Looking for some help please help with choosing a new system!

[itskeith]

Hi Everyone,

Long time no see!
Hope everyone is well...

My days of MC’s, valve amps and full range drivers are long gone as now I’d much rather be streaming 

I’m looking for some help / advice with choosing a new system as my knowledge of digital is very limited / non-existent. 
(forgotten how much i missed the emoji's  )

Here’s the brief;
-   Looking for a one box (preferably) streamer / dac / amp
-   Budget £250-£500 (second-hand is fine, obviously not into high end anymore).
-   Source will be Quobuz
-   Speakers will be Q-Acoustic Bookstands (white apparently  )
        Not decided yet but likely to be either Concept 20’s, 30’s, 3020C or 3030C etc.

Shortlist so far:
-   Topping DX3 Pro+ / PA3s
(have a cheaper Topping which has worked well before and great vfm).
-   Quad Vena II Play

All ideas and suggestions much appreciated.

Cheers.
Keith

[willbewill]

Hi brother Keith , welcome back

I'd go with either Wiim Amp or Wiim Amp Pro - both under £400

Wiim's software/firmware and control app are some of the best out there.

[TransFi]

Hey Keith

I would suggest the Wiim Amp:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/WiiM-Amp-Multiroom-Streaming-Chromecast-Space-Gray/dp/B0CGCLXH4H/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2Z4XAVOYG2POW&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0VGD2qyMfXFQi4bEULwe3V1UD4GAREE2G9DTBf_k8gRLg2ETUED7DyXlwfhrXW5HwQhj3XaladkxCAtOhBxAU3MRIr1e2lscMH2zJFVg_pRSZyEpSRtSjMmmr3m0i83tV8g4wo4kVg8t7zcP4KluQtcHsGALqEoHrOGJYNRaGPPafTCHySQDNfti5EjIzq4uhcRmQBYlGp87ILwuXEIz41WQx-OxgawCxgk5c6vbC7MfQdqwP8kw4fn4GJUz3_MK3_lpahdEKP1uJsqz_KvyQ_UrVD2FbgWYC_mTZmWwF4o.mWPCYtdtbJnYCxFo2h_AanUkOnE5RTFn_b8KQZ2Mhxg&dib_tag=se&keywords=wiim%2Bamp&qid=1746176184&s=electronics&sprefix=wiim%2Celectronics%2C90&sr=1-4&th=1

I use a Wiim Pro (streamer section) which I remain impressed with. No experience with the Amp though.

You could also look at Amazon Music as Wiim has AlexaCast built in which gives access to UHD files on Amazon. Library bigger than Qobuz and cheaper too.

[TransFi]

LOL....snap

[hatehifi]

Hey there!

The Wiim streamer is quite good and a bargain. Theie smp is supposed to be good as well.

Cheers!

[ropie]

Keith, just a different option for you but in your position I would try one of these:

https://nadelectronics.com/product/d-3020v2-hybrid-digital-amplifier/

P

[TransFi]

Yeh....no WiFi tho 

[willbewill]

Keith, just a different option for you but in your position I would try one of these:

https://nadelectronics.com/product/d-3020v2-hybrid-digital-amplifier/

P

But it's only an amp with bluetooth - would need to add a streamer

[ropie]

This is why I am not a hi-fi salesperson.

[TransFi]

 

[Hofnar]

Hmmm...I think I know what streaming is. If it is listening to music from the internet via Spotify and such. But I can do that with my smartphone or my laptop. So what is this streamer thingy and in what way is it better (?) than using a phone?
 
 

[TransFi]

How do you get the music from your phone or laptop into the hifi?

[flood2]

How do you get the music from your phone or laptop into the hifi?

Via a media player installed on the phone or PC. In the case of the D3020v2 one is limited to BT with SBC or AptX depending on the CODEC available on the phone - in that case, the phone will simply be "casting" what you are playing on the phone to the amp. Most modern phones will support AptX with the better ones supporting LDAC which has a high enough bit rate to support "high res" files as long as the connection signal strength is sufficient otherwise the bit rate drops to accomodate the re-transmission. However, for a network connected device (= streamer) then as long as the phone is on the same network segment then the media player will appear as a server on the network which the streaming device can connect to and access the phone library created by the media player. In this case the streaming device is the master and the phone is the slave. The other alternative is to "cast" from the phone to the streaming capable device but then you are using the phone as the master and the streaming device just decodes what is being sent/played back at that time.

The Eversolo DMP A6 would be my recommendation if you could stretch your budget up to what appears to be around GBP699 from a quick search.
It can be used as a network server for your music to stream to a laptop or TV and you can also connect a CD ROM drive to it which gives it the function of CD player and ripper thus making it very versatile.

[TransFi]

Actually.....I was asking Hofnar.

Keith's limit is £500 and he is looking for an all-in-one solution, ie, Streamer/DAC/Amp in one box.

He is also just starting out so I doubt your in-depth answer would be very helpful.....

[ropie]

So what is this streamer thingy and in what way is it better (?) than using a phone?

I think it's mainly a matter of convenience for getting your music from a to b. In my luddite-friendlier setup I simply have a cable running from my computer headphone socket to my hifi, which works fine for me. That probably wouldn't suit someone who wants to stream their music in the kitchen, but in those cases I just use my phone and a bluetooth speaker. I don't think musical quality is really the issue here either, so