The new Era on how we listen to music....lost a little bit and overwhelmed

[Pharos]

"Forgive me, but it seems to me that you are the architect of your own confusion and anger (?). There is plenty of clear advice and technical information online. On the hardware side, there are the various Raspberry Pi options which are very good for those with the time and inclination to do a bit of DIY. Moving up market, there are numerous off the shelf streamers and DACs, many of which get frequent mentions on this forum (e.g. The Primo, Blusound, Pecan Pi and the Pro-ject Ultra). Spending a bit more, there are options like the Cambridge CXNv2. Like any audio investment, the best solution is to listen to what is available at your budget level and then to items more expensive to see if there are improvements to be had and whether the extra layout is worthwhile. On the software side, some devices come with their own proprietary software. Others can utilise a wide range of (often free) software such as Volumio or Moode. It takes no more than half an hour to download the later packages and to run them on the necessary hardware.

The situation is the same as when one is choosing a turntable or a pair of speakers. Set a budget, compare and decide!

Personally, I am very happy with my Allo Digione running Volumio. All in, the package cost me around £150 plus another £70 for a linear power supply. I have had more expensive kit but found that I preferred the Digione with my Caiman SEG DAC. I am considering a more expensive option but will only proceed if there are worthwhile improvements over the Digione. "

I do not think I am so, I am not responsible for the multiplicity, or the numerous posts I have read discussing incompatibilities; your post itself lists numerous alternatives, and IMO the situation could not be more different from choosing a pair of speakers or a turntable, where the architecture and assessment are simple.

On line incurs the problem of multiplicity of opinions, many of which as with so much else now we tend to hold experts in contempt, may be inaccurate or invalid. I looked at the spec on many dedicated streamers, including the Cambridge, and it did not include vital info, like whether or not the machine included a D2A converter, or whether or not the small screen contents could be 'forwarded' to a large TV. I am used to comprehensive and accurate technical reports and accounts, and intolerant of poor communication.

This afternoon confirmed that my speakers are well ahead of anything I have had before, maybe even of anything else I have heard, and I am stunned, and so it is not sensible to audition at a dealer where theirs may not be as good, the acoustics and ancillaries will be different, and the environment not relaxing. There are also other confounding variables.
The only close dealers are Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks Sound and Vision.

I probably cannot take out on loan-trial several options to compare, and even if that were possible, I do not have a car.
In Feb. I heard a friend's MacBook through a Benchmark 2 DAC, and that showed my irDAC to be subtly not as good.
But I will do more reading.

[RMutt]

As with a lot of computer based situations, not just in audio, the early adopters are at an advantage. Their learning has been incremental and has developed from the initial position of less choice to one where step by step their understanding of the possibility of of numerous subtly different solutions has grown. They cannot then understand the position of the novice.

[jpdspin]

There is a learning curve that's for sure, it goes for about everything in life.
For some the streaming domain is going to be easy that it is for others...

we can argue on a lot of thing when there is; personal taste, quality and comprehension involve. I know I have to commit a bit more to be happy with the choices that I'm going to make and I certainly don't want to go crazy on that.

I don't have the chance to have audio friends that experience this road except from one, that I'm going to see in the next 2 weeks. I'm confident that I'm going to learn more and I hope that he can help me fill some gap.

A discussion on the ability of adaptation and understanding was not, what I intended to generate...I'm sorry if my post bring that mood...translating my ideas is not a easy task.

This morning I had a surprise when I went online to order some equipment. Usually I tend to by my thing direct at a specialized local store but sometimes there is no distribution. So I was looking to buy the Schiit MOdi 3, I'de remember seeing 99$ plus change and transport so I tough it will bee arround 160 to 180 but it was more arround 280 ?????
the 100 $$$ difference is that for the new way of doing business between neighbours, hum...

For the Volumio question that I had concerning Sueezbox or Jriver. I wanted to understand it more. they are use like a plugins over Volumio to ad more versatility or it give the possibility to switch from one to another to have more choices of services ?

If some of you have tried the SOtM sMS 200 and would like to share their experiences and toughs. Still reading on RPI and HAt vs the sMS, I kind of like the DIY part of it, just the programmation side that stress me a bit.