Streaming Device

[audiofile]

I have been on the hunt for a streaming device to improve my digital audio listening. My current connection is an optical cable from the server sound card to the DAC. Not an optimum connection for sound quality.

I didn't want to have to buy a combination DAC/streamer box as I already have the XDA-1. After reviewing specifications and comparing several items, I purchased a SimAudio Mind 180 streamer.

I hope to have it up and running by the end of the weekend. A review will follow.

[audiofile]

With the house full I had, and the preparation for their arrival, I didn't get the streaming device up and running until this afternoon. It was a bit of an involved process and hinged on the receipt of an iPad I had ordered. Anyway, that item showed up Xmas Eve (finally) so having gotten my house back last night, I got to it today.

First I had to set up the iPad and insure that it had access to the network. Done

Then I had to download the streamer access & control software to the iPad. Done

Then I had to download dbpoweramp's Asset UPnP software to my server. Done

Then I connected the streamer to a ethernet switch and my Emotiva DAC via an AES/EBU. Done

Then I had to set up the streamer's access to the network & router. Done

Now I am just building a set of playlists and a larger single que to listen to. I can listen to music as I do so and I am thoroughly enjoying the differences I am hearing.

The optical connection from the server to the DAC was not optimum. It's not that the optical cable or DAC had any serious limitations but the server sound card definitely did. That has been eliminated from the equation by the simple expediency of having the streamer sitting near the server box and connecting to it through the ethernet. It picks the artist/album/track from the que via streaming, then delivers the file to the DAC via the AES/EBU connection.

While set up was a bit involved, especially for an old computer illiterate like me, the results are stunning.

I am playing a mix of music files, ranging from m4a, mp3, wav and FLAC; with each file type sounding better to me than they ever sounded in the past. And when the higher resolution files play, the detail, fullness and depth of the music is a real delight. Even the lower quality files have a definition I don't ever remember hearing.

I am very happy how this turned out!

[autiger]

Congats on your labor. It's great when a plan actually works out as desired. Enjoy