Over in another discussion, people are indirectly pointing out that a $130 DAC like the Topping D30 will do the job quite well. No need to spend thousands or even hundreds on a DAC.
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Good god, don’t spend this kind of money until you know what’s what.
If you’re just looking for a streamer a $140 device from Allo.com or even a $30 RPi will do just fine, for right now.
An RPi with an addin DAC+ board (addin boards are called HATs) from HiFiBerry.com will give you both. Total cost about $100, give or take.
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Come to think of it, I recommend, for now, an RPi from Amazon.com and a DAC+ HAT from HiFiBerry.
Get the RCA version of the DAC+ here -
https://www.hifiberry.com/shop/bundles/dac-bundle/
I use the DietPi OS on the RPi. Cake.
I never use it anymore, but that’s what I have hooked up to an Onkyo receiver.
You might look at the discussions here about Google Chromecast.
$45 and it has an optical output that works really well when feeding a modern, well-designed DAC. (I use it with the wonderful Chord Hugo 2 with great success.)
An iPad also works as a Roon endpoint, can be had for about $300 and also gives you a user interface station. Note that the iPad can control the output to all your Roon endpoints, not just to itself.
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If the Mylar has been damaged you will get a “ticking” noise . My problem was that Johannesburg is at 1700 m , so the pressure is low and the movement of the Mylar is more than it would be at sea level, add to that in winter here we see absolutely NO rain for 6 months (we are summer rainfall) so the potential for arching is that much higher in the dry atmosphere. We get shocks off plastic hand rails on stairs etc its so dry.
Put those 2 together and you get the Mylar catching the speech coils and burning little holes ( the Mylar is at 5000V , if you didn’t know), then they start to arc even worse and its downhill from there. I simply had to give up. They were fine in Cape Town at sea level.
The best way to check them is to black out the room , sit there and let your eyes acclimatize then play music through them , you will almost certainly see sparks if the Mylar is significantly damaged .
If you had them redone you will know there are 4 panels per speaker in matching pairs , they used to cost 150 UKP EACH …, in Rand that is a LOT hence why I gave up… I went o Quad 21’s instead.
You could always strangle the kitten 
– Joking …
Good Luck
Mike
X[quote=“AndersVinberg, post:55, topic:49589”]
Yes, I am very much in favor of dedicated, single-purpose devices like the Roon Nucleus or the Sonore MicroRendu, and getting general-purpose computers out if the picture (I have written at length here; some disagree.)
[/quote]
I will eventually be looking into these single purpose devices because I, too, think they are a great idea, but meanwhile I am reading the article Anders has referred me to (Thank You, Anders) which is making a lot of sense.
Almost right away, I came across this:
Roon is not corporate, management is not a cost, but the root problem remains: complexity makes it difficult to set things up and keep them running reliably and adjust and tune them. Computing complexity is the bane of our enjoyment. Just look at the forums.
Oh yes, does that resonate with me!
Computing complexity is not the only complexity, there are all sorts of technical challenges! They dominate my current existence! I love to laugh whenever I see UPnP, the acronym for Universal Plug and Play. If only it were really plug and play.
I cannot begin to estimate the hours and hours, days and weeks I’ve been burning the midnight oil on one sort of technical problem or another, or learning about the complex subject of streaming.
Good idea. I will definitely start there. And easily expand from there as I wish. At the same time I will add a Roon Endpoint like the MicroRendu to my Audio Alchemy DDP-1. Even if the DAC is eventually replaced by another in the living room, I will then use it and the MicroRendu at my computer, so this is s good investment either way.
Luckily, three of my four systems are Ethernet connected and the last one can wait indefinitely because the WiFi is adequate.
So, really, I’m almost there. My DAC has to come back toward the end of next week where it had a minor repair. That ought to give me time to get a MicroRendu. By week after next or sooner I should be listening via Roon.
It’s taken over 60 messages to get me educated to this point! I feel very fortunate to have had such generous support! Thank you all, you’ve been absolutely wonderfully helpful.
XX[quote=“ksalno, post:60, topic:49589”]
I did a little looking on the Naim site and I don’t see any good alternatives for you as a trade. I suggest you just sell the Uniti Core and cut your losses. Since you already have a good DAC and amp for the LR system, all you need is a Roon endpoint and those can be had for $500 or less. Someone mentioned the Raspberry Pi, which is a good solution if you want to build your own with a Linux device but there are plenty of others like the microRendu that are plug and play with simple web based configuration. It does require a wired connection but it sounds like you already have one in the LR.
[/quote]
I have my eye on the MicroRendo. I keep reading raves about it and it has a 30 day no questions asked return.
