Low cost streamer for Spotify - would this idea work ?

It would never be in the league of the Bluesound, obviously. Of course the price difference between the two is huge. I have not used the Bluesound, so not in a position to compare. But I used the DNM of a friend for a few days. Connecting to an amplifier through its audio out is not good at all. Lot of body is lost. But through the optical out via a DAC improves things tremendously and could compare with my Sonos connect. Considering the VFM, the DNM is a good bargain, but you will need a good external DAC.

Honestly not able to understand, how this Rs 9K DNM is in any way superior to a Rs 3.5K Mi Box.

Both give optical out, and both use Chromecast technology / protocol.
 
Tried with an old ACT TV box I had at home.

Works perfectly. Problem solved for my friend.
 
I know this is a thread about low cost streamers, and we have been discussing low costing components and very expensive ones. Then I went online to see what’s going on. I got the impression that expensive components generally are more likely to be reviewed with more details by professional reviewers. Occasionally there are some like Raspi based DAC streamers reviewed by the likes of Darko or Beekhuysen.
Here is one of the expensive ones from Darko:

and a older one on CCA

 
And here he demonstrates a DIY streaming solution that is as low cost as I can imagine (if you are a bit of a techie)
He does make it sound do-able with some step by step guidance. So we are back to low cost solutions.

(Apologies for the Darko overload)

 
@argho - maybe I didn’t understand the question correctly - but why not a chrome cast Audio? That should work for him fantastic with almost no hassle, right? Also an AUX to RCA cable should also make it easy to use the inputs on the back.

Chroma is selling it for Rs.844 - https://www.croma.com/google-chromecast-audio-media-streaming-dongle-black-/p/196625
You can use Apple TV, connect it to iPhone via Airplay. Optical out from Apple TV to be given in simple DAC like Schiit Modi. You can stream Spotify with ease.
 
You can use Apple TV, connect it to iPhone via Airplay. Optical out from Apple TV to be given in simple DAC like Schiit Modi. You can stream Spotify with ease.
Now where does apple TV come in now? OP wanted an el cheapo streamer and now Apple TV is being fielded. :oops:
 
A friend of mine has an old Marantz amp.
He has mostly been listening to Spotify, which he streams from his phone via a cheapo Logitech Bluetooth receiver, hooked up to the amp.
Of late he has been having problems, and is looking for a better alternative.

One that could possibly give him Spotify Connect capability, but at low cost.

I had suggested the Yamaha WXC-50 but that is almost 30K.

He is looking for a solution within 5K.

Idea that came to me - not sure whether it would work :

- Buy a Mi box ( https://www.mi.com/in/mi-box-4k/ ) for Rs 3.5K

- Connect to TV via HDMI, and perform setup. Log into wifi

- Change audio output in Mi Box to SPDIF (ie optical)

- Disconnect from TV (the TV is in a different room). Move the Mi Box to the living room and connect to Amp via SPDIF.

- Remove HDMI cable completely


Theoretically, this should now show us as a destination for Chromecast, as well as for Spotify connect.
It becomes a full fledged Spotify streamer for Rs 3.5K.

Any idea whether this would work ?

Has anyone tried ?
Another way iv been trying works well..i discovered this solution when my WiFi was down..

Requirements:
You will need 2 phones (android), paid up versions of USB Audio Pro app and
MConnect app, and external USB dac which connect by cable to the phone (I'm using USB C to USB 2.0 A/USB 2.0 Mini cable but this will depend on your phone and dac USB input types). In using a FIIO Q1 MK2 as my external dac. If u have a MQA dac (e.g. Helm bolt) even better.

Method:
Now u can use one phone (let's name this Phone 1) to act as UpNp renderer (through USB Audio Pro app) and control the upnp stream from other phone (phone 2) using MConnect App. Both apps are not cost exorbitant (1000 bucks for both apps on play store) and its great bang for the buck since USB Audio Pro App can do 1st unfold of MQA to the external dac!

For Tidal Playback
You login to Tidal on USB Audio Pro App and start the upnp renderer on Phone 1. Phone 1 will have data on and hotspot on.

On phone 2, connect to the phone 1 hot spot and login into your tidal account inside the Mconnect app installed on Phone 2. Then in MConnect (on phone 2), search for the Upnp renderer under the 'play to ' tab on bottom right..(this will show as USB Audio Pro UPnP that you had enabled on Phone 1). Now whatever you play on MConnect tidal on Phone 2 will stream wirelessly (over hotspot network) to the other phone (Phone 1) in native resolution and will be decoded by the USB Audio Pro (on Phone 1). U get MQA unfolded and non MQA native playback to dac.


For Spotify playback
Just use the Spotify connect feature in Spotify App where you control Phone1 playback from phone 2. All you do here is play Spotify on phone 1 and then search for the phone in other devices on phone 2 (speaker icon on bottom right)

Good luck trying this solution. It's cost friendly streaming solution with MQA playback!! It may sound difficult to set up initially, but once uv figured it out, it becomes relatively easy later on.. All to need to do is flip a few software switches n your set to stream.

Caveats
1. In this you are not using your home WiFi connection, so mobile data gets used (i.e. Hotspot on phone 1). This solution doesn't serve as a typical network streamer solution.


2.This solution can get tricky if the phone 1 that's connected to external dac has OTG auto switch off (like in case of one plus models) since the OTG times out and disconnects the stream to dac.
 
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Oops.. I just realized that u need a digital out to your marantz to use its dac..in above solution, u can try sending the usb audio from Phone 1 to marantz via usb
 
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Get a Allo boss 2 player, install Spotify connect in it and use the Spotify app to control it.
I'm not sure what you meant by install Spotify connect ... I have simply enabled the Spotify renderer to 'ON' on the toggle switch and didn't have to install anything. The Spotify android app detected the MoOde Spotify renderer and that was it.
 
I'm not sure what you meant by install Spotify connect ... I have simply enabled the Spotify renderer to 'ON' on the toggle switch and didn't have to install anything. The Spotify android app detected the MoOde Spotify renderer and that was it.
On Volumio there are two options for Spotify, one is the native Spotify client for Volumio and the other is the Spotify connect client. You may enable as per your choice.
 
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