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Noob advice on network streaming player


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I'm looking into taking my first steps into the world of media streaming devices with my eyes on the Onkyo CR-N755 hifi which has had received some very favourable reviews. The only stumbling block has been that I'm a Mac user and in order to stream my music library (ALAC and FLAC) to the unit would require a 3rd party DLNA server such as Twonky, or for me to purchase a NAS (which could cost almost as much as the hifi itself).

 

I've asked around a bit and so far the best bit of advice I've had is that:

 

a) The DLNA programs for Mac should work

b) It might be a better idea to pay an extra £100 for something like the Marantz MCR603 which can support Apple Airplay

 

I'm not sure if I can afford the extra £100, and I'm also not sure if it's worth it if I can stream music via DLNA to the Onkyo for just a little extra setup aggro.

 

So I thought I'd open it up to the forum to hear your thoughts on the matter. Will the Onkyo be too much hassle or is the extra £100 for the Marantz too much for just a little extra convenience? I'm obviously also interested in sound quality but from what I gather from reviews, both are strong in this regard.

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I'm looking into taking my first steps into the world of media streaming devices with my eyes on the Onkyo CR-N755 hifi which has had received some very favourable reviews. The only stumbling block has been that I'm a Mac user and in order to stream my music library (ALAC and FLAC) to the unit would require a 3rd party DLNA server such as Twonky, or for me to purchase a NAS (which could cost almost as much as the hifi itself).

 

I've asked around a bit and so far the best bit of advice I've had is that:

 

a) The DLNA programs for Mac should work

b) It might be a better idea to pay an extra £100 for something like the Marantz MCR603 which can support Apple Airplay

 

I'm not sure if I can afford the extra £100, and I'm also not sure if it's worth it if I can stream music via DLNA to the Onkyo for just a little extra setup aggro.

 

So I thought I'd open it up to the forum to hear your thoughts on the matter. Will the Onkyo be too much hassle or is the extra £100 for the Marantz too much for just a little extra convenience? I'm obviously also interested in sound quality but from what I gather from reviews, both are strong in this regard.

 

Personally, I wouldn't recommend DLNA-backed devices to streaming newcomers because they (for the most part) don't do gapless playback. Have you thought about getting a 2nd hand Squeezebox Touch or Sonos? They both offer excellent back-end software and handle gapless flawlessly.

 

Don't think gapless is important? Try listening to Dark Side Of The Moon with a those tiny stutters between tracks. Infuriating.

 

Gapless, gapless, gapless. I even bore myself sometimes.

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Personally, I wouldn't recommend DLNA-backed devices to streaming newcomers because they (for the most part) don't do gapless playback. Have you thought about getting a 2nd hand Squeezebox Touch or Sonos? They both offer excellent back-end software and handle gapless flawlessly.

 

Don't think gapless is important? Try listening to Dark Side Of The Moon with a those tiny stutters between tracks. Infuriating.

 

Gapless, gapless, gapless. I even bore myself sometimes.

 

Thanks for the advice.

 

Gapless is one of my biggest gripes with a lot of kit, so I hear you on that front. Will have to give it some thought for sure. Maybe the Marantz will be a better idea with the Airplay? I'm on a very tight budget too so the Squeezebox is probably out of the question sadly as I don't even have anything to receive it's output, but it looks like a great bit of kit.

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Not sure if it fits in your price restrictions (similar price to the Onkyo at Richer Sounds); but matching the Denon DNP-720AE at £190 combined with Denon PMA-520AE at £150 is an alternative which will give you more options for the future being two separate units. No CD player if that's important to you though.

 

I don't think the Denon will do gapless via UPnP but it will via AirPlay.

 

Eloise

Eloise

---

...in my opinion / experience...

While I agree "Everything may matter" working out what actually affects the sound is a trickier thing.

And I agree "Trust your ears" but equally don't allow them to fool you - trust them with a bit of skepticism.

keep your mind open... But mind your brain doesn't fall out.

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PS I you're willing to buy second hand, buy the Denon DNP720 new and add something like DENON AMPLIFIER PMA 255UK | eBay second hand.

 

Eloise

Eloise

---

...in my opinion / experience...

While I agree "Everything may matter" working out what actually affects the sound is a trickier thing.

And I agree "Trust your ears" but equally don't allow them to fool you - trust them with a bit of skepticism.

keep your mind open... But mind your brain doesn't fall out.

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PS I you're willing to buy second hand, buy the Denon DNP720 new and add something like DENON AMPLIFIER PMA 255UK | eBay second hand.

 

Eloise

 

Thanks for the advice. It's probably a little over my budget and at the moment I don't have the space for separates but I'll be sure to check them out in the future when I upgrade from the smaller kit. Good to know there are a lot of alternatives out there.

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I'm looking into taking my first steps into the world of media streaming devices with my eyes on the Onkyo CR-N755 hifi which has had received some very favourable reviews. The only stumbling block has been that I'm a Mac user and in order to stream my music library (ALAC and FLAC) to the unit would require a 3rd party DLNA server such as Twonky, or for me to purchase a NAS (which could cost almost as much as the hifi itself).

 

I've asked around a bit and so far the best bit of advice I've had is that:

 

a) The DLNA programs for Mac should work

b) It might be a better idea to pay an extra £100 for something like the Marantz MCR603 which can support Apple Airplay

 

I'm not sure if I can afford the extra £100, and I'm also not sure if it's worth it if I can stream music via DLNA to the Onkyo for just a little extra setup aggro.

 

So I thought I'd open it up to the forum to hear your thoughts on the matter. Will the Onkyo be too much hassle or is the extra £100 for the Marantz too much for just a little extra convenience? I'm obviously also interested in sound quality but from what I gather from reviews, both are strong in this regard.

 

Be curious to know how you are listening to those FLAC files you have on your Mac right now. As far as what you are looking for, the Marantz and Onkyo do not do gapless playback of FLAC over a network so that kind of takes them out of the equation unless you don't mind that. With AirPlay on the Marantz you will only be able to playback your FLAC files after you change them all to Apple lossless or AIFF. If they are all Redbook 16/44 files then I'd say that would not be a problem but if you have hi res stuff then that is a no go with AirPlay. If you have this all on a Mac laptop then you may be as well off by simply using the optical input of either of those amps you mentioned. I personally am a big fan of AirPlay so my choice would be for the Marantz but they seem pretty qual to me. I have not heard the Onkyo but have heard the Marantz and like it.

David

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Be curious to know how you are listening to those FLAC files you have on your Mac right now. As far as what you are looking for, the Marantz and Onkyo do not do gapless playback of FLAC over a network so that kind of takes them out of the equation unless you don't mind that. With AirPlay on the Marantz you will only be able to playback your FLAC files after you change them all to Apple lossless or AIFF. If they are all Redbook 16/44 files then I'd say that would not be a problem but if you have hi res stuff then that is a no go with AirPlay. If you have this all on a Mac laptop then you may be as well off by simply using the optical input of either of those amps you mentioned. I personally am a big fan of AirPlay so my choice would be for the Marantz but they seem pretty qual to me. I have not heard the Onkyo but have heard the Marantz and like it.

 

Thanks for the heads up, I've ended up going with the Marantz for the Airplay feature. I might also get Airfoil so I can just stream the output from Fidelia which I use with my music library. Most of my files are in ALAC, with just a few in FLAC so it shouldn't be a problem.

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