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Thread: Opinions on this Pro-Ject music streamer DSA?

  1. #1
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

    Posts: 1,736
    I'm Russell.

    Default Opinions on this Pro-Ject music streamer DSA?



    https://www.projectaudio.com.au/products/stream-box-dsa

    I was browsing the streamers on eBay, and came across this one. Anyone have any experiences with it? It's a bit cheaper on eBay than on their website.

    I was a bit overwhelmed by the vast selection I saw on eBay, Cambridge, Marantz, Logitech, too many to count! I really don't want my PC tied up to the stereo all the time, and these boxes can also feed from a wifi server. I'm a complete noob with this stuff, trying to get educated. Help!


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  2. #2
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Coventry

    Posts: 3,039
    I'm Will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by alphaGT View Post
    I was browsing the streamers on eBay, and came across this one. Anyone have any experiences with it? It's a bit cheaper on eBay than on their website.

    I was a bit overwhelmed by the vast selection I saw on eBay, Cambridge, Marantz, Logitech, too many to count! I really don't want my PC tied up to the stereo all the time, and these boxes can also feed from a wifi server. I'm a complete noob with this stuff, trying to get educated. Help!


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    I'd suggest one or more raspberry pi's would be a good starting place

    An ideal architecture IMHO is as follows;

    1. Some form of NAS, hardwired to the network, holding your music files, should give you RAID (mirroring) capabilities for 'backup'

    2. A pi3, hardwired to the network, loaded with piCorePlayer 3.11, running LMS, configured to read your NAS files, running as the 'server'

    3. One or more pi2's either feeding an existing DAC, via USB, or coax (eg HiFiDigi+ Pro), or an on-board DAC (IQaudio, Audiophonics, HiFiBerry, Allo etc.). These can be either wifi or hardwired, I'd suggest wifi for an on board DAC.

    Obviously one can have variations of the above, I've recently built an all in one server/player feeding off a USB HD, however the above architecture is a more flexible approach, particularly if you want to branch out into multi room streaming.

    P.S. All can be controlled via a smart phone or tablet
    Cheers, Will

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

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    I'm Russell.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WAD62 View Post
    I'd suggest one or more raspberry pi's would be a good starting place

    An ideal architecture IMHO is as follows;

    1. Some form of NAS, hardwired to the network, holding your music files, should give you RAID (mirroring) capabilities for 'backup'

    2. A pi3, hardwired to the network, loaded with piCorePlayer 3.11, running LMS, configured to read your NAS files, running as the 'server'

    3. One or more pi2's either feeding an existing DAC, via USB, or coax (eg HiFiDigi+ Pro), or an on-board DAC (IQaudio, Audiophonics, HiFiBerry, Allo etc.). These can be either wifi or hardwired, I'd suggest wifi for an on board DAC.

    Obviously one can have variations of the above, I've recently built an all in one server/player feeding off a USB HD, however the above architecture is a more flexible approach, particularly if you want to branch out into multi room streaming.

    P.S. All can be controlled via a smart phone or tablet
    Wow that is so far over my head I don't know where to begin!

    I don't presently have any audio files. I've got a few hundred CD's, but I've got a fairly nice CD player I haven't had that long. I was mostly just wanting to stream Spotify or Tidal into my stereo, without tying up my computer.

    I'm sure what you've described can do that, but I wouldn't know where to begin. A bit alien to me, I've never even considered streaming until I started reading this forum. Perhaps you know of some good reading to help me understand the Rasberry Pi?


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  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

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    I'm Grant.

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    Could get a chromecast dongle. Attach to your stereo and cast from mobile to it wirenlessly. Simple and cheap.. thats the chromecast audio dongle... it can come out via its own dac or it has an optical out too if you want to use your own dac.. does redbook
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Coventry

    Posts: 3,039
    I'm Will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by alphaGT View Post
    Wow that is so far over my head I don't know where to begin!

    I don't presently have any audio files. I've got a few hundred CD's, but I've got a fairly nice CD player I haven't had that long. I was mostly just wanting to stream Spotify or Tidal into my stereo, without tying up my computer.

    I'm sure what you've described can do that, but I wouldn't know where to begin. A bit alien to me, I've never even considered streaming until I started reading this forum. Perhaps you know of some good reading to help me understand the Rasberry Pi?


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    I'm pretty sure one can use Spotify and Tidal are available via LMS as either plugins, or accessible through the mysqueezebox.com interface...

    Do you already have a DAC?
    Cheers, Will

  6. #6
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Coventry

    Posts: 3,039
    I'm Will.

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    Quote Originally Posted by struth View Post
    Could get a chromecast dongle. Attach to your stereo and cast from mobile to it wirenlessly. Simple and cheap.. thats the chromecast audio dongle... it can come out via its own dac or it has an optical out too if you want to use your own dac.. does redbook
    Probably a better solution if you just want to stream spotify etc...
    Cheers, Will

  7. #7
    Join Date: Apr 2015

    Location: Central Virginia

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    I'm Russell.

