Second system streaming options

[wonky1969]

Hi all,

I am in the process of building a second system and am looking for recommendations of streamers to use with it.
The system at the moment is Linn kk/d,Arcam dv 139 for disc spinning,linn katan driven by a pair of lejonklou tundra monos v1,cables used are Linn Silver and split k400.
The streamers I am considering are a early linn Ak0 or 1/d,sneaky ds or a cambridge audio cxn v2
I stream my CD collection from a innuos zen mk2 and understand that th CA cxn will upscale and is supposed to sound rather good.
Any opinions or other suggestions would be appreciated,my budget is up-to £600, £700 at a push.

 

[heimo]

I have a Sneaky Music DS which I bought rather cheap and I could not be more happy. However, I do not use its inbuilt DAC nor amplifier, as I run its digital out into an AV5103 which runs all its digital Inputs through an external DAC for conversion.

As your KK has analog inputs only I would recommend using a fairly modern streamer box with Katalyst, or a decent external DAC. I use an Apogee Rosetta 200 for everything, which sounds a bit "analog", very much to my liking. But I was also impressed with an SMSL M300. With a Topping E30, not so much. Both the Rosetta and the SMSL sound way better than the AV5103's builtin DAC. (In the AV5103 manual Linn recommend bypassing the internal DAC with a Numerik. Never tried that one.)

 

[wonky1969]

Thanks for the reply heimo,if only I could get a katalyst ds of either guise,for my budget I think would be a miracle,if anyone here has one laying around,unloved and no longer playing,i could offer a comfortable (Fairly) existence and a fairly easy life
And back to reality,i think more chance of seeing flying rocking horse but happy to be corrected,,ooh err missus

 

[Nestor Turton]

The streamers you’re considering are good choices. I don’t think upsampling in the CA does anything special, but it should still sound fine.

Another option is https://www.jriver.com/Id/ which you can use with or without an external DAC. I run the software on a 2012 Mac mini with a Chord Electronics DAC, but I could have used one of the ready made options. It will do upsampling similar to CA and PEQ room correction (poor man’s Space Optimisation).

 

[wonky1969]

Thanks for your reply Nestor,much appreciated,didn't consider the Pi/j river as an option,will investigate further

 

[wonky1969]

Just an update,have bitten the bullet and have a CA cxn v2 in coming,got a refurb unit direct from CA at a great price,so don't think I'd loose too much if it's not for me,will update with impressions once I have it installed.

 

[Moomintroll]

Cambridge Audio?

 

[Nestor Turton]

@wonky1969 You should enjoy your CA steamer. It's a good choice with decent onboard Wolfson DACs.

My second ever amplifier was a Cambridge Audio P60 designed by Stan Curtis and made in St Ives in Cambridgeshire. An earlier incarnation the P40 was the first amplifier to use a tutorial transformer (and it didn't buzz, please note Naim).

EDIT: P40 was first amp to use a toroidal transfomer

 

[Moomintroll]

tutorial transformer

toroidal? Damn that autocritic….

’troll

 

[TomBl]

Sorry, I am trying to relate what you have to what I have and am not getting there.
My first system, as you might call it is an ADSM with LK140s etc. linked to this, well in the same house, I have a sneaky. That doesn’t do a lot for speakers so I have an LK85 and some ceiling speakers in the kitchen. I can have the same music on both, or just have either. The rooms are a bit close to have rival tunes playing!
In a second home I have a Majik DSM. That will power bookshelf speakers which a sneaky couldn’t.
Most of my kit is second hand.
Hope that is helpful.

 

[wonky1969]

Just an update,i now have a CA cxnv2,and have connected to my second system,l had to upgrade my router to work with the streamagic app,but now have it all working on my network.

