What NAA do you use?

Which model NUC? And which OS?

Nuc8i7beh in fanless case, Windows 10. Using it as a htpc with hdmi out to my avr, and as a hqplayer naa for Roon music playback.

Considering taking the nuc out of the music chain and using an sotm.

One of the ‘in the middle’ options Jussi mentions is the Upboard Gateway (if I’m reading his mind correctly).

https://up-shop.org/up-gateway-atom-x5-z8350-w-4g-memory-32g-emmc-board-w-vesa-plate.html

I have different NAA’s, including microRendu, RPi etc

The Upboard Gateway is running Jussi’s NAA OS basically, and it’s bootable from USB stick.

I found one advantage this has over the microRendu (and SOtM) types solutions is having the latest and greatest update to date support from Jussi. You just download and install his latest image to the USB stick. It’s the best supported low power NAA solution. You’re not waiting/hoping SOtM update their OS or NAA app.

Since Jussi has one and he recommends it, it will have the best support of any NAA solution.

Plus it is powered by 5Vdc so if you want complete isolation from mains power (ground / RF / leakage current loops), you can run it off a USB power bank for critical listening sessions.

I can’t say if it will sound different to your direct USB connected NUC running Windows though. Depends on so many things. May not perform any different at all.

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