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    Quote Originally Posted by WAD62 View Post
    Probably a better solution if you just want to stream spotify etc...
    As I was saying, I don't want to tie up my computer to stream. So the dongle is out. I use my notebook to record at band practice and to edict video, etc, so it moves a lot.

    My CD player does have a digital input to use its internal DAC. But the Project box I listed at the start of this thread is better than a Squeeze box isn't it? Has it's on DAC, wifi connected and can store music on a remote server, and has that feature to allow you to use a smart phone as the remote control. I see a used one on eBay for $500. I guess I was really asking if this Project box is what I think it is? It does a lot of files types too.

    I saw several stand alone boxes on eBay, Marantz, Cambridge, others, and most were more than this one. And I read some bad reviews on the Marantz. I saw a Pioneer, was very expensive.

    I'm afraid the learning curve in the Rasberry Pi would be too steep, and I really wanted a stand alone solution. If the Squeeze box is best, is it really better than this unit from Project? If so why? What feature does it have to make it better? I'm really looking for someone with experience here, I am starting from nothing here.


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  8. #8
    Join Date: Jul 2016

    Location: Welsh Borders

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    I'm Gary.

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    Quote Originally Posted by alphaGT View Post
    I'm really looking for someone with experience here, I am starting from nothing here.
    I feel your pain and confusion! I can see folks are trying to be helpful, but for me this thread reads an agenda for a Silicone Valley trade conference.

    I was curious about augmenting my traditional hi-fi sources with access to digital streams/radio/ computer-based files and what-have-you. I was at someone's home, and they were using a Squeezebox Touch linked into their hi-fi. It looked simple and fun, so I tracked one down, bought it and, guess what ... it simple and fun!

    I use it connected into the input of a tuner/receiver in the kitchen, allowing me to toggle between my conventional terrestrial radio stations and a mind-boggling choice of internet radio stations at the push of a button. The Squeezebox does in fact have its own on-board DAC so you can simply run its analogue output straight into an amplifier. It also has an optical and a digital co-axial "out" so you could run it via a "better" offboard DAC if you wanted. The touchscreen interface is simplicity itself to operate and for the most part is very intuitive. There are a range of downloadable apps on the "mysqueezebox" website to enhance the functionality of the unit and permit direct connections to internet-based streaming services. I'm still trying to work-out how to use the "podcast" one, though (yes, that's how bad I am with digital technology!)

    All in all, though, it's a great little package and simply opens up a world of interesting radio stations, even if you don't want to take it any further. It goes without saying, too, that you can also set it up to play digital files from your computer or phone via a wireless router connection. You can also plug in a USB stick or slot-in a memory card. Very versatile and straightforward. And cheap!

    I'm sorry I don't have any experience of the Pro-ject Streaming Box that you mention in your opening post, so I can't help you there. But I just wanted to provide a bit of encouragement: don't give-up or be put-off by a seemingly steep learning curve. The Squeezebox at least doesn't require much digital expertise, and is very rewarding. Good luck with your journey!
    IB
    Last edited by Infinitely Baffled; 16-03-2017 at 18:25.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

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    I'm Grant.

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    Quote Originally Posted by alphaGT View Post
    As I was saying, I don't want to tie up my computer to stream. So the dongle is out. I use my notebook to record at band practice and to edict video, etc, so it moves a lot.

    My CD player does have a digital input to use its internal DAC. But the Project box I listed at the start of this thread is better than a Squeeze box isn't it? Has it's on DAC, wifi connected and can store music on a remote server, and has that feature to allow you to use a smart phone as the remote control. I see a used one on eBay for $500. I guess I was really asking if this Project box is what I think it is? It does a lot of files types too.

    I saw several stand alone boxes on eBay, Marantz, Cambridge, others, and most were more than this one. And I read some bad reviews on the Marantz. I saw a Pioneer, was very expensive.

    I'm afraid the learning curve in the Rasberry Pi would be too steep, and I really wanted a stand alone solution. If the Squeeze box is best, is it really better than this unit from Project? If so why? What feature does it have to make it better? I'm really looking for someone with experience here, I am starting from nothing here.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    With a chromecast dongle you dont need a pc. It just connects to a power source and your stereo. You mobile device will communicate with it via your broadband router wirelessly ... spotify on say your phone is sent to it using the cast button. Its simple and sounds very good. It will also work with Tunein radio from phone . I use it a lot
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  10. #10
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Wakefield west yorkshire

    Posts: 1,930
    I'm James.

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    Quote Originally Posted by struth View Post
    With a chromecast dongle you dont need a pc. It just connects to a power source and your stereo. You mobile device will communicate with it via your broadband router wirelessly ... spotify on say your phone is sent to it using the cast button. Its simple and sounds very good. It will also work with Tunein radio from phone . I use it a lot
    The Pioneer NP 01 looks a good alternative,£249 at superfi
    novafidelity x40 music server/pre/dac, Arcam A39, roksan k3 power amp,Monitor Audio Monitor 50, Dali spektor 1, van damme interconnects and speaker cable, roskan k3 CD player

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