The sound quality is superb,for the price paid (£600) and in some ways I prefer it to the Akurate ds/0d I had about six months ago,yes the linn was marginally more realistic on vocals,but the cxn has far more detailed and a punchier bass line,more details across the audio spectrum also.
It beats the Arcam dv139 I also have hands down.
It's still only been playing for about 8 hours so I expect more along the line.
Also installed a new supra cat8 Ethernet cable,which if they're other cables are anything to go by,need at least 50 hours use to sound they're best,so hopefully more positives on the SQ front to come,fingers crossed.
So is an Akurate ds/0 or 1 better in some ways,yes,do I feel the SQ being given is good enough to live in my second system,yes,i think it's a keeper,only bugbear is the streamagic app,a bit clunky and not as slick as linn kazoo,but not as bad to stop me using it.

 

[entdgc]

only bugbear is the streamagic app,a bit clunky and not as slick as linn kazoo,but not as bad to stop me using it.

Well I never! Someone praising (sort of) Linn software! Well done!

 

[rjinaz86323]

I know this is really low-end compared to others here, but a Bluesound NODE sounds pretty dang good for only $600. I am running one (using the built in DAC) feeding into my McIntosh MX130 and am pretty pleased with the sound.

 

[wonky1969]

Thanks entdgc.

I think once I got over my snobbish side with regards to Linn vs Cambridge audio,would it be good enough to live in my second system,the more it's being used,the better it's sounding,its tech from 2019 Vs ads/0/d from 2009 so things have moved on,clearly digital replay has come on some since then,so a £600 cxn can come close to,and in some areas beat a Linn ads which cost £4750? ish back in 2009.
I hope that means in 2035 that we would be able to get NGKDSM performance for about £2000,i am allowed to dream

 

[wonky1969]

Just thought I'd let you know that the CXN v2 has left the building,so to speak,as was sold yesterday.
I could live with the SQ but the streamagic app is rubbish,and worked once in every four tries,just didn't want to see my innuos zen,let Alone play music from it.
Linn kazoo does work 99.9% of the time,so am after an Akurate ds1/d for the second system,at least I know kazoo works,and will also give me multi room playback.

 

[quinn_t]

How about this one? $399 on the US amazon.

https://ifi-audio.com/products/zen-stream/

 

[maddog_007]

Thanks entdgc.

I think once I got over my snobbish side with regards to Linn vs Cambridge audio,would it be good enough to live in my second system,the more it's being used,the better it's sounding,its tech from 2019 Vs ads/0/d from 2009 so things have moved on,clearly digital replay has come on some since then,so a £600 cxn can come close to,and in some areas beat a Linn ads which cost £4750? ish back in 2009.
I hope that means in 2035 that we would be able to get NGKDSM performance for about £2000,i am allowed to dream

It won't beat an ADS/Katalyst!...I've recently changed over from one to a KDS/Organik...

 

[wonky1969]

Shame I can't afford a ads/3

 

[wonky1969]

Just a quick update I have now got a Ads/1 and is playing as of writing this,the /1 is better than the cxn v2,just more realistic presentation across the board,and it just works,unlike the proceeding cxn v2/streamajic app.
Very good upgrade,when I take the sale price of my old ADS'/0 it's only cost £60 more,superb VFM in these hard times.

 

[Nestor Turton]

Just a quick update I have now got a Ads/1 and is playing as of writing this,the /1 is better than the cxn v2,just more realistic presentation across the board,and it just works,unlike the proceeding cxn v2/streamajic app.
Very good upgrade,when I take the sale price of my old ADS'/0 it's only cost £60 more,superb VFM in these hard times.

Excellent - we need more threads with happy endings. ADS(M) is a great product; note to self: no need for me to upgrade to Organik.

Focal Naim recently upgraded (?) its App and reaction on its forum isn’t positive. I didn’t realise the Cambridge App was unreliable too. If a system must use an App then that it works is vital,. I prefer JRiver Panel (customisable and works in standard web browser) to an App and wonder if Linn considered this option. Maybe it’s me, but I find App proliferation a retrograde step in IT driven by marketing rather than benefiting consumers. Smaller companies like Linn have to follow the herd, but it’d be nice to see a move away from Apps.