Apologies if my post came across as factious. That was never my intention.
The point I was trying to make, and with more words it might be better made, is that inbuilt-obsolescence is the nature of modern technology. And that includes music players, DAC’s and streamers.
It’s just something you have to ‘swallow’. For example my first DAC, a Cambridge Audio DACMagic had a maximum sampling-rate input of 96Khz. My next DAC supported 192Khz. My current Linn KDS/3 only supports up to 24/192 and DSD128. The new Linn KDSM/3 supports up to 24/384 and DSD256. And so on. You get my drift?
However, there are exceptions. And that’s why I mentioned Lumin. Right from the offset, their original A1 from 2012 could process 32/384 and DSD64. And they added MQA support through various firmware updates over the following years. And that’s why I recommend Lumin. Their product support and update regime is second to-none. It’s about as close as you can get to future-proofing these days.
I would consider Raspberry Pi running ROPIEEE, combined with a DAC “HAAT” such as Hifi Berry. If you are moderately computer savvy, you can build your own endpoints to suit the room and whatever audio equipment you have. They will cost you a little more that 100 bucks all-up. They are small, flexible and will run ROON as well as Spotify and other online services. I have 3 running in my home.
thank you for taking the time to expand, what you say makes perfect sense and I will take a look at Lumin as my Chord DAC doesn’t offer the same flexibility for future proofing.
I think integrated streamers, like the Lumin range, and separate DAC’s & transports like the Chord range, have different appeal to different types of buyers.
Integrated streamers are very much ‘plug in and enjoy’. With separate DAC’s and transports, you have to think more about other stuff, like how they’re connected etc.
I have both, and both have their ‘uses’. But nothing beats an integrated streamer for ease of use.
This approach has worked very well for me. Interconnects are sometimes an issue, but there are often ways around it.
After making an investment in a system, it is has been technically and financially easier to invest in a single component with pretty “universal” connectivity.
If I were trying to solve for two houses, I’d put my library on a powerful Synology NAS, make sure it’s backed up locally and on a lesser Synology NAS at the remit house, and use Plex media server to enjoy my library in the remote house / car etc.
Plex client ru be ns on virtually any device, including the BluSound software and nodes that are great, and all the streamers.
You can run Roon and Plex simultaneously on the Synology, so you can use Roon in the where the server lives.
I really like Roon, it makes my music life better. Two years ago I hadn’t heard of Roon, yet I enjoyed my music then also. In two years time, who knows what new thing will come along? Perhaps it will be the latest re-working of Roon, perhaps it will be something I have not yet imagined. I would not construct a system that ties me to any one piece of software, not even one as good as Roon. My systems are all founded on the quality of the HiFi equipment I choose.
There is, in my actual experience, always a way to make Roon work with any so-called “End Point”. My study system, for example, is amp’ed by an audiolab amp and audiolab DAC. Roon does not “see” either of them, but the Roon app on my study PC does see the selected USB output and allows me to name it as I choose. Roon server then allows me to select it as my output.
No matter what happens to Roon, no matter if it is superseded by some new interloper-software, my HiFi equipment pleases me and will continue to please me. Choose your DAC your Amp and your Speakers and then manipulate your software (IE Roon) so it plays nicely with it. Roon is great and it increases my enjoyment of my two key set-ups. Neither of my DACs are Roon-Ready. My advice? Don’t get hung up on making your HiFi subservient to your software. It should be the other way around if you want it not to become yesterday’s solution (like Sonos or Apple).
Agree on the plug ‘n’ play ease of integrated streamers. I’ve had three Devialet Expert streaming amps over time and, despite some bugs here and there, it was a lovely experience, especially when the company got Roon Ready status. I’ve now moved to a Lumin T2 DAC/Streamer with a Kinki Studio EX-M7 amp and in doing so I had to worry about an interconnect (Grimm SQM XLRs) and power cord. I like the SQ and flexibility I now have.