a chipless DSD DAC, or DAC like the IFI, or with a AK4490 chip that allows bypassing the chips internal SDM/SRC section, this is when you get the very best performance. A cheap simple DAC can sound like a giant killer.

 

[Blizzard]

NC, if you are p for it, I will try out this solution and can compare notes with you. I am not the most ideal candidate as I only have an old i3 Laptop and otherwise am running Mac. i7 Mac mini. I have general HQP and JRiver icences, so set there as well.

Linux is very good, as Blizz says,,,Luaksz confirmed that to me.

Your I7 mac mini should be able to handle DSD 256 resampling from PCM. Which generation is it?

 

[Blizzard]

Are you saying that we can connect a Devialet USB port to this streamer, bypassing the Devialet Air?

Yes you can, but the Devialet is only 24/192 PCM compatible. So won't get the best from this technology. However, it will still be better than nothing as you can still upsample lower than 24/192 PCM to 24/192, and DSD to 24/192 PCM, using the best algo's around. This will bypass the Devialet's internal SRC chip.

 

[Blizzard]

The Roon integration will allow the use of the remote with HQplayer correct?

Yes and not just an Ipad remote, the best ever built. The Roon ipad remote. And also has Tidal integration. So Tidal and local collection can be integrated seamlessly. And the Tidal can be processed through the HQplayer SDM/SRC algorithms to launch the quality to levels never heard before from a streaming service.

Maybe try the Roon free trial with remote to warm up to the system for now.

 

[Blizzard]

Is the storage based in the server? Why not just build a silent PC and stick it in my audio rack and pull from it? I am in need of education guys.

You won't even need a NAS. You can just use the hard drive in the server. But you can also use your NAS as well. that's what i'm doing. My server only has a 100GB HDD in it. And it's networked to a Qnap NAS with dual 4tb drives in it.

All a NAS is, is a low powered compact computer with OS dedicated to host your storage. With the server, you're just building a more powerful and capable NAS. You set it up once, just like a NAS, and it just runs on it's own. No need for monitor, keyboard or anything to be connected to it. Just make sure it's turned on when you want to listen to music. Then the ipad app will connect. Or just leave it on continuously, that's what I do.

 

[nc42acc]

Sign me up! ETA on the Roon integration with HQplayer?

Yes and not just an Ipad remote, the best ever built. The Roon ipad remote. And also has Tidal integration. So Tidal and local collection can be integrated seamlessly. And the Tidal can be processed through the HQplayer SDM/SRC algorithms to launch the quality to levels never heard before from a streaming service.

Maybe try the Roon free trial with remote to warm up to the system for now.

 

[Blizzard]

Sign me up! ETA on the Roon integration with HQplayer?

All I know is what's on the Roon/hqplayer integration progress page. I'm hoping less than a month. 100's of people are chomping at the bit promising lifetime Roon memberships once complete.

 

[Blizzard]

Ok sounds like 3 guys so far. I'll work on getting everything up to host the image tonight. I think I will scrap the idea of mailing out sticks and just offer the download for $75 only. 16GB USB 3.0 sticks are readily available. Anyone can grab their own. Order with the computer and RAM on Amazon for $8.99:

http://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultra-Transfer-Speeds-s-SDCZ48-016G-UAM46/dp/B00KZIXSP6



It's very easy to make a bootable stick from the image with Rufus:

https://rufus.akeo.ie/

you don't even have to install it. Just open and it runs. It senses the image format and automatically chooses the right settings. Very slick program.




I also want to give it a go with a couple of DACs to see if they all automatically connect. Worked good with 2 so far. The only difference between my streamer and the one I linked to on Amazon is I'm just using the stand alone motherboard without the case. $30 more than Amazon for the unit in a case at Mouser. this is where I got my board:


http://www.mouser.com/search/refine.aspx?Ntk=P_MarCom&Ntt=168490305


I suppose anyone could just buy the board and pop in a fancy aluminum case as well if they wanted to.

 

[lateboomer]

There are some info implied here that I want to understand:

1) I intend to run HQplayer server with i7 laptop upgraded to Win 10. Will it work with this Linux NAA? Do I need to run Linux os at the laptop?

2) This Linux NAA can output usb audio to all Dacs as long as they can accept usb audio? So whether this NAA running in Linux or Wind is immaterial? If this not the case, then I have one Uptone Regen to interface with this NAA and connect to the Dac. It should be able to work?

 

[Blizzard]

There are some info implied here that I want to understand:

1) I intend to run HQplayer server with i7 laptop upgraded to Win 10. Will it work with this Linux NAA? Do I need to run Linux os at the laptop?

