One box Solution

[Paulq]

The best sounding, to me, all in one is the Gold Note IS 1000 Deluxe. Ticks all tne OPs requirements, plus it really is a great perfomer. Should be available used for around budget.

There was a concern above about the Moon Mind app. In the past, it was a bit hit & miss, but it now seems very stable and responsive. I use Roon with my 390d, but have tried out the app and it is much improved. It also provides app control of the device, which can be useful from time to time.

The Moon Neo ACE should certainly be explored, especially at tne price they now go for, often with warranty from a dealer.

Thank you that's helpful, especially as for some reason today I am ready to throw my Node out of the window because it's misbehaving. I do like the look of the Neo Ace very much and, as you say, they go for reasonable prices if you scout around a bit.

I am not at all familiar with the Gold Note but will have a look at that one, thanks.

 

[DomT]

The best sounding, to me, all in one is the Gold Note IS 1000 Deluxe. Ticks all tne OPs requirements, plus it really is a great perfomer. Should be available used for around budget.

There was a concern above about the Moon Mind app. In the past, it was a bit hit & miss, but it now seems very stable and responsive. I use Roon with my 390d, but have tried out the app and it is much improved. It also provides app control of the device, which can be useful from time to time.

The Moon Neo ACE should certainly be explored, especially at tne price they now go for, often with warranty from a dealer.

Wow just been reading about this item. Specs seem very good indeed and it has a different DAC than most. Very interesting. Tempted myself.

 

[DomT]

Thank you that's helpful, especially as for some reason today I am ready to throw my Node out of the window because it's misbehaving. I do like the look of the Neo Ace very much and, as you say, they go for reasonable prices if you scout around a bit.

I am not at all familiar with the Gold Note but will have a look at that one, thanks.

In a thread on here I compared the Moon 280 streamer (3000€) to the cheapest Project turntable (400€) and preferred the Project deck when doing an amp demo at a dealer as these were the two items at hand. Make sure that you get a good demo.

 

[Minicoupeman]

I own a Goldnote and it is excellent. When purchased over a year ago, the DAC left something to be desired ( compared to the one in my Marantz (Ken Ish model) but Goldnote put out a downloadable update six mo this ago. I was astonished at the improvement. A very fine all rounder ( and no, you can’t have mine)

 

[hearhere]

Streamer/Amp with Tidal, Qobuz and Internet Radio
High-quality and well-implemented DAC
MM Phono stage (may compromise on this if needed but to begin with it's a must)
Control app must be at least stable.

You don't include mention of a power amp, but I guess you will want this included in your all-in-one.

In my opinion, I’d choose the NAD M33 over all other all-in-ones short of very costly ones. New price is £4500 but I can suggest a dealer likely to offer a decent discount. Or look for a used one.

Now the NAD M66 (streamer / DAC / preamp but no power amp) has been announced, many M33 owners including myself will be tempted by this new offering. It's also priced at £4500 so a realistic upgrade for M33 owners.

I've compared several amps in this price range and chose the NAD, but it always pays to arrange a home demo, or at least one at a dealer with similar speakers to your own.

If you really can't find an M33 in your £3K budget, another great amp is the discontinued M32 if you can find one with the BluOS streamer module included. Perhaps as low as £2K. Both the M32 and M33 are real bargains if compared with their competition.

 

[JTW]

I made the move to one box a few years ago with the Yamaha RN803D, I am more than happy with it and am itching to find out what the new Yamaha 2000A is like.

 

[Paulq]

Well, after a month or so of agonising and listening I have just ordered the new Yamaha R-N2000A. I was always leaning that way as the spec and features are just so compelling and, with Yamaha, it should outlast me.

I listened to the Moon Ace and Lyngdorf TDAI 3400 both of which were amazing in their own right but that Yamaha just sounded more suited to what I like and that's my only criteria

Am very much looking forward to it.

And watching the VU meters in the dark

 

[Brown Bottle]

Well, after a month or so of agonising and listening I have just ordered the new Yamaha R-N2000A. I was always leaning that way as the spec and features are just so compelling and, with Yamaha, it should outlast me.

