Need help choosing a streamer

[mmorrison55]

I would like to keep it around 2,000 usd or less. I could stretch it to 2500-3k if it blows away everything else at or below the 2k limit.

My current equipment includes a d200, OPPO cd/dvd player and appletv, that I use as an airplay streamer for Apple Music subscription.for any input interface,  I mainly have Apple iOS devices (iMac, iPhones and iPads),  it I do have a pc I use for gaming mostly that resides fairly lose to my d200. The Mac (and my router) is in the opposite side of the room and would not be ideal for any direct cabling. Wi-Fi is preferable. And while I currently use Apple Music, I am planning to try quboz as soon as it’s available in the us, which should be anytime now. I tried tidal, but honestly I did. It care for tidal interface, plus I can’t tell a difference in sq over Apple Music. I have been using the Apple Music and tidal iOS apps and AirPlay thru the atv to the devialet, So I’m hoping once I have the app running natively on the streamer that the sq will improve. 

I initially was thinking I would like a cd ripper/server,  but I don’t have a very large cd collection that would make ripping cds a priority,  but if my choice has this option it would be a nice bonus. The innuos line looks good for a ripper/server/streamer,  but anything within my budget from innuos may not be worth it over other options listed below.

For streaming, which I mainly do, I was thinking lumin u1 mini or auralic Aries g1.  Both seem to be about equal price and close in specs from what I can tell. 

I have read some reviews of how good the sq is with the sotm s200, but I must admit that I am not sure exactly what it is or what options I would actually need if I did go with something like the sotm. Nor am I sure I can stream via WiFi to the sotm. Plus I think sotm is not as plug n play as all others I have listed. I don’t mind putting the time to learn if the sq of the sotm is beyond the other options I have listed.

So I’m hoping I can get some feedback from fellow members who have experience with these devices or any others that you can recommend highly.

Thanks,

Mike

The first thing I'd try is to make your PC Dual Boot. One boot option would be the gaming PC partition the other the audio PC partition. On the audio partion install a Windows Server 2016 or 2019 OS (both license no. are very cheap 20-30€ on ebay). Then first try out Devialet Air on the WS2016 audio partition of your laptop. The WS2016 OS sounds better than other OS because it has much less processes and services running in background than Win10 or any Apple OS. If you want comfort while streaming get a trial of Roon. If you want to go for SQ you can further improve this system (WS2016) as your knowledge grows. Look into my signature...you can install Audiphile Optimizer 2.20 (and still use Roon)...next step would be to install Fidelizer 8.3 (still using Roon).
Next step would be to install JplayFemto7 (that includes JplayRenderer AND JplayServer as Software). Here you can go two ways. You can use the new Jplay7 ASIO driver that comes with JplayFemto in Roon as a device to stream to or if you want the maximum in SQ you can choose the JplayFemto Server as source giving the signal to JplayFemto Renderer. Both are Software running on your WS2016 Laptop. You controll it with iOS or Android tablet. At this point you can choose: more comfort with Roon (for family and normal zapping through your library OR best SQ with less comfort but serious listening. You can use both in this configuration).
Your Laptop is connected to your D200 by USB-cable (the best you can afford serves well. Try different brands AFTER setting up your laptop. It will be easy to decide.).
This configuration can be improved even further (would take it too far here) but even at this level it would challenge every other sytem to have better SQ even when spending thousands on hardware (server,renderer, a.e.). Yes a (normal) laptop is not the best hardware source but you'd be surprised how good it actually can be.
Now please get me right. A 'normal' Devialet AIR connection from a PC to your Devialet (be it USB or Ethernet/WiFi) will sound very, very good. This is not about good or bad.
The difference here is in the detail. If you can set up a PC with all audio software like mentioned above you can have the 'good' sound (well, actually very good) AND the magic of realism in imaging that some software like JplayFemto can deliver. I promise I've never heard such spooky realism with my music as with this configuration. I've to admit that my laptop is heavily modified and the USB connection is one of the best but it amazes me every time what kind of improvement is delivered by changing software for the better on my system. The last big step was in November when JplayFemto7 was released (I used Jplay 6.2 before but that was 'only' an ASIO driver). Now the Jplay team has developed its own server and renderer and they made a tremendous job. The precision of the music reproduction is outstanding. The spatial Information burried in the recording is assembled in such a natural way it gives me goosebumps every time. Now I've no affiliation to Jplay but why not promote something when it is that good ;-)
What made me wonder is the fact that some users in the Jplay forum stated that this configuration even beats a linux system like the Roon Nucleus that was intentionally build to only playback audio. The sound with the Nucleus was less live and realistic kind of uninspired if recall it well. My thinking here is that it's not hard to achieve good sound with your Devialet and Roon and Nucleus will deliver it but as I can tell from my experience there are supplementary realms of SQ you can achieve with a little of work by yourself.
The good thing when choosing this way is that you can start by very little expend and you have a reference you can compare other well reputed hardware (or Software) against. And I promise they will have a hard time competing your system.

gui

Thank you Gui for the detailed suggestion. I will do some research into JplayFemto.