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I’m using a Cambridge Audio MXN-10 streamer with an SSD plugged into it but it will stream from NAS using its own Steam-magic software which I’ve found to be very good (I have no patience with difficult software). It’s basically the same as Bluesound Node, I don’t know what that Sonos issue is but I can’t see Cambridge Audio changing abandoning their software system any time soon.
user136479-
It’s basically the same as Bluesound Node, I don’t know what that Sonos issue is but I can’t see Cambridge Audio changing abandoning their software system any time soon.
The issue has several elements to it.
The protocols network streamers use are subject to change, how long into the future will a hardware company support software?
Or, like Sonos, do they expect us to be constantly refreshing our hardware?
There's nothing in nearly every protocol change that requires new hardware, as it is just software. I have more faith in a pure hardware company (Arcam, Cambridge Audio, NAIM, etc) than I do a company that tries to make what they sell be the software experience (Sonos, Roon, etc).
If I have to use software and want it to be long-term supported then I want an OSS solution so it's the software I'm changing and not the hardware, i.e. network stream from network shares, XBMC derivatives (Plex), and things like that.
It's not that I don't trust the hardware manufacturers... I don't trust the closed source software! I have the least faith in Google Cast long term and am surprised I can still use a ChromeCast Audio at all (this will likely change any moment, Google are on a roll with shutting things down). Spotify I have no faith with, and again I can't use Spotify to access the +100K FLAC files I have locally.
The ideal for me in hardware is a cheap device with no DAC needed, connects via WiFi that outputs via SPDIF / RCA or Balanced XLR (not Toslink which forces/upsamples everything to 48Khz).
The ideal for the software is that I can run my own (Windows or Linux or Raspberry Pi), or that it supports Plexamp.
A minimum bar for the software if I can't have Plexamp is an OSS Cast server and a SMB compatible network file audio player that has a good app to use as the remote (though I will still doubt that they'll maintain this long term).
I'd be happy with a small piece of hardware that did the job and for me to worry about the software (just install Plexamp!). But of course Raspberry Pis are unavailable, NUCs don't have SPDIF, and then I'm into the "build a custom PC" territory which is meh.
Velocio
I feel like I'm opening a can of worms... I want a better way to get audio from my storage to my stereo, there's an airgap to jump.
So far I've been using the toslink Chromecast Audio... but casting the audio is already stepping down the quality and cast doesn't do gapless.
I use Plex for everything, so Plexamp Headless is an attractive idea - but of course Raspberry Pi 4 availability is, well... unavailable.
I've looked at streamers, Roon looks attractive but the app is very poorly rated and forums seem to bemoan it. Bluesound looks plausible but they seem to be so invested in going down the Sonos route I don't know that long-term they'll stay invested in the Node so I don't want to adopt an entirely different system that doesn't have a long life ahead of it.
Bluetooth is out, Tidal I don't use, Deezer is out, Spotify Connect is crappy (no HD audio still and I've got all this local audio which remains the point).
Feels like if I'm not building a Plexamp Headless then I'm just going to a streamer that can use WiFi and access file storage to directly stream, but then I have a whole "other" experience on my stereo than I do everywhere else (which is all Plexamp).
What do people do here? How are people streaming their music to their silly hifi systems.