I listened to the Moon Ace and Lyngdorf TDAI 3400 both of which were amazing in their own right but that Yamaha just sounded more suited to what I like and that's my only criteria

Am very much looking forward to it.

And watching the VU meters in the dark

Look forward to your findings, it’s on my list. What color did you opt for. I’m very much a black kit guy but the silver looks great with the black display on the bottom.

Cheers BB

 

[Paulq]

Look forward to your findings, it’s on my list. What color did you opt for. I’m very much a black kit guy but the silver looks great with the black display on the bottom.

Cheers BB

Thanks - I went for black. I was very tempted with the silver but, if anything, the black strip put me off to be honest. Had it been all silver I'd probably have plumped for that.

More than happy to report back once it's making a noise. If my research is correct and my gut feel sound then it really will be a one box in the truest sense as the DAC, phono stage and headphone amp are all of very high quality.

 

[hearhere]

Well, after a month or so of agonising and listening I have just ordered the new Yamaha R-N2000A. I was always leaning that way as the spec and features are just so compelling and, with Yamaha, it should outlast me.

I listened to the Moon Ace and Lyngdorf TDAI 3400 both of which were amazing in their own right but that Yamaha just sounded more suited to what I like and that's my only criteria

Am very much looking forward to it.

And watching the VU meters in the dark

When I was looking for an all-in-one, I hadn’t been aware of that Yamaha one. I home demo’d ones from Lyngdorf, NAD and others, but I don’t think I’d have looked at the 1970s styled Yamaha. However I must say the spec looks good, though there are several features missing that I appreciate with the M33.

Not sure about VU meters. The M33’s screen can be set up to show very large electronic analogue VU meters, but I prefer to see the album artwork of what I’m listening to, or details of what’s playing on the internet radio station.

I’m sure the Yamaha sounds great which is really all you can ask for. Enjoy your listening when it arrives.

 

[JTW]

Well, after a month or so of agonising and listening I have just ordered the new Yamaha R-N2000A. I was always leaning that way as the spec and features are just so compelling and, with Yamaha, it should outlast me.

I listened to the Moon Ace and Lyngdorf TDAI 3400 both of which were amazing in their own right but that Yamaha just sounded more suited to what I like and that's my only criteria

Am very much looking forward to it.

And watching the VU meters in the dark

I think I may be very jealous, let us know how it goes!

 

[Paulq]

When I was looking for an all-in-one, I hadn’t been aware of that Yamaha one. I home demo’s ones from Lyngdorf, NAD and others, but I don’t think I’d have looked at the 1970s styled Yamaha. However I must say the spec looks good, though there are several features missing that I appreciate with the M33.

Not sure about VU meters. The M33’s screen can be set up to show electronic analogue meters, but I prefer to see the album artwork of what I’m listening to, or details of what’s playing on the internet radio station.

I’m sure the Yamaha sounds great which is really all you can ask for. Enjoy your listening when it arrives.

Thank you and I will do. Each to their own isn't it with whatever works and that's what makes this a great (if occasionally expensive) hobby. I was the opposite really - I wasn't really bothered by a screen but enchanted by the meters. I think that goes back to the first ever separates I bought from Beaver Radio (RIP) in Liverpool which was a Technics pre and power. While I can't remember the models I do recall the meters having a mesmeric effect on me, so the Yamaha will be a throwback to that and hopefully sound as I want it to.

I'll certainly update the group once I have bothered the neighbours a bit

 

[Paulq]

I think I may be very jealous, let us know how it goes!

I will do, for sure.

 

[Phyztech]

Marantz 40n is an all-in-one for me currently, has a perfect MM-phonostage which may be usually a limitation in such devices but not here. Surprisingly solid performance through its own streamer (though heos is functionally outdated but I run through Mconnect). Looking to update to Gold Note probably in future but that is far more expensive.

 

[DomT]

I will do, for sure.

