Budget network streamer VS bluetooth

Jessss2

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Hi,

Im planning on buying my first stereo system and wanted to find out your thougts about comparing two options. Important to note that planned source for audio will only be network streaming or bluetooth.

I have an option to buy a Yamaha rn303d/ rn402d with network streaming via Tidal OR some more "sophisticated" receiver like axr85 Cambridge audio BUT with only standart bluetooth (doesnt have aptX).

Somehow I feel that, although axr85 in general is the higher quality receiver, lack of aptX bluetooth would make meaningless it having the better DAC etc.

What are your thoughts?

TIA
 
You can always get an external streamer. The usual budget choice is the Chromecast audio, Teufel connector or Yamaha wxad-10.
 
You can always get an external streamer. The usual budget choice is the Chromecast audio, Teufel connector or Yamaha wxad-10.

Yup. You can also add BT Aptx (or AptX HD).

I wouldn't necessarily narrow down your choices because of it.

As to BT vs streaming, BT AptX is fine. BT AptX HD and Streaming via a decent DAC are better but many non hifi obsessed folks would probably struggle to hear differences, perhaps even preferring a lower resolution ... The Gadget Show once did an interesting test on that.

Personally I use a CCA via DAC. A low cost solution but absolutely fine for me.
 
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Hi,

Im planning on buying my first stereo system and wanted to find out your thougts about comparing two options. Important to note that planned source for audio will only be network streaming or bluetooth.

I have an option to buy a Yamaha rn303d/ rn402d with network streaming via Tidal OR some more "sophisticated" receiver like axr85 Cambridge audio BUT with only standart bluetooth (doesnt have aptX).

Somehow I feel that, although axr85 in general is the higher quality receiver, lack of aptX bluetooth would make meaningless it having the better DAC etc.

What are your thoughts?

TIA

A key consideration is that the Bluetooth route requires you to have your phone on while music is playing, on the other hand it does mean you can play back anything that is playing on your phone vs being restricted to what services your streamer can connect to and stream.

You could always go the DIY route and build your own streamer out of a RPi and a relevant hat (for example an SPIF hat that could feed your amp digitally, so your amp is still handling the D/A stage). That would give you a wider choice of software / services and less lock in (over time as services change). On the other hand it would mean an extra box, which isn't ideal.

HiFiBerryOS | HiFiBerry

(The hifiberry hats work with all the common RPi players as well, if you wanted support for a particular streaming service. Or you can use roonbridge or hifiberryos to make it a Roon endpoint with added Bluetooth and Airplay support, which would make for a nice setup)
 
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