2) This Linux NAA can output usb audio to all Dacs as long as they can accept usb audio? So whether this NAA running in Linux or Wind is immaterial? If this not the case, then I have one Uptone Regen to interface with this NAA and connect to the Dac. It should be able to work?

It doesn't matter which operating system HQplayer is running on. It will find the streamer, if the streamer is connected to the network and powered on. As long as the DAC has a Linux compatible USB interface it will work. Most DAC's do. The REGEN will function just the same. Doesn't matter which operating system is used.

 

[lateboomer]

Currently I am using Bryston BDP-2 which also running stripped down Linux os with upgraded audio card, and combined with one Jitterbug and music files on LPS powered plus Regen connected external HD, gives very satisfying good sound indeed.
I am not sure this HQplayer + NAA combo can beat it, which I am going to find out, but may be hard to do.

I am also have got a complete set of CAPS2.0 server parts for almost 2 years, but not manage to set it up. That is why I like this idea.

 

[wisnon]

Your I7 mac mini should be able to handle DSD 256 resampling from PCM. Which generation is it?

Its 2012. I run Mac OSX and core audio only outputs to dsd128 as a limit, no? I refuse to run bootcamp for PC.

 

[Blizzard]

Currently I am using Bryston BDP-2 which also running stripped down Linux os with upgraded audio card, and combined with one Jitterbug and music files on LPS powered plus Regen connected external HD, gives very satisfying good sound indeed.
I am not sure this HQplayer + NAA combo can beat it, but may be hard to do.

The hardware may not be better, but the HQPLAYER algorithms it allows you to preform is what the big deal is about here. If not, you could just run Jriver on the thing, and use Jremote to control it. This way you wouldn't need a NAS, server or anything. Just because Bryston puts a SBC in a fancy box, doesn't mean it's better. I bet any money the board they use is less quality and cheaper than the Intel board in this NUC.

 

[wisnon]

Currently I am using Bryston BDP-2 which also running stripped down Linux os with upgraded audio card, and combined with one Jitterbug and music files on LPS powered plus Regen connected external HD, gives very satisfying good sound indeed.
I am not sure this HQplayer + NAA combo can beat it, which I am going to find out, but may be hard to do.

I am also have got a complete set of CAPS2.0 server parts for almost 2 years, but not manage to set it up. That is why I like this idea.

THIS DUAL PC IDEA IS NOT NEW. Normally people run a fibre media converter between PC and NAA to further isolate dirty power and ethernet packet noise. This is a simpler implementation of he same concept for small money to play to the strength of HQP and optimized Linux. You can still use Regen and other clean up tricks for USB audio…like USB reclocking and linear power supplies in the chain.

 

[wisnon]

the hardware may not be better, but the hqplayer algorithms it allows you to preform is what the big deal is about here. If not, you could just run jriver on the thing, and use jremote to control it. This way you wouldn't need a nas, server or anything. Just because bryston puts a sbc in a fancy box, doesn't mean it's better. I bet any money the board they use is less quality and cheaper than the intel board in this nuc.

sbc?

 

[Blizzard]

Its 2012. I run Mac OSX and core audio only outputs to dsd128 as a limit, no? I refuse to run bootcamp for PC.

My Mac mini is 2012 as well, and only I5. It can do PCM to DSD 128 resampling no problem, but not 256. If the album is already DSD, it takes nothing for CPU load.

One of the beauties about using this with the NAA is core audio isn't even in the picture. HQplayer just streams the data to the NAA bypassing all of that. You could run native DSD up to 1028 if the DAC was compatible from OSX with this streamer.

 

[Blizzard]

sbc?

Here's the Bryston BDP-2 beside the NUC 3815 SBC. It uses an SMPS in the same box with no isolation from the SBC. The SBC is probably a chinese brand that's not in the same league as an genuine Intel SBC. It has an SSD in the box, so the noisy SATA bus is enabled. Something that we disable with my streamer. I don't see anything here that should indicate we should expect better sound hardware wise. and it's not NAA compatible software wise.

 

[wisnon]

My Mac mini is 2012 as well, and only I5. It can do DSD 128 no problem, but not 256. One of the beauties about using this with the NAA is coreaudio isn't even in the picture. HQplayer just streams the data to the NAA bypassing all of that. You could run native DSD up to 1028 if the DAC was compatible from OSX with this streamer.

I have a GG and iDSD, so yeah I am a good guinea pig.

HQP on the Mac can output dsds256 to the NAA? I was not aware of that. If so what can't it output straight to the Dac in 256? Or is the NAA taking a 128 stream and up sampling to 256 and then feeding the Dac?