I want to get a DAC worthy of my Quads for the living room. I want to audition the PS Audio DirectStream for example. But whatever I audition will have to beat the Audio Alchemy, which I like a lot. I’ll be glad if none do, in which case I will save a good deal. I wasn’t planning to spend a lot at either computer for a DAC. Then I can look into those low priced “gadgets” like the Raspberry pi etc, (not sure what to call them) that so many mentioned above.
PS its highly unlikely the kitten could have damaged the Mylar , they are buried pretty deep behind the speech coils in a plastic holder
Mike
The audio alchemy is a fine DAC with an emphasis on musicality. I think for your budget you may get different but not necessarily better.
Thanks for that. I feel a lot better!
I have a PSA DirectStream DAC (DSD) and it’s great in my system. My system is all solid state gear with Triad speakers so very different from yours. One thing to note is the DSD has an option called the Bridge II which makes it a Roon endpoint (also does UPnP). If you like to stream from Tidal, it also does full MQA decoding. But it’s expensive. You can generally find them used on Audiogon and other forums for a few thousand less used.
The QUAD Artera line wouldn’t do it for you? I have the Artera Play and the Artera Stereo driving my ESL57s, and I’m happy with the results. At least, if I can get rid of the faintly nagging thought that perhaps I should exchange the whole shebang for a pair of Kii Threes and the Kii Control…
When I bought my Quads, I also bought their Preamp and their pro amplifier. I’ve forgotten the particular designations, but no matter, they didn’t stay on because I found I liked the Audiomat Tube amp better and I eventually bought it and sold the Quad gear. Now that Quad is a Chinese company I feel no special loyalty, though I would love to listen. Not so easy these days. I miss the days when there was an audio dealer with listening room in nearly every town.
I do occasionally think I should move on, but to what? I don’t even want to think about it. Kii Threes are for sure well out of my price range.
If I had a pile of money I didn’t know what to do with I’d buy the Onedof turntable. Now that appeals! If you check it out, check out the designer’s bio too as he’s as interesting as his product.
The DirectStream DAC does have appeal! I have a friend who tells me how very musical it is. I like buying a product which, in these rapidly evolving times, is fully upgradable. It is expensive though and then there’s the extra expense of adding Roon. I may well consider the used market.
There is also the DirectStream Jr., a good deal cheaper but allegedly quite close in SQ. And, oddly enough it already includes the bridge option, so it’s a Roon endpoint from the get-go.
I’ve just been on PS Audio website trying to figure out the difference between the two, namely why does one cost $2k more. Nothing is obvious. Neither have I found a review on a cursory search which discusses any difference. I assume I’ll eventually find something on one of the forums.
One thing I hadn’t noticed before is their tradeup program. I could get $1800 back on the Naim Uniti Core. That’d be an effortless way to turn it over.
The old stuff is still alive, 34 & 405. Probably cheap now
I know Quad used to service “ to original spec”
They even changed an indicator lamp on my pre amp because I’d rubbed it with meths …
Not original spec if not changed !!!
Them were the Huntington days. Gee I must be old …
Mike
I’ve always heard it’s a sign of old age when you like to reminisce. Well here goes… I love to think back about getting my Quads because it was a Really Big Deal at the time! I had read a glowing review of the ESL-63s in Opera News, probably in 1984. As an opera lover they sounded perfect for me, especially because at the time I was listening to music via my first audio purchase, a Pioneer SX-1050 and home made Bose Direct reflecting speakers (there’s a story there too). I immediately went to our local upscale audio store to listen. Loved them, but the price was a shocking $3000 or so. I phoned Quad headquarters to ask for dealers in England. They were extremely reluctant to give me some names but eventually they did. I phoned several and decided to do business with one in London, but was soon stymied. It seems they had an agreement with Quad and weren’t allowed to sell by phone to an overseas customer unless the customer had set foot in the store. I finally realized why. It was to protect the US dealers because the US prices were so much higher and at the time, the ratio of pound to dollar was also very favorable. Fortunately my brother was about to make a business trip to London. Problem solved. By now it was 1985 and I wound up importing the speakers, the Quad 44 Preamp, the Quad 405 amp and a Quad FM tuner, all for around $2500 which included shipping and a small duty. A bargain! And the birth of an audiophile.
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Pretty much ditto, but 1986 !
I went to shop in Colchester and auditioned them with Suzanne Vega first album on a Linn LP12. Bought the lot eventually
Finished up
Quad33, 405, FM4, ESL63 with. Linn LP12 , Ittok arm, Trioka Cartridge. along with Revox A77
Later Nakamichi 582 , 600 and finally CR7
That stayed put to about 2000
Them were the days 
Also pretty much ditto, but different dates. Started in 1969 with Quad 33/303, Revox A77, Goldring Lenco/Shure and KEF speakers. In 1976, bought my (new) ESL57s for the princely sum of £280 (the pair!). They were refurbished a couple of years ago, and still going strong…