Hi Paul we don’t seem to have heard from you regarding your Yamaha 2000 purchase. How are you getting on with it? I had one in home demo and it was very good but went with the much more expensive Gold Note.

 

[Phyztech]

By the way, anybody heard Serblin & Son Frankie plus?

 

[manicatel]

My current system is a one-box-wonder, plus ATC SCM40a’s.
The one box is a Naim Atom HE.….Streamer, DAC, headphone amp & pre-amp with a very decent control app.
OK, I admit I also have a turntable & separate mc phono stage, so it’s not really all in one box.
Yes, the analogue feed from the turntable is digitised by the Atom & then reverted to analogue again, which should by my pre-conceived beliefs make it sound much worse…….
Except it doesn’t.
Not to my ears anyway.
I can’t say it’s definitely measurably identical to not having it digitised, but if there are differences they are very minor.
Unless I’m going deaf that is.
So as a one box plus speakers ( plus turntable & phono stage), it’s very respectable indeed.

 

[hearhere]

My current system is a one-box-wonder, plus ATC SCM40a’s.
The one box is a Naim Atom HE.….Streamer, DAC, headphone amp & pre-amp with a very decent control app.
OK, I admit I also have a turntable & separate mc phono stage, so it’s not really all in one box.
Yes, the analogue feed from the turntable is digitised by the Atom & then reverted to analogue again, which should by my pre-conceived beliefs make it sound much worse…….
Except it doesn’t.
Not to my ears anyway.
I can’t say it’s definitely measurably identical to not having it digitised, but if there are differences they are very minor.
Unless I’m going deaf that is.
So as a one box plus speakers ( plus turntable & phono stage), it’s very respectable indeed.

As a vinyl user, you may be interested in this all-in-one (streamer DAC preamp) that can keep analogue as analogue throughout, Due for release next month and £4.6K retail it seems to tick vinyl and sub users' boxes in particular. You can optionally use the top-of-the-range ADC / DAC for analogue in which case Dirac Live and Dirac Bass Control can be taken advantage of.

https://www.audiologica.co.uk/product/nad-m66/

 

[Pedro2]

As a vinyl user, you may be interested in this all-in-one (streamer DAC preamp) that can keep analogue as analogue throughout, Due for release next month and £4.6K retail it seems to tick vinyl and sub users' boxes in particular. You can optionally use the top-of-the-range ADC / DAC for analogue in which case Dirac Live and Dirac Bass Control can be taken advantage of.

https://www.audiologica.co.uk/product/nad-m66/

I will be interested in the new M66 and to see how it compares with our current Linn Akurate DSM3 as well as the Moon 390D which we are hoping to hear after Christmas. The NAD appears to be the most feature laden of the three and has the bonus of sub control.
The Linn Akurate has reached the end of its shelf life and an update to a similar Selekt will set you back north of £6k (nearer to £8k for Organik DAC). I’m no longer prepared to swallow Linn’s pricing structure, however, although we’ve had 1000s of hours of wonderful music from their machines over the last 10years.
The Moon is an unknown currently, but I’m intrigued by the reviews which are glowing. It’s not cheap, at £6k, but if it more than matches the Linn, then it could be a winner. Interesting times ahead!

 

[Ray Vardy]

I will be interested in the new M66 and to see how it compares with our current Linn Akurate DSM3 as well as the Moon 390D which we are hoping to hear after Christmas. The NAD appears to be the most feature laden of the three and has the bonus of sub control.
The Linn Akurate has reached the end of its shelf life and an update to a similar Selekt will set you back north of £6k (nearer to £8k for Organik DAC). I’m no longer prepared to swallow Linn’s pricing structure, however, although we’ve had 1000s of hours of wonderful music from their machines over the last 10years.
The Moon is an unknown currently, but I’m intrigued by the reviews which are glowing. It’s not cheap, at £6k, but if it more than matches the Linn, then it could be a winner. Interesting times ahead!

Choose a Linn Dealer that don't sell the other two and give them the offer of a sale if they can match the price point?